How to Shadow Box | Guide to Shadowboxing for Beginners

 

Shadow boxing is one of the key basic exercises in boxing and MMA, so learning how to shadow box effectively is essential if you want to become a complete fighter. And even if you’re not into fighting, shadowboxing is pretty much the perfect fitness workout on its own.

Although it might look easy, there are many different ways to shadow box, different techniques and specific points to pay attention to. So if you’re a beginner, read this guide and learn how to shadow box like a champion.

First watch this video for an overview and demonstration of how to make shadow boxing part of your workout.

 

 

How To Shadow Box: A Complete Guide For Beginners

 

What Is Shadow boxing?

 

Shadowboxing is when you move around alone, throwing punches, kicks, or elbows at an imaginary opponent. It’s a low-impact cardio workout that helps increase your heart rate, and you can do it anywhere.

It helps you fine-tune your fighting technique, rhythm, head movement, speed, defense, offense, endurance, power, and footwork. It also prepares you physically and mentally for a fight or workout.

If you’re not a boxer, shadow boxing is an excellent warm-up before you start working out, or you can use it as a complete workout in itself. You can also do it as a warm-down after your main workout to help loosen any tight muscles.

 

Is Shadow Boxing A Good Workout?

 

Most definitely. Aside from the fact that shadow boxing will make you a better, more agile and more fluid fighter, it is also a superbly well-rounded fitness workout that can be done on its own by anyone.

When you move around throwing punches (and maybe kicks, knees and elbows too), you’re exercising every muscle in your body and improving your explosive power, agility and endurance.

Although this kind of exercise won’t turn you into a muscle head, it will burn a vast amount of calories and give you a super intense cardio blast equal to any HIIT workout.

You can read more about why shadow boxing is good for you in our post on the benefits of shadow boxing.

 

Tips On How To Shadow Box Effectively

 

Before you start, you need to learn how to shadow box effectively for results. You don’t need to wear boxing gloves unless you’re hitting a bag (although then it wouldn’t be true shadow boxing).

Some of the tips for effective shadow boxing include:

 

Relax

It’s common for beginners to be tense and tight because of the fear of making mistakes and using wrong techniques and habits. Fighting with a stiff upper torso makes your head movement, punches, and defense ineffective because you lack dynamic mobility in your upper body.

Being relaxed gives you more mobility and helps you master your fighting rhythm. If you find it hard to relax, experts advise you to try training with your hands down first.

 

Focus

If you go just through the motions when shadow boxing, it will be hard to master your technique. Identify what you want to work on and focus on it. Footwork is among the most important things to focus on because clean and sharp foot movements will make it easier to outmaneuver and confuse your opponent.

Bad footwork puts you in danger of getting knocked out or hurting yourself because you will not have a good balance. You can also focus on stance position, defense, and combinations.

 

Don’t Always Use The Mirror

Sometimes, standing in front of the mirror helps you see your technique and identify areas you can improve on. However, experts recommend not always training in front of a mirror because this will distract you from the exercise itself.

Shadow boxing should simulate the experience of being in a ring fighting a real opponent, and the mirror can cause you to focus too much on your reflection instead of the battle at hand.

 

Visualize Your Opponent

In shadow boxing, the essential thing is to visualize your opponent in front of you, and imagine that you are in an actual fight and not just punching the air.

Visualize how tall your opponent is, how far they are from you, and what kind of punches they attack you with. This helps to give you the instinctive feel for how to throw your punches, move your head and position your body.

 

Film Yourself

It’s essential to see how you move to help improve your techniques, rhythm, and speed. To do this without using a mirror, film yourself and watch that later. Some things to look at include:

• The position of your feet
• How you move your head
• Your fighting angles
• Your standing position

If you have a coach or someone more experienced than you, show him/her the video and ask for pointers. You can also compare your movements to those of other great boxers.

 

Move Your Head

The less you move your head, the more you get hit. So be sure to move your head after every combo. This helps you develop the muscle memory and the instinctive habit of head movement – which will stop you from getting hit. Watch any Mike Tyson fight to see superior head movement in action.

 

Avoid Throwing Full Punches

Since this is not a real fight, throwing full punches can result in tennis elbow or other injuries. Throw hard punches, but avoid extending your arm all the way.

 

Break Up Your Session

Having a plan on how to execute your shadowboxing session will ensure you don’t waste any minute. Try doing three or four rounds every three minutes with a one-minute break in-between.

The first round can be warming up, where you mix different punches, weaving, bobbling, pivoting, and moving.

In the second round, focus on improving your technique. Start by doing some techniques that you are already good at, then start perfecting others. Keep practicing one technique until you get it right, then go to the next.

In the third round, simulate a real fight where you create a fighting scenario and try to get the best response. This round will combine everything, and you should go harder than the first two rounds.

 

Shadow Boxing Workout

You can use shadow boxing as a complete fitness workout on it’s own, or as a way to become a better fighter in MMA or regular boxing.

Different types of shadow boxing include:

• Solo – This is the most common one where you throw punches in the air. It could be in a ring, at home, or in an open space.
• With a sling bag or slip rope – This helps you practice your head movement, slipping, weaving, and bobbling.
• Around a heavy bag – You can use a punching bag or any other heavy bag hanging from the roof. Push it and then move around it as you throw your punches, but don’t touch it. This helps keep all your senses alert as you focus on its movements.
• With a partner – This is a perfect option if you have trouble visualizing your opponent. Have a friend opposite you and shadowbox together but ensure not to punch them. This helps improve your footwork and head movement and keeps you alert.
• With a resistance band – Check out this post for how to shadowbox with a band.
• With a coach – This is a good choice if you want to get feedback and advice as you go. The coach can have his arm out for you to punch or dodge to help improve your punches and head movement.

 

Final Thought – Why You Should Learn How To Shadow Box

Shadow boxing is excellent low-impact cardio that helps you improve your boxing technique, rhythm, head movement, speed, and footwork. It is also a great workout, warm-up, or warm-down. As a beginner, however, you need to learn some tips to shadow box perfectly. We hope this guide has helped.

If you’re just starting out, remember to go slow at first and concentrate on good technique instead of speed & power. Then build up the intensity of your workout gradually.

Shadow boxing is a kind of HIIT workout which is extremely effective for losing weight but also is one of the best ways to get fit quickly.

Start shadow boxing today and see results – fast.

 

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