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This At-Home Boxing Workout For All Levels Is A Cardio And Strength Banger

And, you'll see major mood gains.

Headshot of Jamie SpanfellerBy Jamie Spanfeller
shadow boxing workout punches

When you’re down in the dumps or overcome with nerves, a good workout can turn your meh mindset around. There are better options than running for that endorphin boost. (Really!) One of the best is boxing. You can do shadow boxing right at home and feel better mentally, as well as get a head-to-toe burn.

It requires absolutely no equipment or experience, and it's a super fun sweat. In mere minutes, you will hit your worries right where they hurt. Fitness coach Taylor Rae Almonte-Roman, CPT, fell in love with boxing because it focused her anxious mind and allowed her to escape from the negative thoughts spinning in her head. “There's so much to think about and so much coordination,” Almonte-Roman says. “I can really enjoy that workout without getting distracted by anything else."

Meet the expert: Taylor Rae Almonte-Roman, CPT, is a boxing coach for Fiture Fitness, an at-home fitness mirror, and former trainer at Rumble in New York City.

An added benefit: Shadow boxing can be low-impact (hello air punches) and soft on the knees and ankles. “It's a great opportunity to still get that heart rate up, the calorie burn, the sweat that a lot of people like to feel when they work out, without just jumping all over the place,” Almonte-Roman says

The feel-good benefits of this workout are undeniable. “Boxing can definitely make you feel more confident, more sure of your body, more coordinated,” she says. Boxing also makes you feel cool, if you ask Almonte-Roman. Sign me up!

10 At-Home Boxing Exercises


Instructions: This workout is for all levels, and all drills can be done at your own speed.

Beginners: Complete each combination for 30 seconds and rest for 15 seconds in between. After one full round, rest for one minute. Repeat as many times as you want for a shorter sprint or more challenging, endurance session.

Intermediate to advanced: Choose three combinations and complete each for one one minute with no rest in between. After one round, rest for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat as many times as you wish for a longer or shorter workout.

First, practice your boxing stance:

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, one slightly in front of the other, knees slightly bent. Your rear arm and leg should be your dominant side (so whichever arm you write and/or throw with!).
  2. Bring fists up, one slightly in front of the other (as if you were protecting your face and head from an opponent), palms facing each other and elbows close to body.

Bonus burn: Level-up your workout with optional equipment (1 to 3 pound dumbbells or wrist weights).

1

Nonstop Jab Cross

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How to:

  1. Stand in boxing stance with fists up at cheekbone level and elbows close to the body.
  2. Punch lead (front) fist straight in front of you at head level, rotating torso and fully extending arm with knuckles facing straight ahead.
  3. Snap the arm back in front of your the face, tucking elbow near the ribcage.
  4. Punch rear fist straight in front of you at head level, rotating torso and fully extending arm.
  5. Alternate between your lead fist and rear at a consistent tempo, without stopping.
2

Nonstop Uppercuts

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How to:

  1. Stand in boxing stance with fists up at cheekbone level and elbows close to the body.
  2. Squat down a few inches and tuck lead elbow to hip bone on same side.
  3. Lift with legs, rotate core and lead shoulder forward while driving lead hand up into your imaginary opponent's chin with a lifting motion.
  4. Reset pulling lead hand back.
  5. Repeat the strike with opposite fist, squatting down a few inches and tucking rear elbow to same side hip bone.
  6. Lift with legs, rotate core and rear shoulder forward while driving rear hand up into your imaginary opponent's chin with a lifting motion.
  7. Continue alternating sides as fast as you can without stopping.

Pro tip: Move for speed instead of power and release tension in the shoulders.

3

Hook + Duck

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How to:

  1. Stand in boxing stance with fists up at cheekbone level and elbows close to the body.
  2. Pivot lead arm up so elbow is in line with shoulder and thumb is pointing up. Aim for the side of your imaginary opponent's jaw.
  3. Reset with your guard up (fists at cheekbone level).
  4. Quickly squat down and rise up to your boxing stance.
  5. Pivot rear arm up so elbow is in line with shoulder and thumb is pointing up.
  6. Punch across and imagine hitting the target on the side of the face (rear head hook).
  7. Bring fist back close to you quickly, holding it in front of face with elbow close to the body.
  8. Repeat, alternating sides.

Pro tip: Rotate your ankle, knee, and hip on the same side to build power.

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4

Uppercut + Duck

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How to:

  1. Stand in boxing stance with fists up at cheekbone level and elbows close to the body.
  2. Tuck lead elbow to hip bone on same side, and rotate core and lead shoulder forward while driving lead hand up as if punching opponent in the chin. (Keep palms facing you.)
  3. Bring fist back close to you quickly and squat down.
  4. Tuck rear elbow to hip bone on same side, and rotate core and rear shoulder forward while driving rear hand up as if punching opponent in the chin. (Keep palms facing you.)
  5. Bring fist back close to you quickly and squat down.
  6. Repeat the combination.
5

Nonstop Slips

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How to:

  1. Stand in boxing stance with fists up at cheekbone level and elbows close to the body.
  2. While engaging your obliques, bring your front shoulder forward while folding yourself toward your back leg. (Imagine someone is throwing a punch directly in the middle of your face.)
  3. Reset quickly.
  4. While engaging your obliques, bring your rear shoulder forward while folding yourself toward your front leg.
  5. Continue alternating sides.

Pro tip: Thinking about staying out of the center where the punch would land throughout.

FYI: This is a defensive position compared to the previous movements which were all offensive. There are no punches when you're doing nonstop slips.

6

Jump Rope

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How to:

  1. Start standing with feet about hips-width apart.
  2. With an imaginary jump rope, jump up and down while swiveling your wrists as if you were turning a rope over and under you.
  3. Engage your core while continuing jumping.
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7

Sumo Squat Jab Cross

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How to:

  1. Start in a wide stance with your toes pointing out, fists at cheekbone level, and your knees in line with the toes.
  2. Squat down into your low sumo squat position, and hold.
  3. Punch forward, fully extending your lead arm with your knuckles facing straight ahead and your palm facing the ground.
  4. Staying low, repeat the punching motion with your rear arm.
  5. Return to standing with wide stance.
  6. Continue to repeat the entire combo.
8

Duck Switch

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How to:

  1. Stand in boxing stance with fists up at cheekbone level and elbows close to the body.
  2. Squat low in your boxer stance.
  3. Explode off the ground, pressing through the balls of your feet to rotate 180 degrees.
  4. Land with opposite foot in front.
  5. Repeat.
9

Jack + Jab

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How to:

  1. Start in a neutral standing position.
  2. Do one jumping jack, simultaneously jumping feet wide and swinging arms up overheard.
  3. Jump to boxing stance, and punch forward with your lead arm, turning your whole body as you fully extend with your palm facing the ground and knuckles straight ahead.
  4. Jump feet together and do another jumping jack.
  5. Jump to boxing stance, and punch forward with your rear arm.
  6. Repeat, alternating sides.
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10

Boxer Situps

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How to:

  1. Start lying on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground, and hands in fists at your chest.
  2. Take a deep inhale, then exhale as you contract your core muscles and lift your torso off the ground. Continue until your chest is as close to your thighs as possible.
  3. Punch forward, fully extending your left arm with the knuckles facing forward and palm facing the ground.
  4. Repeat with the right arm.
  5. Slowly lower back down to the floor.
  6. Continue repeating the combo.
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