A visit to a nearby flea market or trip to a local thrift or secondhand store could provide a boxing enthusiast with some improvised equipment.
Given today’s economic restrictions, paying the cost of a gym membership or hiring a fitness trainer are luxuries enjoyed by the few. It is not everyone’s cup of tea.
Buy an Old Bowling Ball
Consider some commonly found secondhand items to benefit exercising. Any budget online sports games store will have bowling balls for sale. Bowling balls are very inexpensive and can be easily adapted into a workout power builder. Any financially challenged boxer can purchase several different sizes of bowling balls. Mounting a length of rope or bolting an old belt to the balls instantly transfers them into weighted kettle bells or medicine balls. Compare the price of a new set of kettle bells or medicine balls to the discount bowling balls and it’s easy to see that a fitness buff could afford nearly three times as many sets. More importantly, the improvised bowling balls provide an excellent power-building work-out.
Purchase a Duffel-Bag or Pillow Case
A used military type duffel bag or some secondhand household pillow cases can be transformed into fitness tools. Filling the bags/cases with sand or dirt can provide cardiovascular work-out. A common exercise utilizing a bag includes quickly lifting or shouldering a filled bag. This movement rapidly heightens the exerciser’s heart rate. For further advice and a demonstration follow this link to the well-respected boxing trainer Ross Enamait’s web-page. Likewise, suspending or mounting a bag provides an excellent striking surface. The puncher should utilize appropriate hand protection to avoid injury. For either exercise, adding or removing fill material can increase or decrease training intensity.
Other Commonly Used Household Items
Some other familiar items which may benefit work-outs can be easily located at discount markets. For example, used couch or chair cushions or an area rug can be altered to become striking targets. Consider tightly rolling and securing these items with duct tape or pliable material. Once constructed, these innovated items are ready to be used. Likewise, consider buying some old beach towels. Water soaked towels tied around a fighter’s hands or wrist add weight and resistance during punching drills. In addition, a towel held by a training partner can develop arm, neck, or leg muscle. Simply have a friend apply consistent resistance as the partner executes arm curls, leg lunges, or neck extension exercises.
An Individual’s Inner Strength and Motivation
Anyone who desires to exercise has the personal fortitude needed to be successful. With a few modifications nearly any item can be used to work-out with. A trip to the local discount store is a treasure locker filled with these items. Therefore, don’t allow equipment cost or gym expensive to limit one’s self-determination!
A Poor Man’s Boxing Workout
Any boxing enthusiast can complete a thorough and beneficial workout with some common household items. Anything that is available at home like bucket, jug, pillow or mattress. Ask any “ole-time fighter” and he’ll explain how he worked out in the “ole days” with nearby available resources. These pioneers made due with abandoned tires, overlooked stones, or discarded mattresses. Today, it seems strange working out with such primitive items given all the existing technologically advanced boxing equipment. But an economically struggling boxer can comprehensively train without joining a gym or purchasing new sporting merchandise. This can help in saving money to a great extent.
Cardiovascular Workouts
Of course every pugilist knows the benefits of running, skipping rope, and/or doing calisthenics. These aerobics can be magnified by adding weighted or including resistance. An old pair of jeans filled with dirt or sand and hung around the neck adds difficulty while training. Likewise, resistance bands can be created by cutting an old garden hose or bicycle inter-tube into strips. Rapidly stacking rocks or old tires leaves even the most well conditioned athlete craving oxygen.
Power Training
Free weights can be mimicked by filling buckets or milk type jugs with dirt or water. Any strength developing exercise can be equaled using these innovations. Pushing a wheel barrow, pulling a wagon or simply throwing heavy stones creates an effective upper body workout routine. Shot putting rocks or other weights helps increase punching power. Chopping with an axe, swinging a sledge hammer, or even hitting with a baseball bat heightens arm and back strength needed to throw heavy body punches. These exercises should be completed with an explosive and deliberate motion. Engaging in any of the movements makes the body’s muscles burn as they work.
Coordination and Timing Motions
A shadowbox session defines an individual’s level of coordination, degree of self balance, and a person’s fitness ranking. Shadowboxing provides an excellent overall cardiovascular workout for the mere price of one’s time and effort. To battle one’s shadow is sometimes referred to combating the devil. An individual needs to stand toward a wall that cast a shadow or square off against one’s reflection in a mirror. Furthermore, shooting basket ball in a hoop, throwing stones at a target, or tossing rolled-up rags at an object increases hand-eye-coordination and concentration. Bouncing a rubber ball also increases awareness. A boxer can further his counter punching and defensive moves by having a training partner trying to hit him with a towel or some other similar soft substance. Even playing “hot hands” with a friend increases speed and helps develop reflexes.
Inexpensive Equipment
A pillow or a rolled mattress can be utilized as a punching bag. Likewise, a tennis ball placed in a tube sock suspended between the floor and the ceiling surface instantly becomes a free double-end bag. Concentrating on hitting the tennis ball will quickly enlarge a fighter’s jabbing abilities. Lastly, hand wraps can be improvised by using rags, tape, or sponges. This is something outstanding way to keep fitness continued years after years.
A Fighter’s Motivation
Anyone who desires to work out or train has the personal motivation needed to be successful. Therefore, don’t allow equipment cost or gym expensive limit self-inspiration.