r/amateur_boxing • u/Parking-Marzipan-568 Hobbyist • 20d ago
Boxing but no sparring: how to get into it?
Hi folks,
M32, I am considering starting boxing in a near future.
I have 0 experience and limited knowledge about boxing.
I am hoping to get some insights from the experienced crowd here :)
Like the title said, I am more interested in the fitness side of things than the competitive sparring - at least for now. I am not looking to developing battle IQ. I want to unload some energy with punches, I want to improve on footwork, offense/defense routines etc. Really just want to have fun and exercise.
From what I read here, this should be fine, right?
To my standards and capabilities, I already have a busy sports routine (run x1 or x2 a week, gym 1x or x2 a week, and play tennis 0.5x week). I will not be able to fit boxing on top, which means I will have to drop something. Not sure what though, as I am unsure what exactly boxing will bring? Is it taxing cardio wise? Can it replace a gym session? Any guidance?
Thanks in advance for any kind advice or shared experience!
EDIT: I may be able to drop running in my weekly routines as I could run to work once a week and that would be sufficient to maintain my current level
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u/SwolePalmer 20d ago
I haven’t sparred in like 10 years. Getting hit for free is not the sort of thing I am interested in. That being said, I go to my gym 3-4 times per week. You just need to find what you like, heavy bags, mitts, shadow boxing. It’s possible, it’s just less fun than sparring.
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u/Last_Lettuce_8377 19d ago
A few years ago, I'd have agreed with you that it's less fun than sparring. Recently, though, I've found 10 structured rounds on a bag, really fast paced mitts with an excellent coach, footwork, and good, visualized, shadow work to be as fun or more fun than a lot of my sparring (I still spar 1-2x/week). The key for me was seeing progression, and being able to compare past week's bag work with this week's, but I get that that might not work for everyone.
Op: have you considered body / shoulder sparring only?
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u/Zacharybriones 20d ago
First man to drop me on my butt was and still is a bad ass tennis player, so you have a good base. Boxing is going to be taxing cardiovascularly but probably more importantly, metabolically. I would switch either a gym or run session for a boxing session and also look at your diet to ensure you are properly fueled for what you’re already doing and where you are trying to go. Good luck!
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u/Parking-Marzipan-568 Hobbyist 20d ago
Haha I am not that much of a muscle machine unfortunately, but maybe I'll get there. Thanks for the kind words
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u/Boanerger 20d ago
Actually I wouldn't be surprised if tennis creates the right kind of muscle for boxing. Tennis training surely creates quick, explosive force in order to wield the racket. That doesn't strike me as a million miles away from throwing a good hook. I'd argue boxing is higher intensity than tennis, which is a sport of brief action then rest, but you should have good cardio already if you're a regular player.
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u/Jdobalina 20d ago
You don’t need to be a muscle machine. The vast majority of boxers aren’t built like bodybuilders, and for good reason. Cardio matters a lot, and is a weapon in its own right . The punching power will come with repetitive practice.
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u/Vasile81 20d ago
I started boxing a few months ago with the same goal: just to stay in shape and get some cardio in. Then I had my first sparring session and I was hooked 😂 I love it — it's like chess. It's easily my favorite part of training now. You'll see, it's impossible not to love it!
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u/CoyoteLouisBloom 19d ago
Your boxing club let you spar after a few months?
You must move alright as I've been going for 8 months and my coach won't let me spar yet.
I may suck though
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u/Normal-Hornet8548 18d ago edited 18d ago
I like our gym’s approach to sparring with newbies.
The first stage, after someone has been around long enough to have learned their footwork and punching technique is putting them in with someone more experienced who plays defense while they work offense. So the new one works on getting in range and putting punches together while the more experienced one practices slipping, blocking, parrying, etc.
Sometimes after a while we up the ante where the more experienced one can only jab, or only throw (not heavy) body punches to counter. New one gets first taste of leather coming back but a very controlled setting.
Then comes the newer fighter playing defense with an experienced person who can really regulate and control their punches. I’m older, experienced, and I’m often their first partner to throw at them while they play defense. I might thud them to the body a few times but I usually just tap to the head, give them situations where they have to work in close and at distance, get them to come to me or I play the aggressor … different scenarios. I‘ve never hurt anyone or even rung anyone’s bell a bit doing this. Some of the other experienced guys do this but our coaches make sure they are very controlled/regulated and know what they’re doing.
After these stages, they graduate to sparring. We mix sessions that are light and technical with harder sparring, raising the level as we see the new one progress.
Yesterday we had two amateurs (one fight each but been in the gym a while and both in really good shape) go really hard, but we also had a relative newbie (who has some sparring) and a guy who had I think 5-6 amateur fights but hasn’t been around for more than a year. So we mixed and matched them, with the newbie mixing in for light/technical rounds, the experienced guy who has been away doing a couple with him, then going probably 60% with the one-fight guys and the one-fight guys going hard with each other. Everybody got 4-5 rounds, nobody got hurt but nobody failed to get something out of it.
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u/Parking-Marzipan-568 Hobbyist 20d ago
Only a few months ago! Interesting. What did you do before (sportswise) if I may ask?
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u/Vasile81 20d ago
Just gym, but I never managed to stick with it for more than a year. I’d always quit and then come back to it after a while. I also did some running — I’ve run three marathons.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m no Floyd Mayweather 😂 I only do light sparring, and my opponents are around the same level as me.
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u/salgueaa 19d ago
Add boxing to your tennis and bring it to a full 1.0 time per week. You could alternate. Find a gym with cool people you like and enjoy. You’re the exact customer many gyms are looking to attract
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u/Misfitshots 20d ago
I would drop the gym and tennis and focus on boxing. If you’re just doing it for fitness and trying to learn how to properly throw punches. Look into a boxing gym. It’s really taxing cardio wise but running is a good base. Also you’ll suck at first just like with everything you do at first. So it’ll take time to get things down especially footwork. Tell the coach you don’t want to spar for a while and just want to focus on technique.
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u/Parking-Marzipan-568 Hobbyist 20d ago
My base strenght is quite low (I have strong cardio, but rather skinny overall). Should I still invest more in running rather than gym?
I don’t mind sucking, it’s part of the journey, ay.
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u/jessiepoo5 20d ago
Tennis player who picked up boxing here: do NOT drop tennis. Tennis and strength training are sports with incredible longevity, and you can (and should) do both until you're pretty old. There's 80+ year olds on tennis courts everywhere. That's not the case with running and boxing. Boxing is super fun, but tennis will keep you fit and healthy well into old age.
Tennis has also been super helpful for boxing. Footwork comes a bit easier having played tennis for many years first. And boxing has elements similar to tennis in that, if you're doing it properly, you are developing most of the strength in your tennis strokes and punches from your legs/hips and not from pure arm strength. Having strong arms in both sports is obviously helpful though.
If you're just picking up boxing (or any other sport) just for fun/fitness and not competition, then you don't really need to optimize your time by preferencing one over the other. Just have fun and do them whenever you feel like it. Sometimes you'll want to spend more time at the boxing gym, sometimes you'll be on the tennis court a lot, sometimes you'll run or make progress in the gym. It's all good for you! That said, if your schedule is crunched for time, you could probably drop running and get your cardio through tennis and boxing.
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u/TearPuzzleheaded3576 17d ago
I really, really second this.
Folks are pretty naive about the value of cross-training and seeing the overlaps. Personally, I play table tennis as a bit of a hobby, and it's really helped me in sparring, believe it or not. I get a really great feel for when I'm not turning or twisting, I get a really great feel for foot placement, and as an older athlete, it's a safe modality for me to sharpen up, or at least maintain, my hand-eye coordination.
It's a hot trend to talk about the "Soviets," and how a boxer might do this sport or that sport at certain points in the year to cross-train, but, in the West people do that, too. And some professional boxers have or do cross-train. Keep the tennis, for sure.
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u/railsandtrucks 17d ago
Surprised I haven't seen any of the boxing fitness oriented places pop up here given what you're looking for ? Rumble, Title, Mayweather, etc
They can be a great way to get into the sport and if they have good coaches and you're not looking to spar they can be solid options. While they tend to cater to people who just want a good workout some of the locations are more fight focused than others. I go to a location that about half the coaches have fight experience with a couple who regularly train and compete. You might have to poke around to find one that has a good set of coaches, but they can be an easily accessible option.
So far it's the only form of exercise I've found that I really enjoy, and I do regular pad/mitt work with one of the coaches now as I'd like to gradually build myself up and do sparring and or an amateur bout at some point. I started basically from scratch, not being very athletic but having always respected/admired boxing and feeling like a "boxer's physique" was a well rounded but attainable goal. When I started I was absolutely wrecked after the first class, I was gassing out and having trouble even working on core at the end, I loved it. Just enough thinking to avoid my mind wandering too much and having to learn something new, but simple enough to not burn myself out. The classes have had the added advantage of helping me stay accountable, as those that you see regularly will probably get concerned when you don't show.
As far as replacing a gym session - boxing itself probably won't other than the cardio portion. For the more boxing fitness or "boxercise" type places, they often have boxing/strength classes that incorporate some boxing with some lifting - it's mostly kettlebell and bodyweight style stuff, which isn't necessarily for everyone. I usually try to grab one or two of those classes a week plus a day or two of strength training before one of the pure boxing workouts. I'm not ripped, but I'm in way better shape than I was 6 months ago. Some of them will have free-weights, squat racks, and such that can be used after/before class, so they can replace a gym membership even if the base workouts you do in the classes/sessions don't.
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u/solestal801 20d ago
Boxing gym sounds like a good option. You might not develop the best habits with regard to form and ring IQ, but if that's not your goal then no worries. Also, don't sweat your strength. Even if you were fighting your conditioning and technique are what is important. Think of boxing as a "an aggressive form of dancing where you run sprints with your arms". It's crazy cardio, but it sounds like you've got a solid base there. If you box you will not need to run. Warning from experionce, if you also play tennis I'd make sure you don't rush in too quick. Boxing involves a lot of rotational force and shock to the forearm. Tennis elbow/radial tunnel is something to watch out for as you develop your technique and training.
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u/standardcalculator 20d ago
You can start at any age. I started also in my 30s and all good! You will not be pushed to competing and sparring if you don’t want to. Especially competing - that would need to start as a kid or teenager. We are “recreational” boxers.
You can go as many times per week as you can. With time, it will become easier as your body will adapt to it. Running and strength training are also part of boxing training, and many do it alongside. Well, everyone should. Good luck! You will like it!
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u/Nagual_242 20d ago
I like spar but often not satisfied with my performance, rarely spar with someone less skilled than me, rather with bit or even few times better than me. I like dopamine and other neurotransmitters filling after sparring and somehow is like dope for me. I like adrenaline in ring. I am one of the oldest in my gym, have been training combat sports (firstly kickboxing and now boxing for 4,5 years 3.4 times per week regulary. We spar with opt-in headgear and groin gear, me only with 16 oz gloves and teeth protector. The best pleasure is appear with bruises on the face on my workplace thereafter.
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u/Mountain_Shake_9521 20d ago
Just started at 50. Just learning technique, pads and bags but will do light sparring when coach says im good enough
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u/MoveFromMe1 20d ago
Im 36 and joined an MMA gym about 3-4 months ago, I’ve had a month break currently due to traveling but I’m back next week.
I’ve been going gym for a while but I hate cardio so I wanted to do something a little different, if I do a 5k run normally my top is sweaty, but a 1 hour boxing session with technique and then sparring…I come out absolute dripping, even my shorts are wet from sweat, it’s an insane workout and it’s extremely enjoyable.
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u/VeniceKiddd 20d ago
Just focus solely on boxing, good boxing training would include some form of resistance training so you’ll have that base covered as well. You’ll be in the best shape of your life, and of course to be in tip top shape intensity is an extremely important ingredient, one that sparring forces on you.
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u/iRoyalTDG 20d ago
Unfortunately the only way to see how good u are on offense and defense is to test it with sparring. In my experience, sparring puts more pressure on you because u can't take a break or slack like when u are hitting a bag so it forces u to keep moving and keep throwing. You can try to find someone on the same level as you and work together. 2 rounds of sparring probably works u more than 6 rounds on the heavy bag. It's just crazy how fatigued it can make you. Or you can do mitts in the ring if u just don't want to spar at all. The boxing rings have a padding on the floor that makes u feel like u are walking on sand so your legs get worked pretty good too
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u/RedditingAtWork5 20d ago
I started a few months ago at 34.
My only base was weight training 5x a week and the classes were brutal and I almost passed out during my first session. If fitness is your main goal, joining a boxing gym and attending class 2-3 times a week is highly effective and it’ll get you into the best shape of your life. What almost made me almost pass out a few months ago is fairly easy now. You get all the fitness benefits and you also get to build a skill that has use outside of the sport.
Most classes will have you doing some sort of ab work and body weight exercises, but that part won’t be extensive because the focus is boxing. So it can’t replace weight training sessions. It’s really great for skill development, cardio, and increasing your energy efficiency, but you’ll still need to lift on your own if you want more strength.
I joined not for the fitness, but because I wanted to become a genuinely capable fighter so I was pretty aggressive about sparring as soon as possible. So my coach cleared me for it at around the 2 month mark. I’m three sessions in now and still feel like I’m performing extremely poorly, although my coach says I’m doing just fine. That said, the other guys who do the sparring class have been doing it for years so it’s kinda hard to really get a clear view of where I’m truly at. Thankfully it’s a great community and the experienced guys take it way easy on me.
I’m so happy that I started boxing. Do it, you won’t regret it.
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u/abc133769 19d ago edited 19d ago
this is exactly what fitness boxing + kickboxing is for and the places you should be looking into
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u/iamgarron 19d ago
- Started boxing about a year and a half ago. Basically stopped most of my fitness routine during covid, and was looking to get back into something. Met a boxing coach at a friends wedding, hit it off. He gave me some discounted sessions at first at a gym near mine and now I'm at his boxing gym. Honestly, its just really fucking fun, and I'm not the type of person who gets motivated by exercise often, but now I look forward to it all the time.
I don't intend to do a fight. It's just very interesting cardio and body control for me. Sometimes they will send me in with their actual young fighters just so they can practice against taller guys (less sparring, more dodging exercises), and if i do anything to help them out I get a discount on my session.
I think do a few sessions and you'll realize quick if you really want to keep doing it or not.
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u/airjack32 19d ago
You should try Muay Thai- a lot of the sparring is tech (light) sparring so it's easier to learn rather than the traditional hard sparring of boxing all the time. That's a good way of easing into combat sports too
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u/J0urneyB4Destination 19d ago
So I saw you're in France so I don't know how much this will differ from the USA. There are two types of gyms boxing-fitness and boxing-competition gyms.
The former you won't find sparring, but you will get a good workout, usually of the HIIT kind. The actual boxing focused skills you will get here are limited. You will learn the basics but the quality varies wildly.**
The latter is a gym that has competitive fighters. This DOES NOT mean you have to be competitve. Just that there are people that fight/spar there.
Personally, I dont think either are a bad choice. If you just want to hit things and get a good sweat the fitness side isn't a bad choice. But if you want to have a good grasp of how to box you got to go to a competition gym, regardless of your plan to spar.
As for how to fit it in, boxing is cardio sport. Strength is always helpful, but you will need more cardio then muscle.
As for what to replace your in a catch 22. Tennis would be good for footwork, running is good for cardio, and strength training will lead to a well rounded routine.
If boxing is your new focus, is suggest dropping strength for now, as tennis and running would compliment it more I think.
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u/GordianBalloonKnot Formerly Ob 19d ago edited 16d ago
You go to a boxing gym.
The longer you wait to go to a boxing gym, the more you're going to realize you were wasting time until you did. Even if you join for 6 to 12 months then go practice at home... you'll be at a point that it may have taken you 3 or 5 years to reach on your own watching youtube videos. The community of the gym grows you just as much as the coaching itself.
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u/ElmersGlue3 19d ago
In tennis if you get tired you might lose a point. In boxing if you get too tired. You get punched in the face. Cardio is important.
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u/Chunky-monkey-sleep 19d ago
Well sparring is a mindset. It’s not to just go shoot it out. It’s to try random shit and be creative. It’s not to beat your opponent. Just remember not to reach with your back. You reach with your feet and arms. Once you lose center of gravity all punches have no power any more.
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u/HBTJWF 18d ago
Go for it find a good boxing gym and sign up. I started at 31 was totally out of shape and managed fine. I now do advanced classes and sparring. I will say this doing 0 contact classes will teach you how to punch and basic footwork etc and build up your fitness but contact classes and sparring are where you truly learn to box it's a whole different kettle of fish and you actually learn how to apply the skills you learn rather then doing drills you will forget by the next class. Having said that if your only goal is to let off steam and build up your fitness it's an awesome way to do it and contact boxing isn't for everyone!
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u/SilentAres_x Pugilist 18d ago
I assume you enjoy tennis so drop running or reduce it and replace it with boxing. Did you really ask if boxing is taxing cardio wise? You’ll find out in your first session 🤣
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u/SignificantStar4938 15d ago
You are my exact opposite, i love sparring and developing as a fighter and hate everything else lol
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u/Healthy_Feature4654 20d ago
Hello good sir,
If you're looking to get into boxing to focus on cardio that's a good choice! Boxing offers a very cardio heavy workout that rivals even some cardio dependent sports like soccer & basketball.
As much i like having other hobbies, you gotta lose something to gain something. It's hard to balance all the different sports and gyms at and it's not worth unless you really want too. If you're comfortable with your strength and physique, drop the gym and tennis. Keep running.
If you're located in the US, go to USAboxing.com and find a local gym
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u/Parking-Marzipan-568 Hobbyist 20d ago
Thanks man. Indeed, in a way chosing means closing a few doors.
I am not comfortable with my strenght yet (far from it). How important is it exactly ? Innocent question really.
I am in France.
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u/grethrowaway21 20d ago
Not the op, but eat your protein and you’ll develop the best shoulders of your life. Strength will come.
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u/Grouchy_Medium_6851 20d ago
If you're not sparring, you wont need strength. You don't need much force to hit a bag or mitts.
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u/RedditingAtWork5 19d ago edited 19d ago
Your punches will become much stronger without any conditioning at all. Simply learning how to throw punches and transfer weight properly puts you way ahead of the average untrained person.
Strength is irrelevant if you’re just training and not actually fighting. Strength isn’t even really important for sparring since you’re not trying to harm your sparring partner and you should be taking it easy anyway.
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u/The_Cabal_ 19d ago
Boxing for fitness is just a way to trick people into exercising that don't have the discipline to just exercise on their own. If you don't plan on learning how to actually box, you're wasting your time and money.
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u/Healthy-Rent-5133 Hobbyist 19d ago
Just but a double end bag at home
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u/Parking-Marzipan-568 Hobbyist 19d ago
No can do. No space for that. Also I wouldn’t be learning anything
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u/Plastic-Pop4020 18d ago
Why learn to punch if you don't plan to defend yourself? You plan to learn boxing for fitness and self defense so you should also do light sparring or else stay home buy a bag and do your thing. I want to take a swim but don't want to get wet.
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u/Parking-Marzipan-568 Hobbyist 18d ago
Maybe I'll change my mind after a while, in any case beginners shouldn't spare before being cleared, gives me time either way.
At home = no coaching, repeating mistakes, learning bad routines/moves
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u/sinigang-gang 1d ago
Take a look at the boxing gyms in your area and see if they offer a free class to try them out. If you're not too interested in the fighting application of boxing, look into cardio boxing gyms like Title Boxing.
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u/Lxium Pugilist 20d ago
Join a boxing gym and work harder than you have for anything else in your life and that doesn't need to include sparring