Shadow Boxing

Shadow boxing is an opportunity to fine-tune your footwork, punches and defensive maneuvers. Ultimately, you are visually orchestrating various fight scenarios between yourself and a imaginary opponent, and prescribing ways to attack and defend against various boxing styles.

This exercise can be performed at the beginning of your routine as a warm up, or near the end as a cool down. Performing this exercise in front of large mirror allows you to critique your technique. But it is also helpful to shadow box inside of a ring where the actual match will take place.

To add to the intensity of the exercise you can add weights, but it is not necessary. Weighted hands and/or ankles should not exceed 5lbs on each limb. If you also use a weighted vest, it doesn't need to be more than 20lbs.

I like to include 3-5 3-minute rounds of shadow boxing with every workout, even on weight training days.