Does Shadow Boxing add to Your Health?
Shadowboxing can make your exercise endurance better, especially in upgrading the endurance quality of COPD patients. As per a study published by the National library of medicine on 70 COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) patients, for a six minutes walking distance, 50% of the patients, who were exposed to shadow boxing practice, performed better than others.
Looking at the marvelous benefits that shadow boxing offers, we have decided to share all details and benefits of it with you.
What is Shadow Boxing?
As the name suggests in shadow boxing you do not fight any human opponent. If you stand in the light, it may seem to others that you are fighting your shadow. This style of boxing is used to train combat sports athletes. The technical credit goes to George Dixon.
If you want to start boxing, proceed by practicing shadow boxing. Knowing yourself is the first rule for any game you play.
Shadowboxing helps you to improve and sharpen your moves through the regular practice of bag work and pad work. Such a practice warms up your body and sharpens your moves, rhythm, and trains your mind accordingly. It provides strength to your muscles as well as engages you in a stronger kind of physical activity.
There are no requirements for using any kind of equipment or partners. Enough training space is the only thing that will remain with you even after evolving as a boxer.
Beginners might get flinched with shadow boxing thoughts. But every beginning gets you out of your comfort zone. Fighters from other forms of martial arts and other sports can try this too.
Your trainer asks you to show your moves through shadow boxing and you don’t know yet what lies next. This is why your awkwardness grows.
This article will guide you through all the intricacies of shadowboxing.
How to Shadow Box the Right Way:
To explain in short, get up and get into position, never hold back; warm-up unless you are satisfied with your moves. It keeps the muscle memory game stronger. Shadowboxing is not irregular movements as it may look like. You can box in different ways to sharpen your skills.
The detailed view is listed below.
Weight Shadow Boxing:
Practice yourself by holding minimum weights as you box. The weight will strengthen and develop your shoulders. And will improve your speed when you are without the weights. Also, T- frame shadow boxing improves your shoulder’s placement. At times your focus is on the pivot and T-frame.
Mouthpiece Shadow Boxing:
The way you prepare decides how you fight. If you practice with mouthguards on, you will know breathing techniques add up to the game. Wear hand wraps when you train.
Shadow Boxing in Slow Motion:
Move-in slow motion and concentrate on techniques. You learn the mechanics behind the moves or punches. Minor mistakes will improve.
No Opponent Shadow Boxing:
You are your own opponent. Place a mirror in front of you and practice your moves. Shadowboxing in front of a mirror prepares you in the way your opponent sees you.
Speed and Shadow Boxing:
This introduces competition to you. The boxer will hit as many punches as he can in one round. The aim is to count how many punches can be thrown in the given minutes. 250-300 punches in three minutes is good to work.
Layman Shadow Boxing:
Imagine an opponent and defend yourself. If you can picture yourself fighting the other and reacting as needed, you’ll understand minor details quicker. The real implantation happens from learning a skill to making your moves your weapon. Visualizing a situation in detail will get you skilled before you are in the ring. Once you form your reality to react, you will become effortless in it naturally.
Movement Shadow Boxing:
Practicing your movements doesn’t start with punches. Concentrate on your movements. Just move unless you are flexible and confident and then add punches to your routine practices.
What Are the Benefits of Shadow Boxing?
A healthy routine comes with benefits.
If you are following any disrupted routine or are caught in the circle of illness, tiredness, weakness, shadowboxing exercise or anything of such preference is always fruitful.
We have listed a few benefits; follow-up.
Being able to visualize yourself is a huge part of shadowboxing. It teaches you to fight from two different viewpoints. To visualize facing different types of opponents, from aggressive ones to defensive fighters, you need to be prepared for everything and anything. Maybe you’ve had the image of someone since day one when you walked into the gym. You’ve been collectively brooding at opposite ends of the gym; you try to convince yourself every time you see them that you are the better fighter.
Spent enough time shadow boxing, you will be prepared to face every style of the opponent in the gym before you step inside the ring. You will have a competitive advantage no matter who you face.
Go through a few rounds of shadow boxing before or after your next boxing or Muay Thai class. Focus on your defense, head movement, and footwork. Visualize yourself in a real fight. Imagine facing every type of opponent each at a time.
You’ll realize how much you have improved as a fighter because of shadowboxing.
Shadowboxing creates awareness about your inner self. One important benefit is increased ring intelligence. The best boxers, Muay Thai fighters in the world have great ring intelligence and know exactly how their movements affect the opponent. An intelligent fighter dictates the pace of a fight with intelligent movement and ring generalship. When to force the action and when to retreat is the greater symbol of intelligence. The flow of your intensity can be simulated in your mind through shadowboxing.
Getting time for yourself and moving efficiently through combat exercises as shadow boxing helps you to avoid boredom. Shadowboxing helps you to break free from the monotonous routine and helps to escape temporarily.
Just like dancing, shadow boxing is the dance of combat sports. It prepares your body holistically before you face a fight.
Shadowing is the best way out to make your total bodywork. Your legs, muscles, hands, eyes, brain, everything needs to be synced to form the right movements and specialize them thoroughly. Footwork helps you to gain familiarity with your moves. And increases your hand-eye coordination. Egg weights fit in your palms perfectly and allow you to add some weight to your shadowboxing. It allows you to develop speed in your punches. Egg weights can stay in your hands and these are a great way to train. It helps to burn a few extra calories.
It increases your alertness, boosts your energy. It also balances your body and improves body posture. It keeps your core strong. It gets you lean and shreds the extra fat. Theoretically, it develops you as a person.
A study shows that shadowboxing helps to lessen chronic low back pain.
Muscle memory is the ultimatum. Everything you do in every way adds up to elevate your muscle memory standard.
Learn the hardest way and finish off in style.
Also Read: Best Boxing Equipment for Home Use
Shadow Boxing Exercise Routine:
Shadow boxing has no external feedback. No directions or landmarks. Take cues from the feels of the movement. You should be able to feel about the energy you regulate and manipulate it to blow your punches. Precision matters. Take time to execute movement without rushing. Use the opportunity to perfect yourself. Eliminate yourself while practicing. Be mindful. The art of shadow boxing develops mindfulness and awareness in movement.
When it comes to routine being present at the moment matters, consciousness matters, and discipline along with consistency is needed. You need efficiency, hustle daily.
You can divide your routine into four parts:
Jumping into shadow boxing like you jump in a water pool is not the key. Hold on! Beginners and starters warm up your bodies. Go for a jog, try a few push-ups followed by jumping jacks to ease and loosen your arms and legs. Try a few squats and walking lunges. Take rest and repeat. Practice it for a few days.
Start the next step when you are efficient with the previous. Start with the fight. Now practice the real kind of shadow boxing. Try and punch non-stop. Stay light on your feet and play non-stop. Don’t be drop-dead either. Run for a few minutes. Increase the number of punches. Focus more on punches and increase the speed. Don’t forget your leg work too.
Take time to reset yourself. Reset your mind. Think about how to make your moves efficient and clean, make your punches worthy of knocking opponents down.
Keep repeating the style in sequence. Also, a mentor saves you through the rough days. Train harder with a mentor who knows to walk you down the path.
In the last part, try with broad jumps, burpee, lateral lunge, mix jabs and crosses. Rest and then repeat.
End the practice with light stretches and flexes. They do wonders to your body. Calm down and cool down. Use strategy to prepare yourself.
Be prepared for the next day.
Related: Best Punching Bags for Your Home
Frequently Asked Questions about Shadow Boxing:
How L0ng should One Shadow Box?
Begin with short periods. Make it fifteen minutes or expand it to maximum 20 minutes.
Can Shadow Boxing Burn Fat?
Yes, it does burn fat in and also burns belly fat.
Can you get Bigger Arms?
Yes, it helps you to build muscles, but up to an extent. There will be a saturation point when you won’t be able to develop more muscles.
Does it add up to Cardio?
Shadow boxing is the best way to uplift your cardio expectations. Your whole body gets worked out.
Does it get you Abs?
Tough training does. Yes, boxing focuses on abs too.
How many times a week should you Shadow Box?
Three times a week will be good for starters. Pro fighters already know what their intake and tolerance capacity is.
How much Calories are Burned?
One can burn up to 550 calories approximately.
Can Daily Boxing be Good?
Yes, it is. Still, you should ask your mentor or trainer. They will guide you better.
Is Shadow Boxing Better Than Punching a Bag?
Shadow boxing and punching bags are different exercises with their own benefits. You can choose both to get better at boxing.
Shadow boxing is perfect for technique building and imagining yourself winning. You can introduce weights to add endurance to the exercise.
On the other side, the heavy bag provides good resistance during impact. It is perfect for correcting your punching power. Start your exercise with warming up with 3 rounds of shadow boxing and then 3 rounds of hitting the bags when your arms are warmed up.
Conclusion:
Shadow boxing is repetitive boxing with yourself. Keeping your practice regular helps you to make your body flexible.
In middle-aged and old women it decreases body fat, improves circulatory function, respiratory function and strengthens the capacity of exercise load. Shadow boxing plays a crucial role in improving strength, balance, and flexibility. Shadow boxing is safe and suitable. Girls must learn it too. You are your own protector. Sports have much gender inequality. We can bring equality. Both genders should try shadow boxing, as it also teaches you to protect yourself from unexpected attacks and dangers.
It keeps you healthy. What are you waiting for? Go ahead and indulge yourself in it.
