Conditioning
Shadow boxing
- Kit
- No kit
- Works
- shoulders · calves
- Also
- obliques · upper back · forearms · quads
Shadow boxing is continuous punching into empty air while your feet keep moving. It raises your heart rate without any impact on the joints, and it trains the rotation that links hips to shoulders. It suits anyone who wants a conditioning effort in a small space, and it rewards you for working harder rather than just moving faster.
Form
How to do shadow boxing
- 1Stand with one foot forward, feet a little wider than your hips, knees soft. Bring both hands up beside your chin, elbows tucked in.
- 2Bounce lightly on the balls of your feet so your weight never settles, and keep moving through the whole effort.
- 3Punch straight out at chin height, turning the hip and back foot with the arm so the power comes from the ground, not the shoulder.
- 4Snap the hand straight back to your chin and fire the other side. Alternate, and mix in short hooks and body shots so you are not locked into one pattern.
- 5Breathe out sharply on each punch and keep breathing steadily between them. Do not hold your breath as the effort builds.
- 6Switch your lead foot partway through so both sides get work, and stop punching only when the timer does.
Watch for
Common mistakes
Locking the elbow hard at the end of each punch.
Fix: Stop just short of full extension and pull the hand back as soon as it arrives.
Dropping the hands to the waist as you tire.
Fix: Reset both hands to your chin after every punch, and slow the pace before you let the guard fall.
Punching with arms only while the feet stay planted.
Fix: Pivot the back foot and turn the hip on each straight punch so the whole body drives it.
Variations
Easier and harder
Sessions