Boxing Fitness ~ Agility Training
Agility Training
Agility Training for Boxers
Whether Attacking or Defending, boxing requires Agility
No matter whether you are attacking or defending, boxing requires Agility – including foot speed, quick reflexes, and precise mind-body coordination, so it is important to include agility training as a part of your exercise routine.
As we age, our bodies and minds slow down and become less sharp, so whether or not you intend to actually box, Agility training helps you improve your balance, stability, strength, and body control.
What is Agility?
Agility is the ability to change the position, speed, or direction of the body quickly and efficiently. Agility requires a coordinated effort of isolated movement skills such as balance, speed, strength, reflexes, and endurance.
Learning how to develop and combine these skills takes practice, but its benefits are well worth it.
Agility is more than just a physical skill – it requires significant mental effort as well.
Why is Agility Important for Boxers?
Speed and agility training is not just relevant to boxers, it forms a part of most elite athletes training regime, regardless of their sport. Many boxers train to improve the power and quickness of their punches, but they often neglect footwork and other important agility drills that will help them improve their defense. Speed and agility training will not only help you to effectively avoid incoming punches, but it will help you throw clean, powerful punches of your own. There are plenty of other benefits that agility training provides:
Leg Strength
Strong legs allow an athlete to have more control and speed while changing the direction of their body.
Think about how often a boxer needs to change direction when they are in the ring. They have to constantly move around and track and shadow their opponent, both when attacking and defending. Boxing requires more than just upper body strength it uses the entire body, and strong legs are essential to performing your best.
Foot Speed
Fast foot movements can put you in a position to hit and not get hit, to remain balanced in spite of oncoming punches, and to one-up your opponent.
Great footwork consists of balance, proper stance, movement, and speed, all of which are fundamental aspects of agility training.
Injury Prevention
Many sports injuries happen when the body falls out of alignment while in motion. Because agility training helps to improve balance, flexibility, and body control, it reduces the risk of falls and injuries.
Mind-Body Connection
Agility training is great for helping you develop a mind-body connection. Agility Training involves exercises that use the brain as well as the body. Balance and stability are two examples of agility training skills that demand focus and attention. Thus, by developing your agility, you are also building the relationship between the mind and the body.
Balance & Coordination
Balance and coordination are key for a powerful performance in boxing… not only are you doing multiple things at once – punching, dodging, ducking, moving, changing direction, etc. – but you need to do it all while staying balanced.
By practicing speed, hand-eye coordination, and quick starts and stops, agility drills train you to develop balance and coordination in the midst of dynamic movement. It trains the body to work in sync as a whole, rather than focus on individual movements at a time.
Agility Training Drills and Workouts
Here are some simple exercises that will help you build your balance and coordination:
- Footwork Drills
- Shadowboxing
- Training with a medicine ball
- Core exercises