Mistakes are inevitable in any workout, especially if you're new to exercise or just getting back into a fitness routine. After all, you're only human. But you can make the most of those mishaps.
This 20-minute, at-home boxing workout is the perfect example of how to do just that. "If you find yourself messing up, just throw a jab in there and stay on the beat. Keep that body moving," says Justin Blackwell, master coach at Los Angeles-based fitness studio BoxUnion.
Video of the Day
Staying active is what's most important — not whether you nail every boxing combo or hit every single squat rep. So, grab your sneakers, clear a few feet of space and get moving.
Tip
Wake up your muscles with a few dynamic warm-up exercises before you get started.
The Moves
During this workout, Blackwell will lead you through creative combinations of the following six basic boxing punches and a mix of classic body-weight exercises, outlined below.
No matter what move you're doing, you'll do it to the beat of the music. Feel free to pause the video as needed to take a breath, towel off or sip some water.
- Boxer Bounce: Start off by bouncing left and right to the beat.
- Jab (1): Keep your breath sharp and your body moving as you extend your jab straight in front of your body.
- Cross (2): "Remember, this is a knockout punch and I need you to throw it like you know it is," Blackwell says.
- Front Hook (3): Drop your weight to your back foot and rotate off the front foot as you throw your lead hook.
- Rear Hook (4): Keep your arms loose and core engaged as you alternate between your front and rear hook. "With these hooks, the more rotation, the more power," Blackwell says.
- Front Uppercut (5): Use your entire body to drive your uppercuts up to about chin height. Pop your elbow right off your body and lean your weight onto your lead leg as you throw this punch.
- Rear Uppercut (6): This is your dominant uppercut, so really put some strength behind it.
- Jump Rope: Skip with an imaginary jump rope in your hands. "Make it your own," Blackwell says. "I don't care if you're on one leg or the other. Just have some fun with it."
- Butt Kickers: Drive your heels to your glutes, focusing on getting your body moving and blood flowing, Blackwell says.
- Squat: Squeeze your glutes at the top of the squat, keeping your chest up.
- High Knees: Drive your knees all the way to your chest. If you can't jump on each leg, perform a high step, he says.
- Reverse Lunge With Pulse: Starting with your right leg back, pulse in a lunge for a few reps, then switch sides.
- Squat Hold: Hold the bottom of a squat — and remember to breathe.
- Burpee: If you can't drop down into the full burpee, do two reverse lunges.
- Speed Squat: Lower into a squat and return to standing as quickly as you can with good form.
- Jumping Jacks: You'll perform four jumping jacks between rounds of punches.
- High Knee Shuffle: Shuffle right and left with high knees, planting your foot as you switch sides.
Tip
This workout is an intense one, so make sure to set aside a few minutes to cool down to stay injury-free.