Boxing is undoubtedly one of the toughest sports around. It is an intense sport that demands power, strength, quickness, and conditioning. However, probably the most important factor in boxing is the reaction time and the ability to demonstrate great reflexes. To have excellent reflexes means to be able to react immediately to a noticeable change in your environment. In boxing, this means dodging and landing punches and also hitting the point at which the target moves to. In order to survive in the boxing ring, you need to have great reflexes. Although for some boxers, this comes naturally, this is actually a skill that can be improved by practicing. Both professional and amateur regularly do exercises to improve those reflexes that will take their game to the next level. So, if you want to know how to improve your boxing reflexes, check out the following exercises.
Double End Bag
The double end bag should be an essential equipment within your boxing training regime. This type of bag allows you to work on your timing, reflexes, and hand-eye coordination. The bag is attached to two cords and when you strike the bag it'll bounce around immediately. If you want to improve your fight reflexes, you can attempt a few strikes in a row as the bag is swinging back and forth quickly. You'll soon notice that your speed, timing, accuracy, reflexes and hand-eye coordination are significantly improved.
Pad Work
Pad work will improve many skills you need for boxing including timing, balance, technique, hand-eye coordination, accuracy, body positioning and reflexes. However, you will have to find the ideal partner for pad work. Your partner needs to hold the focus mitts so that they are facing their body and at random intervals, they will have to "flash" the mitts and yell a random number. The mitt position and the number will indicate the appropriate punch or combination you will need to deliver. This will help you practice your offensive and defensive movements outside the boxing ring.
Foam Sticks
Many trainers around the world use foam sticks in a similar way to focus pads. They use it as an addition to pad work because foam training sticks are faster, lighter and have a further reach. However, they have a downside and that is they don't allow you to read the movement of a punch. In boxing, punches come from all angles, so foam sticks are great for improving your reflexes and they will also help you prepare you for real fighting.
The HITSTIX are great training sticks that were created to relieve the pressure on the trainer's shoulder and elbow. At the same time, they protect the boxer from hand injury and pain. VSL fighting hit stix have a sleek and stylish design that has a reduced target area which means that you will also increase your speed and accuracy.
Slow Sparring
Slow sparring is undoubtedly one of the most effective boxing drills for improving fighting reflexes and developing speed. Many boxers skip the slow sparring because they think it's for newbies, but this is a huge mistake. Learning how to perceive and prevent punches at a slow speed allows you to practice your defense tactics with a real opponent but in a controlled environment. You'll learn to recognize even the smallest movements and you'll also learn to recognize a punch, so you'll instinctively perform a defense that feels best to you.
Rope Jumping
Rope jumping is another excellent exercise that will help you build your speed, stamina and fight reflexes. Boxers regularly jump rope at the beginning of their workout in order to warm up for the training.
The action of skipping rope for the equivalent of three or four, three-minute rounds will help you develop speed, so you'll be at peak efficiency and able to move quickly around the boxing ring. This exercise will also allow you to deliver punches with precision and accuracy while having the quickness to avoid your opponent's punches.
The double end bag should be an essential equipment within your boxing training regime. This type of bag allows you to work on your timing, reflexes, and hand-eye coordination. The bag is attached to two cords and when you strike the bag it'll bounce around immediately. If you want to improve your fight reflexes, you can attempt a few strikes in a row as the bag is swinging back and forth quickly. You'll soon notice that your speed, timing, accuracy, reflexes and hand-eye coordination are significantly improved.
Pad Work
Pad work will improve many skills you need for boxing including timing, balance, technique, hand-eye coordination, accuracy, body positioning and reflexes. However, you will have to find the ideal partner for pad work. Your partner needs to hold the focus mitts so that they are facing their body and at random intervals, they will have to "flash" the mitts and yell a random number. The mitt position and the number will indicate the appropriate punch or combination you will need to deliver. This will help you practice your offensive and defensive movements outside the boxing ring.
Foam Sticks
Many trainers around the world use foam sticks in a similar way to focus pads. They use it as an addition to pad work because foam training sticks are faster, lighter and have a further reach. However, they have a downside and that is they don't allow you to read the movement of a punch. In boxing, punches come from all angles, so foam sticks are great for improving your reflexes and they will also help you prepare you for real fighting.
The HITSTIX are great training sticks that were created to relieve the pressure on the trainer's shoulder and elbow. At the same time, they protect the boxer from hand injury and pain. VSL fighting hit stix have a sleek and stylish design that has a reduced target area which means that you will also increase your speed and accuracy.
Slow Sparring
Slow sparring is undoubtedly one of the most effective boxing drills for improving fighting reflexes and developing speed. Many boxers skip the slow sparring because they think it's for newbies, but this is a huge mistake. Learning how to perceive and prevent punches at a slow speed allows you to practice your defense tactics with a real opponent but in a controlled environment. You'll learn to recognize even the smallest movements and you'll also learn to recognize a punch, so you'll instinctively perform a defense that feels best to you.
Rope Jumping
Rope jumping is another excellent exercise that will help you build your speed, stamina and fight reflexes. Boxers regularly jump rope at the beginning of their workout in order to warm up for the training.
The action of skipping rope for the equivalent of three or four, three-minute rounds will help you develop speed, so you'll be at peak efficiency and able to move quickly around the boxing ring. This exercise will also allow you to deliver punches with precision and accuracy while having the quickness to avoid your opponent's punches.
