10 Amazing Benefits of Boxing
Table of Contents
There are numerous benefits to boxing, but I want to showcase 10 amazing benefits that everyone should be aware of. Yes, you can learn to fight with boxing, but there are tons of incredible benefits that come along with it that people often overlook. I believe boxing is a wholistic sport that can improve many aspects of your life if you let it. Here are some of my favorite benefits of boxing (but there are plenty more).
1. You’ll be in INCREDIBLE shape
Here’s an obvious one. If you think you’re in shape now, you’re probably not. Maybe you play a little basketball or go to the gym to lift every once in a while, but I’m here to tell you that boxing is on a completely different level of fitness. I’m not talking about just physically looking like you’re in shape (obviously this can come with the territory), but actually being in shape by functionally being able to perform at a high level. This is because of the use of energy systems.
Energy Systems
Without sounding like a complete nerd here, in some sports, you’re only using 1 energy system at a time. In boxing, you hit all 3 energy systems during a training session. “Energy Systems are chemical pathways in our body that resynthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for everyday activities. The three energy systems are; the ATP-PC or ‘alactic’ energy system, the anaerobic glycolysis or ‘lactic’ energy system and the aerobic energy system.” (https://canada.humankinetics.com/blogs/excerpt/energy-systems). Think about the difference between a light jog and a sprint.
During boxing, you need to incorporate all three energy systems, from throwing hard combos that feel like sprinting, to moving around in your stance like you’re jogging. In order to be great at boxing it’s absolutely necessary to constantly be training all your energy systems.
2. You’ll learn REAL self-defense and increase your self-confidence
I don’t know if it comes from the endorphins that are being released from every workout, or knowing that you can actually fight back if you’re ever threatened with bodily harm, but confidence is one of the biggest benefits of boxing.
Very few things are as scary as someone punching you in the face, so when you walk through life willingly putting yourself in that position an average day in the real world is very soft and cushy. Imagine thinking that girls are scary after your homie Tyrone tries to knock your block off in the gym.
Boxing is also REAL self-defense as has been proven over the past millennia. We’re not here to pussyfoot around in our pajamas and say we’re going to turn the other cheek when people push us around, telling them “but Sensei told me not to fight outside the dojo!!”. No, if someone fucking pushes us, we crack that asshole in the jaw and tell him we’re not going to be another victim.
A lot of martial arts are “Bullshido”. I don’t plan on rolling around on cement floors and broken glass outside or throwing a spinning back kick in my tight jeans if someone’s a threat to me. However, I will happily do the most natural thing possible and smash my fist across his face.
3. You’ll have improved posture and positive body language
Fighting is all about body language. If you stand in the ring looking weak and timid, you’ll be met with violent harm. By training in boxing, you’re developing your physical posture and strong presence. Every man should stand proud, physically in a powerful posture. You’ll develop this in the ring and you’ll take it with you as you walk through life on a daily basis.
You’ll stand upright, you’ll learn to look people in the eye like you would in the ring and you’ll hold your head up higher.
4. You’ll build your character
Mike Tyson’s trainer, Cuss D’Amato, used to say that “fighting reveals character”. I didn’t know what that meant until a punch enlightened me. When you are getting repeatedly punched in the ring under pressure and you have to make the decision whether to take a knee or keep fighting back, and that is when you discover what you’re actually made of. Fight, flight or freeze. You’ll learn which one you’ll choose in the boxing ring.
Deferred Gratification
Another facet of character development is exercising deferred gratification. This means you are willing to work your ass off to attain a skill that can’t be bought, only earned. You’ll have to sacrifice food, free time, fun, and plenty of other freedoms that are often taken for granted. You’re sacrificing these things to be able to walk through life with a skill that few are willing to sacrifice for. That’s true character development.
5. You’ll find a brotherhood you can’t find anywhere else
Human beings are tribal people and few things develop a tribe like working hard and bleeding together. Some of my closest friends to this day have been people that have punched me in the face and trained beside me in the boxing gym. I know what these men are made of and they know me. I go through life not having to worry about who’s covering my 6 when we’re together. I’m confident that if shit hits the fan, my brothers can competently stand beside me and I with them. This works both ways.
The bonds you make in a boxing gym are unlike any in the real world.
6. You’ll become more attractive
Not only will you be in better physical shape, but you’ll be more attractive to people when they know that not only can you defend yourself, but you can protect them as well. What chick doesn’t like being protected by her man? Ask any woman and she’ll tell you she’d love her man to be able to protect her. All women want a “bad boy” in some way or another, and all bad boys are tough enough to be able to take a hit and give one back.
As the popular saying goes, if your man can’t fight, is he really your man?
7. You’ll become more respected
Any man will respect you when they know you can fight and actually back up your words with action. Most men will think twice before they disrespect you knowing there might be repercussions if they cross you. It’s like being able to carry a weapon everywhere you go – fewer people are going to fuck with you knowing you train in violence. How many people would mess with Superman? Learning to fight is like developing a superpower.
People will also respect you just knowing how hard you work and how much you sacrifice to train. Men know fighting is really fucking hard and if they don’t respect you, at the very least they’ll fear you. It’s hard not to respect someone who works hard at something – this goes for both men and women. Similar to attraction, women respect you more when they know how hard you work and that you have passions and interest outside of them.
8. You’ll have improved coordination
I was the clumsiest, goofiest, most uncoordinated guy you would ever lay your eyes on prior to learning boxing. My understanding of rhythm, footwork, and overall coordination used every day in life developed as a direct result of training in boxing.
Improved rhythm actually helped me learn to dance, too. Everyone knows good dancers are also great in bed, so that helped with the ladies too. Shakira would agree with me, in dancing and in fighting, these hips don’t lie.
9. You’ll discover yourself
Instead of running into the woods and trusting some dirty hippie to give you Ayahuasca and then pissing and shitting all over yourself, discover who you actually are in the ring. You don’t need some weak specimen of a man who does drugs all day to show you who you are – you can find yourself in a boxing gym. As you develop your mind, your body and your willingness to walk the hard path every day (because trust me, it’s going to be hard), you’ll find out who you are.
There’s no way to be undisciplined in this sport, so by showing up every day when your body is aching and screaming at you not to go, you’ll learn about yourself. If you ever lose a fight, you’ll learn to deal with loss. When you win, you’ll learn if you’re truly a humble person. Many different things reveal themselves in a boxing gym the longer you show up.
10. Boxing can help neurodegenerative disorders
Sparring and fighting is hard on the body in the long run, and can especially be hard on the mind when you start taking hits to the head. I don’t expect to fight and spar my entire life, but I do expect to continue in this sport forever.
Pretty much all things about this sport (except hits to the head of course) are benefits of boxing. You develop coordination, a sharper mind, balance, posture, mobility, cardiovascular health, focus and range of motion. These are reasons organizations such as Rocksteady Boxing (https://www.rocksteadyboxing.org/) use boxing to combat neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s. Studies have been done to show improvement in Parkinson’s patients and you can read more about one of them here. https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/91/1/132/2735142?login=true
So, bring it on Old Age. I’m coming out swinging.
Are you ready to take a step towards the ring?
If you want to learn more about the benefits of boxing, I strongly recommend my book, Budo Boxing – The Way of Boxing. I’ve poured 15+ years of knowledge into this book with the goal to help you unlock your boxing potential.
If you enjoy this blog, have any questions or suggestions for future posts, please don’t hesitate to contact me at budoboxing@gmail.com.
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