Boxercise classes have been springing up all over the place since the concept was founded by Andy Wake in 1992. The classes can be taught in many ways depending on the instructors and the participants preferences.
Some sessions take the form of a boxing class where participants pair off and work with one another on their punching technique before moving onto different exercise components such as skipping, press ups and sit ups. Others will incorporate boxing techniques into circuit or even aerobic classes.
What Do Boxercise Classes Involve?
Classes will follow the general structure of a more traditional exercise class. They will all involve a warm up with stretching followed by the main workout and finally a cool down with stretches.
Sessions always involve punching technique. There are four basic punches to learn: the straight punch, the head hook, the body hook and the uppercut. The instructor will advise new participants on all of the punches to ensure they are carried out safety.
Skipping may also feature heavily in classes. It offers a very good cardio workout in itself and will help to improve coordination.
What Effects Will Boxercise Have on the Body?
Individuals attend sessions for all types of reasons and are rewarded with a fun and exciting form of exercise which is good for their general fitness. Classes cover a range of movements and will work all of the major muscle groups. This can lead to improved levels of fitness, toning and weight loss.
Regular sessions will help participants develop skills such as hand-eye coordination, balance, timing and technique as well as being an excellent form of stress relief.
Course Director, Andy Wake has said Boxercise can burn up to 1100 calories per hour in intense sessions. He added that 600 to 900 is a more average amount of calories for an individual to burn off in a normal hour-long class.
Are Boxercise Classes Safe?
If participants demonstrate a good punching technique as shown by their instructor it is highly unlikely they will ever suffer an injury. Injuries occur if the participant lets his technique slip during a punching session.
Bones in the hand can be easily broken if the punch does not strike evenly. This is due to a certain area of the hand absorbing all of the force instead of it being distributed evenly. To avoid this, the exerciser should keep the wrist straight throughout the punch.
How to Find a Registered Boxercise Instructor
The Boxercise website provides a search facility in which a postcode can be entered to find classes in the area. Alternatively, if the name of an instructor is known this can be inserted to find all of the classes they teach. All registered instructors will be on the database. If a teacher can not be found they aren’t a registered instructor.
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