Sparing as Cardio?

Little John

Little John

New member
Hi all,

Looking at some additional activities to keep my metabolism going that requires little-to-no set up, and I'm wondering if anyone has thoughts on a heavy bag or one of those mannequins. I'm thinking of what I can do in the morning where I can roll out of bed, throw on some sneaks and burn some calories for 20 minutes or so every morning before I get going. I already have a rowing machine and lift, and that fills up my evenings. Winter's coming, so morning walks/jogs are pretty much out coming soon, and I figured that sparing might be a fun way to wake up.


Thanks -LJ
 
Hi there,


My last post was ages ago, but it concerned weight-loss regarding boxing. I box at university, initially starting as a way to keep fit (i was pretty chunky at school, not a typical sportsman!). I've stuck at it and have actually made the university squad this year, so first of all, i can say that if there's a way to keep fit, boxing is about as good as they come!


In terms of the workout you're looking for, bag training has a lot of benefits, particularly if you put the work in. It provides both a cardio workout as well as muscle endurance training. When we train, we generally split sessions on the bag into 2 minute slots (like rounds in amateur boxing), with a 1 minute gap in between. 4-5 rounds is certainly enough to get the heart racing, so the workout can be pretty short. start with just a single arm for the first round, throwing a punch and moving in between punches (that's the key to the cardio part; staying on the balls of your feet and moving around like a boxer). then in later rounds you can switch it up to a back hand, or punch combinations. If you want to focus on muscle endurance or get the most out of the workout, make sure you are hitting with force. As a result, it's probably advisable to get hand wraps and bag gloves when hitting a heavy bag.


Hope that was helpful! any other questions just give me a shout.
 
Sparing is a great mode of cardio, for really all of the reasons you mentioned. It's a great change of pace and is actually fun! 20 minutes will go by in a flash. Just make sure to keep the intensity up!
 
Great, just found these responses (last time I was here, only a couple of "fluffy" responses that have since disappeared). I'll keep an eye out for a heavy bag on Craigslist and see where things go from there.


What would you recommend for learning the moves - imitate a pro? Find something on YouTube? Make it up as I go along?


And are handwraps somethign you buy specifically, or would a couple Ace Bandages do the trick?
 
One thing not to do is imitate a pro, when it comes to a classic boxing style, most professionals somewhat shy away from it. a good way of looking at it is that amateur boxing is a different sport all together from professional. My recommendation would be to find a beginners boxing class, go for 1 session to learn technique, then do your own thing. If that isn't your cup of tea, I'll try descrive the standard boxing stance.


both hands up, with your back hand hugging your cheek, and your lead hand around the same height, about half a foot in front of your face. stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your lead foot roughly 2 feet ahead of your back foot (or whatever feels natural). we get told to imagine your feet are on a tram track - they should always come back to this position after movement (gives you a strong base to punch from). have your back heel slightly off the floor, as this allows more agile movement. make sure not to stand square on either - try force your body to be pointing 45 degrees away from the bag, as it shows less of a target to get hit from. That's a very basic analysis of a boxing stance, its quite difficult to explain in words!


when punching, thing of your body as having a pole through it, and as you throw, swivel on that 'pole'. in boxing, you dont punch with your arms really (that's why many boxers often dont have massive biceps). instead, the power is generated from this swivel motion of your whole body. so try to turn your hips as you punch, and youll notice a) more power, and b) a better full body workout.


Hope that helps, give me a shout if you need anything else
 
If you're talking sparring as in against another individual, its not only good for you, its pretty exhilarating. amazing how much more tired you are after a round of sparring that a round of the same time on a bag or shadow boxing. As long as your competing with someone of a similar level, I'd definitely recommend it.
 
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