9 Boxing Workouts For Beginners, Straight From The Pros

Even the simplest boxing workout for beginners is chock-full of benefits. According to Anthony Crouchelli, a USA Boxing certified coach, the fitness modality is a great way to improve cardio endurance, mental acuity, and strengthen your entire body. Here’s how to get started.

The Basics

“This opens up the shoulders, elbows, and wrists while helping to develop precision and endurance,” says DeVante Love, a martial arts instructor.

1. Punch in 4 directions: up, down, right, left.

2. Do 3 sets of 6 quick punches in each direction.

Rest and repeat.

Crouchelli’s 60/70 Circuit

One special perk of beginner-friendly boxing? “It’s an excellent low-impact option for anyone with prior injuries,” says Crouchelli.

1. Do shadowboxing for 60 seconds.

2. Jump rope for 70 seconds.

3. Rest for 30.

4. Repeat for 10 rounds.

Trainer Michael Slowak’s Shadowboxing

Do each round for 2 min. with 30-sec. breaks:

1. Move around in a boxing stance.

2. Throw light jabs & crosses.

3. Throw hooks & uppercuts.

4. Do fast jabs, crosses, hooks, uppercuts, focusing on power.

5. Cool down with light punching.

Boxing + Ab Workout

Fightcamp’s Jerry Randolph likes this sesh for ab strength.

1. Jab + cross punches.

2. Hook punches.

3. Boxer’s twist to work the core.

Do each for 30 seconds, repeat.

Cool down with a boxer’s bounce with your hands up for shoulder strengthening.

Randolph’s HIIT Circuit

Focus on footwork to improve your cardio endurance, says Randolph. Pro tip: "One of the best ways to condition for this is by jumping rope."

Do each for 30 seconds:

1. Nonstop hooks (right/left punches)

2. Squats

3. Elbow planks

4. Boxer bounce. Repeat.

Core Burner

Dogpound trainer Louis Joseph Chandler’s circuit works your abs and your upper body.

1. Shadowbox with hand weights, 3 min.

2. Jump rope for 2-min. intervals, 1-minute rest.

3. Sit-ups + jab at the top, 30 sec.

4. Plank, 1 min.

5. Mountain climbers 30x/3 rounds.

Punch Work

Nail form and relieve stress, courtesy of Isopure trainer Brianna Bernard.

1. Jab, cross, jab/cross combo. Focus on power.

2. Hook, cross, hook, pivot back foot.

3. Uppercut, jab, cross, hook, hook.

4. Jab, jab, cross, hook, cross. Focus on speed.

3 sets, 40 sec. each.

Quickie Boxing Workout

“This workout can be done on a bag, with a person, or even with no equipment,” says trainer Mel Austria.

1. 20 jump ropes

2. 10 push-ups

3. 10 sit-ups or crunches

4. 20 jab/crosses or shadowboxes

Repeat for 2 rounds.

Austria’s Power Workout

1. Shuffle. Jab, cross, hook, cross.

2. Jab, cross, uppercut, hook. Pivot foot for power.

3. 100 jab/crosses, 100 hooks, 100 uppercuts.

4. 20-seconds of sit-ups, 10-seconds of rest. Repeat 8 times.