This is the last exercise in the series before you get an extra minute of rest. Twenty minutes may not seem like much, but don't underestimate this challenge-you're practically guaranteed to break a sweat.īurpee With Pushup, Straight Punches, Hooks After finishing all of the exercises, rest for a minute, then repeat the series a second time for a total of 20 minutes. To complete the workout, perform each exercise according to the suggested time intervals. Reggie Chambers, NASM-certified personal trainer and boxing and kickboxing coach who trains at Limelight Fitness Center in Manhattan, put this interval workout together, citing it as one of his personal favorites. If you're tempted to buy a bag for home-based workouts, or if your gym has a bag or two you can use on your own, consider giving this workout a try. With more boxing-style workouts and boutique fitness centers popping up to provide accessible classes to the general public, punching bags are becoming a hot fitness trend. One 2008 study published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, found that female boxers were more likely to have higher bone mineral density than other women of similar age and anthropometric measurements.
Even more than that, though, boxing against a heavy bag (or an actual person) is one of the only cardiovascular exercises that provides upper body, bone-building repetitive impact. Of course, any exercise that requires this type of total-body engagement can help you torch calories and strengthen your major muscle groups. You have to engage your entire body, including your core, shoulders, and hips, to effectively control your movements as you hit the bag. The initial (and somewhat unexpected) impact can be a bit jarring, and it won't take long to realize you can't get away with throwing soft punches.
So every time you lay into the bag, your fist, foot, or knee is met with significant resistance. Most heavy punching bags weigh between 50 and 150 pounds. Throwing a few quick jabs at a punching bag may not seem too hard, but if you've never used a heavy bag during a boxing workout, you're in for a challenge.