I lost a lot of weight using boxing just for fitness, but some people seem to get put off joining a boxing gym or using boxing as a workout. So, can you do boxing just for fitness?
You can do boxing just for fitness. Most boxing gyms will allow you to join and not make you fight, spar, or even get hit. Boxing is a great full-body fitness workout, and boxing classes also include a lot of additional fitness training too. Meaning, you can join most boxing gyms just for fitness.
In this article you will learn about the following:
- Doing boxing just for fitness & its benefits
- Can you do boxing without sparring or fighting?
- And, choosing the right gym
Boxing For Fitness
Boxing is used in the fitness industry all the time by gyms and personal trainers because it is great for a full-body workout and works both your cardiovascular system and your muscles.
If you’re looking to do boxing just for fitness, most gyms will be happy to have you regardless of whether you’re there for fitness or fighting.
You can get all the fitness benefits of boxing by joining most boxing gyms. If you want to see all the fitness benefits and what to expect, check out my boxing fitness complete guide.
When I started boxing at my local gym to lose weight, I was left to take part in all the training and get a complete workout done, without ever being pushed into fighting or even any contact training with other members of the gym.
After a few weeks, I had to ask my instructor if I could step up the intensity and do some fight-specific training like sparring and pad work. Up until that point, I was just left to punch the bags and work out on my own.
If you don’t want to step up the intensity of your training or do any fight-specific training, then you don’t have to.
Fitness Training In Boxing Class
The physical act of boxing itself is a great workout. Whether you’re throwing punches at pads or heavy bags, or even shadow boxing. But most boxing classes also offer additional fitness training too.
A typical boxing class will include multiple 3-minute rounds of skipping, pushups, situps, and other forms of bodyweight exercises. And don’t be surprised if the training instructor expects you to go for a run too.
At the end of the class, you will usually get plenty of time to do a cool down and stretch. And all of these workouts and cooldowns are done as extra to the actual boxing training. So it’s fair to say that a boxing class offers a great fitness workout.
Check out my complete guide to boxing fitness for a more in-depth look at what to expect from a boxing class including, class structure (and the fitness involved), and 10 commonly asked fitness questions.
Can You Do Boxing Without Sparring or Fighting?
“What is Sparring? Sparring is a form of training similar to a real fight. In sparring, you and your training partner go head-to-head and exchange strikes and hit each other”
As a newcomer to boxing, or if you’re just looking to use boxing for fitness, you may not want to do sparring or fighting. So, can you do boxing without sparring or fighting?
Most boxing gyms will allow you to join and not force you to spar or fight. There are many members of boxing gyms who only do boxing for fitness training, and the boxing instructors are happy to let them do that without ever needing to fight, but it does depend on the following types of boxing gym.
It is true that anyone can start boxing just for fitness. But, it is best that you first check what type of gym you’re going to be joining.
Choose The Right Boxing Gym For You
The type of boxing gym you join may help stay motivated for longer and keep training. Meaning, in the long run, choosing the right gym will help get you in better shape and maintain your fitness.
A lot of boxing gyms are going to be fight-focused, and the trainers may spend most of their time supervising the sparring with the students in the class who are training to fight.
But other gyms will have a good mix of members, some who are there to learn to fight, and others who are there to get fit.
Fitness Focused Gyms
The first type of gym you may choose to join is a more traditional fitness-focused gym which also has a boxing program. These types of gyms are going to be very welcoming and accepting of all fitness levels and body types.
You’ll likely find that their boxing classes are more focused on the fitness side of things and work to push you to work past your limits with circuit-type training, light boxing pad work, and maybe even punching bag work too if they have them.
These types of group boxing classes are a great workout, and that is their core focus. Meaning, it is very unlikely that you will have any physical contact with the other people in your class. It will be fitness-focused, not fighting-focused.
Fight Focused Gyms
Some boxing gyms are going to be hardcore boxing gyms full of up-and-coming fighters. And their training sessions are going to be tough, with lots of heavy-hitting and sparring sessions to prepare you to fight.
If you’re just looking to do some fitness training there, then it may not be a great fit for you. Plus, you’ll likely be left to do your own thing on the punch bags out of the way of all the ‘serious’ training.
The coaches are much less likely to want to hold pads for you at a fight-focused gym because they’re focused on the fighters and improving their skills or preparing them for an upcoming fight.
This is fine, you can still get a good workout in on the punch bags, but it would be better if you could get involved in the group training and pad work too, as these are going to offer a much more well-rounded workout and push you harder to get fitter.
Still not sure if boxing is right for you? Check out my article with some commonly asked questions and find out if boxing is for you.
You can also check out my article on the benefits and financial costs of boxing to see if boxing will be worth it for you.
