Boxing Training For Core Strength Starts From Your Center

A fighter depends upon the core strength for developing his physical power. Core strength connects the whole body for the energy transfer from the lower trunk to the upper body. A fighter’s defense and offense rely on the stability provided by core strength. It plays the role of an engine in the body by fueling with power throughout the game to keep you in constant motion. Core strengthening exercises furnishes your muscle flexibility making them more counter-intuitive. Strengthening your core helps you improve your ring performance, here are various exercises for building your core power for enhanced in-ring performance.

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Importance Of Strong Core In Boxing

Core training is a vital part of training in boxing, whose results indicate the huge correlation between the trunk muscle mass and the launched punching power.

• Delivering A Power Shot

The science is launching a destructive blow to a person or a punching bag lies in immense energy flow from the bottom. When you aim for a punch the energy, force, and momentum are generated from the entire torso to land the punch. The initial force is triggered from your legs, this energy is flowed through the lower body and then is delivered to your upper section including the arms and the core muscles. This whole process is termed as Kinetic Chain, transference of force from feet to fist results in a power punch. The parts in your body are linked together to transfer the energy into your fists. In order to effectively transfer this energy from the bottom to the top, a fighter must bear a strong core. The stiffer and stronger your core is, the more force is delivered to the fist. A stronger core is developed by stiff core muscle (the hips, the lower back, the abs) in your body for maximum impact.

• Balance And Stability

A strong core is essential in maintaining a lower and strong center of gravity for keeping the balance while you use your lower body to generate the force for the strike. Many a time during the fight, a boxer needs to shift, slip, lean, roll, or duck to avoid counter attacks from the opponent. Such defensive movements are made smoothly only by having a stiff and flexible core. Core muscles are responsible for supporting the entire trunk. Strong core muscles allow you to shift your body swiftly in any direction without the fear of falling. It will allow you to make quick responses against your rival factions. Your high speed and amazing footwork are only useful when you are able to maintain a balance, which is determined by a strong core. A weak core would disturb your balance if your upper trunk cannot stay stable in reaction to your speed or footwork.

• Enhanced Tolerance Capability

Facing your opponent in the ring constantly presents you with multiple challenges. You need to be active, slip, dodge, counter attack, throw punch all these movements are performed efficiently with your core capabilities. If you did not have worked on building the strength of your core muscles all these activities in the ring would wear you off. All the efforts put into your training and hours of long run would be wasted if you haven’t worked on developing your core strength. In the ring, most of your energy would be wasted in engaging your core to the strenuous activities during the fight. On the other hand, if you have put an effort into strengthening your core and enhancing endurance you will face no pain in performing movements in the ring. You would not need to expend a lot of your energy and survive till the last round.

How To Develop A Strong Core

Developing core strength is characterized by enhanced tolerance and intense punch power. A good core relies on the excessive repetition of exercise and focus. You must learn to activate a particular muscle required to accomplish the task. For this purpose, various exercises of different intensities must be performed. Less strenuous workouts like planks will be able to help in developing the base strength. Enhancing the endurance capacity of core muscles enables you to make swift and quick movements to dodge or slip your opponent. Strenuous workouts such as Russian Twist assists in strengthening the muscles of the upper body, to sway while punching. That will help you in maximizing the energy transfer from feet to fist. To engage your core along with another group of muscles, compound exercises need to be performed. Compound exercises formulate united functions of the core muscles, helping you to launch complex movements and combos in the fight.

Less Intensive Exercise For Forming The Base

1. Plank

Plank pose is a wonderful workout for forming a basic tolerance capacity. It boosts the twitch fibers of your abs and strengthens the abdominal muscles. Start with the top of the pushup position and hold it for 10 to 60 seconds. Keep your legs and back straight. Keep your butts tight, do not bend upwards or loosen to sag the hips. Engage your core muscles of the abdomen and arms. Take slow and even breaths during this duration.

2. V-Sit Crunches

Start with the seated position with your hands and feet on the floor. Contract your abdominal and core muscles to extend your legs to 45 degrees with your torso. Extend your arms forward to maintain a stable pose. Hold in this position on your pelvic region for about 15 to 60 seconds. V-sit is more effective than plank but involves keeping in a single pose for a long time.

3. Crunches

Crunches are the most traditional and effective strengthening workout for developing core power. You are already familiar with it in your boxing training sessions. Crunches are easy to do and great for enhancing core endurance. Start with your knees bent while laying on the ground. You can opt to lay on a gym ball to support your back while focusing to involve more of your muscles. Fold your arms around the chest, contract your abs along with your shoulders and upper back to reach your knees. Then get back to your starting position with the upper body on the ground.

Heavy Exercises For Explosive Movements

1. Russian Twists

Start by laying on the floor with your hips pressed to the floor, tighten your abs, and bend your legs at 45 degrees. Bring your upper body forward forming a V shape with the legs. Bring your arms together in front of you just above your abdomen. Now twist your body to one side, imparting your weight across one side of your body. Hold for few seconds, then twist back over to the other side.

2. Bicycle Crunches

Bicycle crunches are a more strenuous workout than Russian twists although it involves the same set of muscles as in the Russian twist. Lay on the floor faceup with legs extended, feet together, and your hands behind your head with elbows wide. Bring your right knee towards your upper body while extending the left elbow to touch it. Do the same with alternate limbs.

3. Wall Ball Throw

It is similar to launching a punch and categorized as a high-activity exercise. Stand in front of the wall with a tight core and straight back. Keep a distance of approximately 5 feet away from the wall. Hold a ball and hold it facing the wall. Sway your right side. Your arms shoulder be parallel to the wall with the right hand to above and the left below. Launch the ball forward with your full force, twisting the body back to the initial position. Catch the ball as it bounces back and repeats the steps by moving to the left side now.

Functional Core Movements

1. Squats

Squats are to train the core muscles along with strengthening your glutes and legs. Stand on the ground with feet nearly shoulder-width wide. Balance your flex between heels and balls of your feet. Now descend your hips at the level of your knees, hold for few seconds and stand again to the initial pose.

2. Dead Lift

As a squat focuses to strengthen the muscles of the lower body, the deadlift engages the muscles of the upper body. Keep your feet under the bar with shoulder-width apart, stand in front of the barbell. Bend down and lift the barbell off the ground to the level of the hips. Keep your body perpendicular to the floor, maintain a neutral spine, and utilizes your core. Return the bar to the ground after some time.

3. Bent Dumbbell Lateral Raise

This workout utilized our back muscles to engage the core for stability. Keep your feet at a shoulder-width, bend over at the hips until your body is parallel to the floor with a flat back. Hold the dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms and raise the weights to the respective sides until they are parallel to the ground. Bring back your arms to the initial pose.

Keynote: Every aspect of the boxing sport and its success relies on the core strength. Core strength training is different from strength training exercises, in the perspective that it equips your body with flexibility and enhanced muscle power. Your hips, middle torso, and lower back are all connected to transfer the power generated from the bottom to the whole body. So, a stiff core will be responsible for the power, speed, flexibility, and tolerance a boxer needs to survive the fight.

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