So many movements in boxing involve shifting your weight, twisting your hips, and rotating at the waist. Having solid core strength is important for every athlete who steps in the ring.
There’s much more to a fighter’s offense and defense than just punching or blocking. Your boxing core must be strong enough to add rotational torque to your punches to be most effective. It helps put extra power and snap on your shots, as opposed to just throwing “arm punches.”
Your core strength also affects your ability to slip, roll under, and absorb punches you’re defending yourself against. Unless you have good, solid core strength it is difficult to turn, roll with, or avoid incoming punches very efficiently. Because it plays such a central role in your boxing movements, if it is an underdeveloped area, you will tire faster and not be able to do what you know you can do or should be able to.
There are many basic exercises you can perform to help build up your overall core strength. Exercises, like sit-ups, variations of planks, crunches, leg lifts, or mountain climbers are simple because they don’t require anything other than your natural bodyweight. Because you are using your own, natural bodyweight, that also makes them some of the most effective exercises for boxing.
Another option for building your boxing core is by using core strength equipment like abdominal wheels, medicine ball slams, specific resistance band exercises, or even movement on a balance board to put additional stress on your body’s core. Incorporating equipment can increase the difficulty of even some of the most basic movements and improve those core benefits.
Whether it’s using your own weight or adding in equipment that is specifically geared towards building core strength, any of it will help you become a better boxer.
Increasing your core strength can add power to your punches, improve your ability to defend yourself and save energy you must spend, making up for a weak midsection.
Remember, it’s called your core because it’s the center of everything, including your ability to box at your best.
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