Solo Training? Here are 4 Ab Training Exercises Boxers You Should Do
One of the most important aspects of a boxer is his core strength. A strong core plays a vital role in moving offensively and defensively, not to mention that it adds a protective layer for potential punches that might land on your abdomen.
The core area is an integral part of a boxer’s physique, so they are conditioning their abdomen area when watching professional training sessions. A chiseled midsection means a well-conditioned athlete.
That said, a boxer’s midsection training consists of training routines that help fortify this section. This includes ab exercises and workouts. If you’re a boxer or a person looking to take up boxing soon, then the first thing that you should focus on is developing your core. It’s where most of the power of your punches is pulled from, and that’s also where most of your opponents target their punches.
But what workouts and exercises can you do to fortify your core? Here are some of them.
Crunches
Crunches are one of the most essential workouts you can do to develop your core. Even though your abs are developed enough, doing crunches is still a good thing. You’ve done crunches at some point in your life, so we don’t have to tell you what it is or how it is done. Instead, let’s talk about how it will help you develop your abs.
When you’re doing crunches properly, you are consistently working out your central core muscles. It’s the go-to workout if you’re looking to develop your abs.
All the other core training is just an add-on. Like its distant cousin, the sit-up crunches help you build and fortify the area around your sternum. Most body punches are targeted to the sternum, so fortifying it is essential.
Not only that, but performing crunches also trains your contracting and expanding movement, which adds power to your punches. With this movement, you’ll be able to draw more power from your core while also training it to be more fortified before a punch.
Leg Raise
Leg raised targets your lower abs, which, unfortunately, too many people believe to be not that important. That belief alone couldn’t be more false. Developing your lower abs will fortify your it, but it could also add more to a boxer’s hip and lower back flexibility, not to mention it adds more strength to their punches.
It also allows more boxers to be more flexible with their base and legs, improving footwork and movement. By fortifying your lower abs, you will be able to do jerk movements like weaving, bobbing, ducking quickly, level-changing, and more by just doing leg raise.
If you’re looking to be a boxer that generally depends on dodging and movement, training your lower abs is essential, which leg raises can do well.
Russian Twists
We’re veering away from the basic ones to more advanced workouts. Enter Russian twists. Russian twists are one of the most popular ones among professional boxers because it engages every bit of a person’s core muscles, from the lower abdomen to the obliques.
With a constant flowing movement, Russian twists involve all of the abdomen muscles with great efficiency in development.
The great thing about Russian twists is that you can add weight resistance. For example, using a dumbbell or a medicine ball can make Russian twists exponentially harder and more effective because it will force your body to squeeze harder, adding to the pressure.
You can even see that if you watch sports online, they feature some professional boxers who you can see incorporate Russian twists, such as Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.
Flutter Kicks
This one is quite similar to leg raised, albeit with variance and movement and even harder for some. Flutter kicks also target the lower abdomen, and they are simple enough to do. However, they are very challenging, especially if you haven’t started developing your core muscles yet. Unless you have built up muscle strength even just a little bit already, try to reserve this training for later.
For this workout, all you have to do is to lay down on the ground, ball your fists, and put them under your bum, so your hips and legs are raised a little. With a slow and steady movement, flutter your feet and contract your abdomen as hard as you can. You can even make it more advanced and incorporate a medicine ball to make it harder.
This workout simulates the heavy impact of punches, which is good training to develop your core muscles more.
Final Words
One of the most important aspects of a boxer is his core strength. Without it, his punches will be a lot weaker, and he will be without a protective layer in his abdomen area, which is excellent news for his opponents. If you want your core to be much more powerful, try doing these exercises.
