There’s no question that boxers are among the most in shape and toned athletes in the world. But can boxing build muscle? First, it’s important to know that building muscle is all about building mass. But it can be difficult to build mass when you are burning thousands of calories during a single boxing training session.
Can Boxing Build Muscle
Cardiovascular Training Doesn’t Work Hand-in-Hand with Strength Training
As a general rule of thumb, cardio workout regimens, like those performed during boxing practices, don’t really work all the great with helping you build muscle. The reason why is because cardio training typically lacks a lot of heavy resistance, which is absolutely crucial for building muscle. While sparring or heavy bag drills will help you build more endurance, and even a small amount of strength, it won’t help you bulk up the same way that you would if you were hitting the weights full time.
Can Boxing Build Muscle: What Options Do You Have?
One option that you can take is to start consuming more protein and more calories. Try to consume at least one gram of protein for every pound that you weigh, and try to supplement that with at least 3,000 (healthy) calories each day. This definitely won’t be the “fix-it” solution that will help you gain muscle mass overnight, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction. The next best thing that you can do is to cut down on the amount of cardio training that you’re doing and replace it with weight training instead.
Portland Boxing: How To Counter Unhealthy Holiday Eating
It’s estimated that a boxer who weighs around 180 pounds will lose approximately 500 calories punching a heavy bag for an hour. Granted, punching bag training might help you build stronger punches, but it will help you build muscle mass in large amounts. A good solution would be to break up your week into two parts: boxing days and weight-training days. For example, you can partake in boxing training on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while partaking in strength-training on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with Sunday being your day off.
Bottom Line – Boxing Alone Won’t Help You Build Muscle
To answer the question, “Can boxing build muscle?” no, it can’t – at least not on its own. If you want to build muscle, and by this, we mean noticeable muscle mass in all parts of the body, it’s imperative that you supplement your boxing training with strength-training days, as well as consume the proper amount of calories and grams of protein each day.