5 Reasons Why Boxing Is the Ultimate Stress Relief Workout
Boxing comes with a ton of physical and mental health benefits. Not only is it an amazing full-body workout, but you can also leave it all in the ring as you punch out any anger, frustration, or stress. There’s something about hitting a target with all you've got that helps you tune out the stressors in your life and tune into your power and confidence.
Follow along as we dive into the 5 stress reduction benefits of boxing for yet another reason to sweat it out in the ring with us!
What’s with stress?
At its core, stress is not a bad thing. It’s a defense mechanism meant to protect yourself from immediate danger. When you sense conflict and feel stress, your sympathetic nervous system takes over, more commonly known as your fight, flight, or freeze response.
When this happens, your body releases a flood of hormones like epinephrine and cortisol that start a chain reaction: your eyes dilate, your blood pressure skyrockets, your heart rate quickens, your breathing speeds up, and your liver releases a burst of glycogen that converts into glucose to give your muscles quick energy. This burst of adrenaline gives you the energy you need to immediately respond to your dangerous threat.
In a life-threatening situation where a saber tooth tiger is about to attack you, this is a great reaction for your body to have. You’re able to respond quickly and put all your body’s resources into fighting or flying (and hopefully not freezing).
Yet, for most of us, our stressors are far more subtle than a saber tooth tiger staring us down. For most people experiencing stress, the situation is not life-threatening. It’s major life events, pending deadlines, breakups, public speaking, tough conversations, times where we feel out of control, and so on.
It’s normal to experience stress throughout your life. But experiencing too much stress can hurt both your mental and physical health. And according to the annual Gallup poll, Americans are some of the most stressed people in the world. 55% of American adults say that they experience stress “a lot of the day” compared to only 35% globally.
How boxing can help you relieve stress
At Litesport we've found that one of the best ways to help manage your stress levels is to box it all out. Here are some ways that boxing can help you beat your stress.
Improves your mood
It may seem counterintuitive, but hitting a target over and over again can actually make you feel happier and calmer. This is because high-intensity cardio work, like boxing, increases the release of our parasympathetic, or rest and digest, hormones such as serotonin, dopamine, endocannabinoids, and endorphins.
At the same time, exercise also reduces your body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. The result is an increase in your mood, a boost of relaxation, and better sleep. Research has even found that the release of these hormones through boxing could also help decrease anxiety and depression.
It’s like that “runner’s high” feeling, only with boxing instead! And the best part is, you don’t need a lot of time in the ring to start feeling the effects. One Litesport Express class later and you will already be feeling your mood elevate.
Tunes out the stressors
Boxing with Litesport requires your full concentration, forcing you to tune out the stressors you might be experiencing. Instead, you’re focusing on timing your punches to the beat and getting as many accurate hits as you can. This gets you out of your head and lost in the music, putting all your attention on the movement of your body.
You might even find yourself wondering what exactly you were so stressed about after you finish. Or if those stressors do work their way back into your head, you can now approach them with a renewed sense of energy and a fresh perspective.
Boosts confidence and mental toughness
There’s nothing quite like throwing a punch and feeling the impact of your own strength and power. And every time you step back into the ring for more or keep punching through your exhaustion, you prove to yourself over and over again that you are capable, strong, and powerful.
You can apply this confidence learned in the ring to all areas of your life, especially the stressful situations you might be experiencing. Feeling powerful and confident can help you feel more at ease when managing stressful or difficult situations. If you know you can make it through a 30-minute Advanced workout with Litesport, you know you can do pretty much anything.
This is why we call our Litesport community “fighters” because every time you step into the ring you are choosing to step up to your challenge instead of back down. And we know that this isn’t always easy to do!
Releases tension in a healthy way
Stress creates tension in the body and movement is a great way to release that tension. So instead of sitting and stewing with your anger, frustration, stress, or anxiety, try getting up and punching out a few rounds.
Not only will you activate those good-feeling hormones, but you can also visualize your stressful situation as your shield and take it out on Litesport, instead of keeping those feelings pent up inside. This gives you a healthier outlet for working through your negative emotions.
Provides a safe environment and supportive community
When you have a community to rely on and support you, this is going to help you get through the tough or stressful moments (not to mention also motivate you to work out!). Our Litesport community focuses on connecting you to other boxers and our best-in-class trainers, ensuring you feel safe and supported in your fitness journey.
This way you can show up in the ring ready to bring your best self each and every fight. Not only that but you can build community by competing against friends and family right in the app using your real-time results.
Glove Up and Press Play
While we may be biased, we’re not the only ones that think boxing is the most effective—and most fun!—way to beat stress. Check out some quotes from our Litesport users:
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“ Litesport has been a very engaging cardio program and also a great way to relieve stress while working out. The team at Litesport are very helpful. Great product!”
“Best. Workout. Ever. I got 1/2 way through an instructed session and was gassed! Been getting better at it and is a HUGE relief of stress after the workday.”
“I know people say meditation is great for stress, but this was way more effective for me. I couldn't let my mind wander like when I'm on a run or using a cardio machine. I had to pay full attention in order to not miss punching those lights, so by the end, I felt like it was a real break for my brain from work and life. I always felt better, even if it was only a few minutes."
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So next time you’re seeing red, or you feel the overwhelming dread and defeat of a stressful day (week, month, or even year!) glove up and turn on your Litesport. Even if it’s just a one-song Punch Track workout, we promise you’ll leave the platform feeling better than when you went in.
And if you need more reasons to love boxing, check out our blog post on Benefits of Boxing: 8 Reasons to Step Into the Ring With Litesport Today. We’ll see you in the ring!
If you are experiencing more than normal signs of stress and anxiety, make sure to consult with your doctor! While boxing can be a great form of stress relief, it might be one of many different solutions that can help.