People sign up for boxing training for various reasons, like learning how to defend themselves, getting into better shape, or searching for a productive way to release steam. However, learning to box provides many benefits beyond sharpening your mind and strengthening your body.
One benefit of boxing that isn’t as obvious is how it helps to strengthen your bones by increasing their density.
While some people might think increasing your bone density is something only older people should worry about, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Strong bones are essential for anyone regardless of age and are vital to remaining healthy. The stronger your bones are, the less likely you are to develop bone injuries that often lead to long-term health issues.
In other words, having better bone density will allow you to age gracefully without dealing with various health issues caused by fragile bones.
Building Stronger Bones With Boxing Training
Bone density refers to how much bone tissue is packed into a person’s bones. The denser your bones are, the stronger they are. Strong bones are less likely to experience fractures or breaks, while weak bones are prone to injuries that can lead to long-term health problems.
Understanding How Impact Training Strengthens Your Bones
Boxing strengthens bones through repetitive impact, acting like weight training by stimulating bone density growth with every punch and movement.
Impact training is king when it comes to building bone density. Boxing is all about impact training, so most things you do at the gym help to strengthen your bones. Every punch you throw at a heavy bag or footwork pattern you perform makes your bones a little stronger.
Bone tissues aren’t that much different from muscle tissues. They get stronger as you push them to their limits. It’s your body’s way of helping you accomplish your goals by becoming stronger to meet them. Your muscles get bigger and stronger when you stimulate them regularly, and your bones do the same thing.
Regularly training boxing gives your bones all the stimulation they need to keep getting stronger. The repetitive impacts that go with boxing put stress on your bones, encouraging them to grow denser. Think of boxing training as a version of weight training for your bones.
Improving Bone Density With Weight-Bearing Exercises
Boxing training also includes a lot of weight-bearing exercises that are vital for building bone density. These exercises involve any activities that involve working against your body weight and gravity, such as push-ups. These activities force your muscles and bones to work harder than they usually would, helping to strengthen them.
Other weight-bearing activities in boxing gyms include skipping, running drills, and heavy bag work. All these activities make your bones and muscles stronger. It’s like lifting weights without having to lift dumbbells.
Weight-bearing activities activate cells in your bones called osteoblasts, helping to create new bone tissues in response to stress.
The Role Of Strength Training In Increasing Bone Density
Most boxing training routines include strength training like push-ups, pull-ups, and resistance exercises. While some wrongly assume strength training is just about bulking up your muscles, it’s an effective way to strengthen your bones by increasing their density.
Your muscles pull on your bones whenever your muscles contract, creating tension. This leads to bones becoming stronger to accommodate the added force.
The next time you find yourself groaning through a set of deadlifts in your boxing class, remember that it’s helping to strengthen your bones along with your muscles.
Boxing Teaches Balance And Coordination
Boxing enhances agility, balance, and coordination, reducing the risk of falls while strengthening bones through impact training.
Boxing training isn’t just about improving your ability to throw punches and defend against them. It also helps improve your agility, balance, and coordination, which are essential to improve as a boxer.
Strengthening your bones is only half of the equation. It’s equally as essential to avoid situations that could damage your bones, like falling on your butt. This becomes even more vital as you age since older adults are more prone to slips and falls.
Boxing drills help develop excellent balance and reflexes, making you less prone to such injuries. You’re less likely to trip over your feet when your coordination is on point, and your footwork is sharp.
The fewer accidents you have like falls that can lead to bone injuries, the more time you have to continue strengthening your bones in the gym.
How Boxing Builds Stronger Bones By Beating Boredom
Unlike traditional strength training, which can get repetitive, boxing keeps workouts fresh with new drills and techniques, making it easier to stay motivated and consistent.
While other physical activities like strength training and weight-bearing exercises also help strengthen your bones, these exercises often become monotonous quickly. Many people lose their motivation to work out a few weeks into their exercise programs because things get boring quickly.
Sure, you can mix up the exercises you perform whenever you go to the gym, but the bulk of any workout routine is often the same exercise, like bench presses, deadlifts, and squats.
Things are entirely different with boxing classes since no two classes are the same. You learn new techniques and drills whenever you show up at the gym, which helps to keep your motivation high since your training is something you can look forward to instead of being one more chore you have to perform to get through the day.
You’re more likely to stay consistent with your workouts when it’s one of your favorite parts of your day when you have the most fun.
The Long-term Benefits Of Boxing For Your Bones
Consistent boxing training over the long term will considerably increase your bone density and help to maintain your bone health as you age. It helps reduce the risk of some health issues older people deal with, like osteoporosis.
The best part about strengthening your bones with boxing training is all the fun you’ll have. You’ll look and feel like a champion because of your training.
The Role Of Proper Nutrition
Before we wrap this article up, it’s vital to go over the importance of supplying your body with the nutrients it needs so your bones will grow stronger. Ensure you get enough calcium and vitamin D so your body has what it needs to build new bone tissue.
Punch Away For Stronger Bones
Learning how to box won’t just make your muscles stronger; it will also improve your bone density, protecting you from bone-related injuries as you age.
Ready to make boxing training a part of your lifestyle? Come to one of Evolve’s complimentary boxing classes to see what training with world-class instructors is like.
Book your complimentary trial class with our World Champions below!
If you have any other questions regarding Evolve MMA and the programs we offer, you can get in touch with our membership executives at the following locations:
Evolve MMA (Far East Square)
26 China Street
Far East Square #01-01
Singapore 049568
Phone: (65) 6536 4525
Evolve MMA (Orchard Central)
181 Orchard Road
#06-01 Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Phone: (65) 6536 4556
Evolve MMA (KINEX)
11 Tanjong Katong Road
#02-52 KINEX
Singapore 437157
Phone: (65) 6288 2293
Evolve MMA (Star Vista)
1 Vista Exchange Green
#02-26A The Star Vista
Singapore 138617
Phone: (65) 6539 9590
