Boxing workouts are great for the number of calories and fat they burn. However, to really boost the fitness and health benefits of a cardio boxing routine adding resistance training is the way to go. Here are the top four reason why cardio boxing and resistance training are the perfect one-two punch.
1. Burns More Fat
Cardio boxing is one of the more intense workouts out there, burning up to 1,000 calories per session. Adding resistance training to a boxing workout can burn even more calories, helping people shed weight faster. One study showed women who weight trained for two to three times a week over a two month period gained two pounds of muscle and lost 3.5 pounds of fat. Combining the two means one can lose more fat and reach their weight loss goals quicker.
2. Get Stronger
For those looking to increase their strength, resistance training is the way to go. Cardio boxing is great for increasing endurance and shedding pounds, but for those who want to be stronger, they are going to want to hit the weights. Weight training will cause men to get toned and stronger; women will get the strength without the bulk as well as more defined muscles while looking leaner as well.
3. Increase Movement and Endurance
A good cardio boxing workout will help improve movement and endurance. Those who box for exercise will be able to walk or run for longer, climb a flight of stairs without losing their breath and be more agile and quicker on their feet. Adding resistance training to their workout will just increase all of these benefits. Weight lifting helps improve range of motion and increase bone density, making bones stronger. For women, an increase in bone density is important as it helps prevent osteoporosis which women are prone to get later in life.
4. Helps Boost Metabolism
Cardio boxing helps get the metabolism roaring with the intensity the workout brings. However, for those looking to give their metabolism an extra boost or are trying to work through a weight loss plateau, resistance training is the way to go. As lean muscle increases, the resting metabolism increases and more calories are burnt throughout the day. For every pound of muscle gained, roughly 35 to 50 extra calories are burnt a day.
