Nothing but Gains: Boxing Gym in Lehi, Utah

When you think about boxing, what is the first thought that comes to your mind? Do you think about some of the greats like Muhammad Ali knocking out George foreman regaining the heavyweight championship title? Or maybe you think about Rocky Balboa taking Apollo Creed all the way to the gut-wrenching 15th round? When you think about boxing, doing it for exercise or to get healthy usually is not the first thing that comes to mind, but it should be. 

Gone are the days where boxing is only for the beasts of men in the world. It doesn’t matter if you are completely new to working out or the meanest, toughest and strongest bodybuilder on the block – boxing is an incredible way to exercise for all fitness levels because it is constantly challenging you to grow, becoming the best version of yourself, but where did it come from?

Brief History on Boxing

Did you know that boxing can be seen dating all the way back to 3000 B.C. in Ancient Egypt before later being introduced to the Olympic Games in Greece during the 7th century? Although, a little different from the boxing style that we know and love today, the sport grew in popularity. In ancient Rome, boxers typically wore the cestus which is a metal-studded leather hand covering with which they maimed and sometimes even killed their opponents- yikes! The sport began to decline after the fall of the Roman Empire.

Boxing was then revived around the 18th century in London in the form of bare-knuckle fights in which the contestants fought for money and glory. Spectators would gather around to cheer and make wagers on the outcome. James Figg was the first boxer to be recognized as a Heavyweight Champion in 1719.

In 1743, John Broughton who was also a champion formulated a set of rules standardizing a few of the boxing techniques like no seizing an opponent by their hair or no hitting when an opponent is down. Broughton’s rules governed boxing until 1838 when the Original London Prize Ring Rules were devised. 

Boxing has come a long way since then with many modifications being made here and there like the requirement of modern-day gloves. Originally, it may have been a sport meant for just the ‘hulks’ of men in the world, but within the last couple of decades, people have really begun to take notice in some of the incredible effects boxing has on the body- specifically through training. This realization is what started the remarkable idea of boxing for exercising!

Boxing Benefits

As boxing grew in popularity with tickets to some of the best fights being sold for thousands of dollars apiece, so did the world's realization of the amount of training that these athletes had to endure to become ‘fight ready’. Many people think that training consists of hitting a bag over and over again until you simply can no longer hit it anymore – this is not the case. Keep reading and we will tell you some of the best benefits of boxing for exercise!

Aerobic Benefits of Boxing 

Boxing is an excellent way to incorporate aerobic exercise into your life! After you complete a boxing class, you can expect to be dripping from head to toe in sweat. Some of the incredible benefits of boxing found from aerobic exercise are cardiovascular health, weight-loss, and improved endurance.

• Cardiovascular health – When you experience a boxing workout, all your muscles are activated making it a great way to increase your cardio endurance! HIIT cardio gets your heart pumping which can help to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and even heart disease. The whole purpose of cardio is to place a moderate amount of stress on your heart and lungs. By doing this, you are challenging them to make beneficial physiological adaptations to support the higher level of physical activity making them stronger, essentially giving them a workout too! 
• Weight loss – Boxing is not only a great way to incorporate cardio into your workout, but it is also an exceptional way to burn fat to support healthy weight loss! Boxing is a high-intensity workout burning many calories while toning and sculpting the physique you have always dreamed of! When you box, you will torch fat by building muscle which will help to trim a few inches from your waistline. 
• Improved endurance – When you box, more blood, and oxygen are pumped into your muscles which strengthens your heart and lungs. As you do this more and more, your body becomes conditioned to exercise which will allow you to punch harder, run faster, and not get as winded thus improving your endurance.

Muscular Benefits of Boxing

Another great benefit that comes from boxing for exercise is that it will definitely help to sculpt your body and build lean muscle to help you get strong! Many people think that boxing is all about speed, but this is not the case. Being strong and powerful is just as important as being fast on your feet. Boxing fitness classes are an effective way to get strong because it is a full-body workout. Some of the muscles that you will work out are:

• Arms – If you are looking to get rid of your sagging arms then boxing is for you! It is an amazing choice for those looking to strengthen their arms because it works out both major muscle groups: triceps and biceps. Your bicep is the muscle that can be found sitting on the top of your arm where the triceps sit on the bottom. Your triceps are ignited each time you throw a jab to extend the elbow helping each punch to land on its target. Your biceps are used each time when a hook or uppercut is thrown. 
• Core – Your core is one of the most vital muscles in your body. It is so important to have a strong core because it is what helps to keep you stabilized, working to keep you balanced. With every punch that you throw in boxing, your core muscles are ignited because it is what transfers power to your arms! 
• Back and shoulders – If you are new to boxing, then prepare to feel the burn in your back and shoulders due to an intense workout! It does not matter if you are throwing a punch at the heavy bag or sparring with a partner, the extra weight that comes from the gloves will tire your back and arms effortlessly. 

Mental Benefits of Boxing

One of the best and most significant changes that people notice from boxing is the difference in their mental and emotional state. Training can be really tough. It pushes people to challenge themselves to step out of their comfort zone. When you feel you can’t do something and are pushed to your breaking point, you tend to exceed your expectations as to what you are truly capable of, thus creating new limits requiring you to push even harder! 

• Stress relief – Studies show that exercise can improve sleep, increase endorphins, and boost your mood which can all help to alleviate stress. We are human and sometimes we want to scream at the top of our lungs or simply just hit something when we are frustrated or upset. Boxing is a great way to relieve some of the tension and stress built up in your body by allowing you to take those frustrations out on an inanimate object like a punching bag!
• Confidence boost – Boxing is not only an incredible workout to relieve stress, but group fitness also helps many people to feel strong and empowered giving them a great confidence boost! Being stronger, healthier and in better shape will help you to keep a smile on your face as you proudly walk with your head held high! 
• Improved coordination – Boxing requires you to attack and defend yourself at the same time which works to improve your coordination and ability to balance. Having good hand-eye coordination will allow you to have fast lateral movement as well as upper body movement all at the same time while staying relaxed. As we get older, our coordination skills and ability to balance tends to decrease which can increase the risk of falling. Boxing requires focused movements challenging both your muscles and your mind. This will help to improve your fine motor skills thus improving coordination.

 Sure, boxing may have started as a sport for monsters and gladiators to challenge each other in a grueling battle to determine who is superior in strength, but it has evolved so much since then! Boxing has been around for centuries and is loved by many all around the world for its list of incredible benefits that it has to offer. Gone are the days of running countless hours on the treadmill staring off into the abyss for hours on end. If you are someone that is looking for an exciting way to exercise that will challenge you to be the best you can be, then we highly recommend giving boxing a try at Legends Boxing in Lehi. We're conveniently located just south of Salt Lake City and point of the mountain – we know you will not regret it!

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