Another benefit of warming up is for your heart and blood circulation as well. When coming out from a resting position, you will have a low heart rate. If you jump directly to your boxing training, your heart rate would suddenly spike up. This can cause undue strain on your heart.

Ideally, you gradually work your way up from resting heart rate to your performance heart rate so that you don’t get lightheaded or strain your heart too much.

Warm-Up Stretches for your Boxing Training

Boxing is a sport where you use your entire body. Footwork is a huge factor as well as your head movements. Then, of course, you use your arm muscles for punching. 

Here’s a list of good warm-up stretches and exercises you can do before your boxing training.

Shoulder Stretch

Your shoulders play a huge part in your ability to train for boxing. It is important to have loose shoulder muscles so you can do the right movements without straining yourself too much.

One of the best stretches you can do is the posterior shoulder stretch.

To do this:

1. Take your right arm and pull it horizontally across your chest.
2. Use your left arm to apply more pressure to really get into the stretch.
3. Hold this position for 20 seconds.
4. Repeat the steps on your left arm. 

You can also do simple shoulder raises to warm up.

1. Stand straight with your arms resting to your sides. 
2. Slowly lift both shoulders towards your ears.
3. Hold them high for a few seconds.
4. Lower them back down.
5. Repeat 5 to 10 times.

Arm swings are great warmups as well. Simple, easy, and very effective.

1. Stand in a comfortable stance.
2. Raise both your arms to shoulder height right in front of you.
3. Start to swing your arms back and forth slowly.
4. Cross your arms in front of you 
5. Try to swing your arms as far as they could but remember not to over-exaggerate the movement.
6. Do this for 20 to 30 seconds or as needed.

Back Muscle Warm-Up

Your back muscles need warming up as well before your boxing training as they will be used extensively. Here are a few stretches and exercises that you can do.

You can start with reaching up high stretch.

To do this:

1. Stand straight with your feet apart.
2. Interlace your fingers in front of you.
3. Move your arms up and stretch them as far as you can as if you are reaching for something up above.
4. Make sure your heels stay touching the ground.
5. Hold this for 20 to 30 seconds.

A good warm-up exercise is to do back rotations as well.

1. Cross your arms on your chest as you stand straight.
2. Rotate your hip to the right and turn as far as you can.
3. Hold for 30 seconds.
4. Repeat for the left side.

Remember to keep your feet planted as you do this movement.

Leg Stretches

Moving around the ring means good footwork, and that means loose and warmed up leg muscles.

You can start with stretching your quad muscles by:

1. Stand up straight near a wall or something that can help you balance.
2. Raise your right foot towards your buttocks by bending your knee.
3. Use your right hand to hold your right foot in place and apply more pressure as needed.
4. Make sure your right knee is pointing downward and you keep your body straight.
5. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
6. Repeat for your left leg.

After that, you can work on your calf muscles:

1. Stand in front of a wall.
2. Take a step forward with your right foot as you keep your left foot in place, essentially doing a lunge forward. 
3. Place your arms on the wall as if you are pushing it.
4. Make sure your left leg stays straight and you should feel the stretch on your left calf.
5. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
6. Repeat for your right leg.

Now that you know good warm-up stretches and exercises, you should incorporate them into your boxing training to get maximum results.