Boxing is an incredibly fun and active way to stay in shape, but your first boxing lesson can be intimidating if you’re new to the sport. The idea of fighting and preparing to fight can put a lot of pressure on new and aspiring athletes, and if you’ve never gotten in the ring before, you might not know what to expect.
While your boxing lessons can vary between each gym and trainer or coach, you can expect many things in your first boxing fitness class that you should prepare for. With the right amount of preparation and awareness of what you’ll encounter when you start, you should have much more success as you continue to improve your boxing skills with each boxing lesson.
Drink Lots Of Water
It should go without saying, but like most sports, it’s extremely important to remain hydrated with every boxing training workout. Not only will you need to maintain a lot of cardio endurance to defend yourself and take hits, but you’ll also need to exert a large amount of energy through quick and rapid strikes, especially while you’re still figuring out how to throw punches in safe ways.
It’s also strongly recommended that you pick up a sports water bottle, like the 50 Strong 1L Sports Water Bottle, which has a fairly easy-to-grip rubber structure and a sealable straw. This design will let you quickly take a swig or a sip of water through your headgear and without needing to remove your boxing gloves, meaning you can hydrate yourself quickly between rounds and exercises.
Protect Yourself
The other key thing you need to be ready with is your gear, as you’ll need to be safe as possible even when just doing simple training exercises against pads, particularly with your hands. Your fists will lift your gloves for quite a long time, and they’re going to take a lot of impacts, so getting your gloves will help you be more comfortable and efficient.
If you want a fairly budget-friendly pair, RDX has an excellent range of Maya Hide Leather Fight Gloves that come in multiple sizes and styles and are lightweight to hold and punch with. These are great beginner’s gloves that will keep your hands safe, letting you test your strength without feeling like your first boxing lessons are wearing you down too much.
Avoid Overtraining And Overexerting
When you first start boxing, it can be easy for you to get a little too excited about what you’re doing. Being in a ring and getting out punches can give a huge adrenaline rush, but this can lead you to get a fairly budget-friendly pair tired both physically and mentally if you don’t keep yourself in check as you begin.
For mental exhaustion, it’s recommended that you don’t overtrain, as spending too much time practicing or in the gym during your first lessons can cause you to get tired of boxing before you start getting further into it. As for physical exhaustion, your trainer should work with you to help you start small and not aim for massive punch combos that will leave you too tired to continue. Boxing is as much about strength as it is about endurance.
Conclusion
As mentioned earlier, your training can vary massively on the gym and trainer you choose. Some will help you get ready to spar with others, while others will take things slower and more methodically, and finding the right person to give you lessons is just as valuable as anything you’ll do.
Of course, though, your trainer will only be as good as you allow them to be, and your ability to follow their advice and keep up with the lesson is going to help you in the long run. Your boxing journey is only beginning, and approaching each boxing class in the right way will help you improve even stronger with each boxing workout.
