Try These Boxing Ab Workouts in Your New Year's Fitness Plan

One of the great things about boxing is that it truly is a comprehensive, full-body workout.

Beginners or outsiders sometimes assume that boxing only works out the arms, but there’s a lot more to it than punching and power. There’s also bobbing and weaving. There are a lot of torso movements and footwork. Boxing requires not only strength, but speed, agility, and limberness.

One of the most essential parts of getting into boxing shape is having and maintaining a strong core. In fact, here’s something to keep in mind the next time you’re using your Quiet Punch doorway punching bag: most of the force behind your strikes comes not from your fists, but from the rotation of your midsection.

A strong core is also important for insulating your ribs and organs from the impact of an opponent’s blows. Think of it like body armor: the better developed your abdominal muscles, the sturdier the armor.

Boxing is an excellent way of building ab muscles. If you’re already a Quiet Punch user, though, you probably already know that. You also know how our innovative smart punching bag makes getting a complete boxing workout easier than ever, no matter where you are. But do you know what kind of exercises you should be doing outside of boxing?

Here are some of the best ab exercises you can do at home, without the need for any equipment beyond your own drive and determination.

The Best Ab Exercises for Boxers

Crunches

The first exercise experienced boxers turn to when building ab muscles is the tried and true crunch. A foundational part of any core workout, crunches work by exclusively targeting the rectus abdominis, which are flexed when you bring your shoulders forward in a traditional boxing stance.

To perform crunches…

• Lie down on your back and place your feet flat on the ground, about hip-width apart, with your knees bent.
• Place your hands either behind your head or across your chest (if you do the former, make sure not to pull your head when performing your crunches).
• Inhale and contract your ab muscles.
• While exhaling, lift your upper body so that your shoulder blades are about 1-2 inches off the ground.
• Hold that position for a few breaths, then slowly lower your upper body back down, without going slack.
• Repeat for 15-20 reps.

Flutter Kicks

While crunches are extremely good at targeting the greater rectus abdominis muscle group, for an exercise that puts extra emphasis on the lower ab wall, flutter kicks are definitely the way to go. What’s more, flutter kicks also help strengthen your hip flexors, lower back muscles, and quads, all of which play vital roles in boxing.

To perform flutter kicks…

• Lie down on your back and stretch your legs out at a 45-degree angle, with your feet close together and your toes pointed straight.
• Keeping your abdominal muscles contracted and your legs tight, slowly lower one leg towards the ground
• Now, raise your lowered leg while lowering the other.
• Alternate back and forth between both legs, lowering one while raising the other.
• Repeat for 10-20 reps per leg.

Side Planks

One muscle that plays a major role in the rotation of the torso during boxing is the quadratus lumborum, a spine-supporting back muscle that is part of the posterior abdominal wall. Side planks help develop the quadratus lumborum as well as the latissimus dorsi, which is crucial to the retraction of the arm during a punch.

To perform side planks…

• Lie on your right side with your legs together and your feet stacked one on top of the other.
• Position your right elbow directly below your right shoulder, while keeping your left arm aligned along your left side.
• Inhale and contract your ab muscles.
• While exhaling, lift your hips and knees up off the ground, using your elbow to support your weight and keeping your body as straight as possible.
• Hold that position for a few breaths, then slowly lower yourself back down so that your hips and knees are resting on the ground.
• Change sides and repeat for 10-15 reps per side.

Push-Ups

When people think of push-ups, they usually think of them in terms of an exercise meant to build upper body strength. The truth, however, is that push-ups are just as good at providing a boxing ab workout. As long as you maintain proper form, push-ups require you to hold your abdominals tight even as gravity is pulling them downward, making for an effective “plank” exercise that also builds up the chest and shoulders.

To perform push-ups…

• Get down on all fours, placing your feet about shoulder-length apart and resting your palms and chest flat on the ground, with your arms out to your sides and bent at the elbow.
• Inhale and contract your ab muscles.
• While exhaling, push yourself up off the ground with your hands, your feet balanced on your toes, until your arms are straight. Make sure to keep your body as straight as possible.
• Hold that position for a few breaths, then slowly lower your body back down, without going slack.
• Repeat for 10-20 reps.

Enhance Your Training Regimen with the Quiet Punch

Everyone wants to know how to get a six-pack, but there really is no secret trick other than being motivated to get in shape and having a commitment to stay that way.

At Quiet Punch, we believe that everyone should have access to a muscle-toning, health-improving, and confidence-building boxing workout, regardless of whether or not they have access to a fully equipped gym.

For that reason, we designed the Quiet Punch to be convenient, durable, and versatile. Not only can you take it with you anywhere, but our revolutionary punch tracker technology helps you keep track of the strength and speed of your strikes.

Even better, the free Quiet Punch app lets you connect with other Quiet Punch users all over the world. Come on and join the fun; try the Quiet Punch today!