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6 Bodyweight Strength Exercises for Boxing

Here is a range of Bodyweight strength exercises for boxing that will help a boxer be prepared to return back to their regular training schedule. 

These bodyweight strength exercises will help boost performance and reduce the likelihood of injury.

6 Bodyweight Strength Exercises for Boxing

  1. Prisoner squat to overhead reach
  2. Lunge and rotate matrix
  3. Lateral plank walks
  4. Kneeling thoracic rotations
  5. Single leg glute bridge
  6. Supine core iso holds

#1 – PRISONER SQUAT TO OVERHEAD REACH

Due to lower training loads, this is a great opportunity to work on your mobility and functional movement patterns. This will help you perform better at your heavy loaded strength exercises when you return back to training. 

Furthermore – athletes may become tight around the shoulders and hips due to extended time sitting down. 

This is a great exercise to develop your squat technique, whilst improving hip and shoulder mobility. 

#2 – LUNGE + ROTATE MATRIX

When the hips and shoulders are tight it can affect our ability to move dynamically through multiple planes of motion and to rotate effectively. 

This matrix will help improve ‘upper-lower Body Separation”, this is important for efficient transfer of force through the kinetic chain. 

If this isn’t optimised, you may see your punching power and technique affected, or you may super-compensate using the lower-back… increasing the likelihood of injury. 

#3 – LATERAL PLANK WALKS

Shoulder and core stability will be important when returning to punching the bags, pads and in sparring. 

This is a great exercise to help prepare your body for a high increase in impact forces, and volumes of punching. 

#4 – KNEELING THORACIC ROTATIONS

This exercise really focusses on upper body rotation. This will help you rotate more effectively, translating into free-flowing punches and helping reduce the likelihood of injury.

#5 – SINGLE LEG GLUTE BRIDGE 

Increase in load through the lower-body in Boxing, Skipping and Running can increase the likelihood of injury to the the lower-extremities.

Increasing uni-lateral glute strength will help improve lower body strength and stability to help prevent these exercises from occurring.

#6 – SUPINE CORE ISO HOLDS

Improving core endurance will contribute to core strength and stability, which can help in delivering fast and hard punches.

Many studies have found that poor core endurance can be linked to lower back pain. So increasing core strength-endurance is massively important to help reduce the likelihood of injury in a problematic area. 

THIS IS IMPORTANT DURING LOCKDOWN BECAUSE…

Athletes may be sitting down a little more than normal, which will tighten up the hips and create more pressure on the lower back. 

Athletes also need to prepare for an increase in training load when back in the boxing gym. High spikes in training loads can contribute to injuries, and improving core endurance will help bulletproof your back in a very important time. There you have it, our 6 bodyweight strength exercises for boxing.

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