At-Home Heavyweight Boxer Workout For Beginners

No matter what weight class you might fall into, anyone can benefit from following a heavyweight boxer workout.

Heavyweights weigh in at 200 lbs. and up. Professional heavyweight boxers need to do a lot of weight training to maintain their muscle mass, as well as incorporate conditioning exercises to stay balanced and agile.

How Do Heavyweight Boxers Train?

While weight training is an integral part of heavyweight boxing training, it is only one aspect. Heavyweights have more body mass than other weight classes. While this certainly helps to throw a powerful punch, it also creates challenges for maintaining endurance and flexibility. Heavyweight boxers need to work harder to maintain their stamina, balance, and agility.

Here are the most important focal points at the core of heavyweight boxing conditioning:

• Cardio

• Agility Drills

• Weightlifting

• Stretching (Dynamic and Static)

What Is a Heavyweight Boxer Workout?

If you want to train like a heavyweight, be prepared for a serious workout before you even start heavyweight boxing drills on the bag. The best way to get an idea of how heavyweight boxers train is to try some common conditioning exercises that include dynamic and static stretching, weight training, cardio, and agility drills.

Warmup (Dynamic Stretching)

Dynamic stretching is movement-based. It is designed to increase oxygen flow and loosen up the joints and muscles in preparation for training. Heavyweights need to be limber before they start any intense workout.

High Knees

• Begin jogging in place

• Bring your knees up as close to your chest as you can

• Continue for 60 seconds

Hip Circles

• Stand with your feet in line with your shoulders

• Lift one knee up towards your chest

• Rotate your leg at your hip out in a clockwise direction

• Lower your leg and repeat with the opposite leg

• Complete 10 repetitions with each leg

• Repeat in a counterclockwise direction for 10 more repetitions with each leg

Arm Circles

• Stand with your feet in line with your shoulders

• Keep your elbows straight but not locked

• Rotate at your shoulders to bring your arms up over your head, then back down behind you

• Repeat for 60 seconds as you gradually extend your arms further for a better stretch

• Switch the direction of your rotation for another 60 seconds

Cardio

Cardio can include exercises like swimming or cycling, but running is the most popular because of its convenience. Proper running form is important for all athletes, but especially heavyweight boxers. Having increased height and weight can lead to an asymmetrical running technique over long distances. Shorter, more intense bursts of movement can help heavyweights avoid losing form while reaching an optimal heart rate.

Running Drill

• One (1) mile jog at a moderate pace, focusing on form

• Four (4) 200-meter sprints with 60 seconds of rest between

Agility Drills

Agility is necessary to achieve proper footwork, which is critical for heavyweight boxers. The ability to stay balanced and agile can make or break a fight and can help avoid injury. Exercises include jump rope, shadowboxing, and agility ladder drills.

If you don’t have an agility ladder, you can use tape, rope, or string to layout a ladder shape on the floor. If you’re outside on the pavement, you can even draw a ladder in chalk. A standard agility ladder is around 15 feet long, 20 inches wide, with around 15 inches between each rung.

Agility Ladder Crossovers

• Stand to the right side of the first square

• Cross your right foot over your left into the square

• Bring your left foot behind and step to the other side of the ladder

• Take your right foot out to stand fully on the left side of the ladder

• Start crossing your left foot over your right, this time to step into the second square

• Repeat down the ladder

Agility Ladder Ins and Outs

• Stand at one end of the ladder, facing lengthwise

• Step into the first square with your right foot, then your left

• Step your right foot out of the square to the right side, followed by your left foot to the left side

• Repeat with the remaining squares as you continue down the ladder

Weightlifting

Lifting weights is important for increasing full-body strength. Heavyweight boxers will often focus on different core muscle groups (i.e. arms, legs) on different workout days to allow for more recovery time. This is an example of what arm and shoulder day might look like.

Bicep Curls

• Stand with a weight in each hand, palms outwards, arms at your sides

• Bending at the elbow, bring one weight up towards your shoulder

• Lower the weight and repeat with the opposite arm

• Continue alternating for 10 reps each side

• Rest for 60 seconds

• Repeat for two more sets of 10 reps

Overhead Tricep Extension

• Stand holding a weight with both hands behind your head

• Start with your elbows bent at 90 degrees

• Straighten your elbows, extending your arms upwards

• Lower the weight back behind you

• Repeat for 3 sets of 10 repetitions

Hammer Curls

• Stand with a weight in each hand, palms facing inwards, arms at your sides

• Bending at the elbow, bring one weight up towards your shoulder

• Lower the weight and repeat with the opposite arm

• Continue alternating for 10 reps each side

• Rest for 60 seconds

• Repeat two more sets of 10 reps

Side Lateral Raises

• Stand with a weight in each hand, knuckles facing away from you, arms at your sides

• Lift from the shoulder, bringing the weight up until your arm is perpendicular to your body

• Lower the weight and repeat with the opposite arm

• Alternate for 3 sets of 10 reps on each side

Cool Down (Static Stretching)

The best time to stretch the muscles is when they are sufficiently warmed up. This also helps the body cool down after an intense workout.

Lunges with Torso Twist

• Stand with your feet in line with your shoulders

• Take one long step forward with your right leg, bending your rear knee towards the ground

• Sink into your stance as low as you can without letting your left knee touch the ground

• Twist to your right and extend your right arm back to loosen up your core

• Straighten your torso and bring your forward foot back to a standing position

• Repeat with the left leg, twisting to your left side

• Hold for 30 seconds

• Alternate and hold for another 30 seconds

Chest and Shoulder Stretch

• Stand with your feet in line with your shoulders

• Reach your arms back behind you and clasp your fingers together

• Pull your arms upwards at the shoulders as far as you can until you feel the stretch

• Hold for 30 seconds

Cobra Stretch

• Lay flat on the ground facing down

• Place your palms flat on the ground next to your shoulders, elbows bent

• Keeping your hips on the ground, lift your torso using your arms

• Hold for 30 seconds

Heavyweight boxing workouts keep fighters performing at their best for multiple rounds in the ring. While weightlifting is a core part of training, it is equally important to incorporate conditioning exercises. A combination of endurance training, agility, and flexibility is necessary to use all that raw power to its full potential.

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