What is Boxing HIIT?
Boxing Hiit is a combination of the combat movements of boxing and the fast-paced nature of HIIT (high intensity interval training).
What are the benefits of Boxing Hiit?
Not only does Boxing Hiit contribute to weight loss and increasing your fitness level, it will test and improve your endurance, strength, and stability. It’s also a great reliever of stress and offers a release for any pent-up frustration you might be holding onto.
Is Boxing Hiit a strength or cardio exercise?
It’s both. Pro boxers have to have their cardio up to scratch before they can begin to think about throwing punches. “A big part of boxing is timing, rhythm, and your breath,” says Jaws; so inevitably a Boxing Hiit session will help you become quicker on your feet and move with speed and agility.
At the same time, all that jabbing and crossing will have you twisting your entire body for an effective conditioning workout that’ll strengthen and sculpt your arms, legs, and core muscles.
Your 17-Minute Boxing Hiit workout
Jaws has put together a 17-minute Boxing Hiit workout that you can easily do at home on your lunch break.
It’s suitable for beginners and you’ll get your daily dose of both strength and cardio. “The only equipment you need are your fists but, if you want a challenge to intensify this workout, don’t be afraid to grab 1-5lb hand weights,” says Jaws.
Duration: 17 minutes
What you’ll need: an optional set of hand weights
Warm up
1. Jumping jacks
“Keep it light on your feet here and begin to connect your breath.” - Jaws
Repeat for 30 seconds
2. Walk outs
- Bend down to touch the floor and walk your hands forward until you’re in a high plank position
- Walk the hands back and come back to standing
“Arch your back as you come back up to standing and activate your core.” - Jaws
Repeat for 30 seconds
3. Jumping jacks
Repeat for 30 seconds
4. Reverse lunges
- Bring one leg back, bending it so that it almost touches the ground while your front knee bends so that your thigh is parallel to the ground
- Do this with each leg repeatedly and pick up the pace when you’re comfortable with the movement
“Keep a 90° bend in your front knee as you lunge.” - Jaws
Repeat for 30 seconds
5. Jumping jacks
Repeat for 30 seconds
6. Squats
“Keep your chest up and make sure you squeeze those glutes at the top!” - Jaws
Repeat for 30 seconds and rest for 20 seconds
The moves
For these moves, you’ll need to establish your boxing stance. “The boxing stance is a super important part of your boxing technique. It’s the foundation for everything else, so we want to make sure that foundation is really strong,” says Jaws.
ROUND 1
1. Boxing stance
- Get your feet shoulder-width apart. If you are right handed, step back on your right foot. If you are left handed, step back on your left foot
- Pivot slightly to that side
- Bring your fists up to protect your face with your elbows tucked into your ribcage
- Keep your core tight and your knees slightly bent
“When you’re not throwing punches, stay up on the balls of your feet and keep moving. When you are punching, plant your feet. The power source is from the ground all the way up.” - Jaws
2. Jab
- Extend your front hand out in a sharp punch
- Retract your punch and return to your boxing stance
- Don’t forget to protect your face
Repeat for 30 seconds
3. Jabs with speed
- Continue with your jabs but pick up the pace
Repeat for 30 seconds
4. Cross
- Extend your back hand forwards to punch while pivoting the back foot
- Return back to your foundation boxing stance
Repeat for 30 seconds
5. Cross with speed
- Continue with your crosses but pick up the pace
Repeat for 30 seconds
6. Jab cross
- Bring the two movements together for a fluid jab cross
“Remember to keep bringing your hands back to protect your face and use the ground as your source of power.” - Jaws
Repeat for 30 seconds
7. Jab cross with speed
- Continue with your jab crosses but pick up the pace
“If you want to keep your energy up during your recovery, do a jump rope exercise or keep moving with your boxer’s bounce.” - Jaws
Repeat for 30 seconds, and rest for 30 seconds
ROUND 2
1. Split squat jumps (aka Jump Lunges)
- From standing, jump up and land in a lunge with both knees bent
- Jump back up and reverse the position of your legs
“When doing this exercise, draw on the same energy as when you’re throwing punches: explosive energy, explosive movement!” - Jaws
Repeat for 30 seconds
2. Reverse lunge
- Repeat the reverse lunge movement, but at a quicker pace to keep your heart rate up
Repeat for 30 seconds
3. Jump rope recovery
- Pretending you have a skipping rope, alternate lifting one leg after the other at a fast pace
Repeat for 15 seconds
4. Jump squats
- Stand with your feet around shoulder-width apart
- Squat down low, pushing your weight down with your heels
- Explode back up while squeezing your glutes and pushing off your feet for momentum
- Push your pelvis forwards at the top
- Land back down softly into your squat, not pausing but continuing to jump back up
Repeat for 30 seconds
5. Squats
Repeat for 30 seconds
6. Jump rope recovery
Repeat for 15 seconds
7. Mountain climbers
- Get into a high plank position
- Alternate bringing each knee in towards the chest
- Pick up the pace until you are ‘running’ in place against the floor
Repeat for 30 seconds, and rest for 30 seconds
ROUND 3
1. Jabs
“Reconnect with your breath here.” - Jaws
Repeat for 30 seconds
2. Jab jab cross
- Jab twice with your front hand, but on the second jab duck down and punch your (invisible) opponent’s body
- Cross with your other hand
Repeat for 30 seconds
3. Jab jab cross jab
- Repeat the above movement, adding an extra jab at the end of the combination
Repeat for 30 seconds
4. Jump rope recovery
Repeat for 15 seconds
5. Full combo
- Repeat the full combination of movements: jab to the head, jab to the body, cross to the head, jab to the head
- This time, if you’re comfortable with the movements, feel free to move around the space and imagine you’re really in the ring!
- Stay light and nimble on your feet
Repeat for 30 seconds, and rest for 30 seconds
ROUND 4
1. Hooks
- Resume your boxing stance
- Bend your arm at a 90-degree angle
- Rotate your body and pivot your foot to swing it round
- Alternate arms, ensuring your hands come back to protect your face every time you’ve thrown a punch
“When you’re turning your body for a hook, imagine you’re almost slamming a door shut.” - Jaws
Repeat for 30 seconds
2. Hooks with speed
- Continue with your hooks but pick up the pace
Repeat for 30 seconds
3. 3 Hooks
- Throw three strong hooks with alternate arms
Repeat for 30 seconds
4. Jab cross 3 hooks
- Add a jab and a cross before your 3 hooks
Repeat for 30 seconds
5. Jump rope recovery
Repeat for 15 seconds
6. Jab cross 3 hooks
Repeat for 30 seconds
7. Non-stop jab cross
- With every ounce of power you’ve got left, quickly jab and cross your way to the finish line
Repeat for 30 seconds
Cool down
- Roll forward and reach for your toes, then bend your knees and sink down so that your hips are lower than your knees, almost touching the floor
- Tuck your elbows into the inside of your knees and press your palms together
- Come back up into a bent-over position, touching the floor and then roll up to standing - vertebrae by vertebrae
- Reach your hands up above your head, interlacing the fingers and circle around in both directions to stretch out your upper body
To make your at-home workout sessions extra seamless, browse through and find what you need from our home workout essentials.