Stress reduction with the punching bag: What does boxing do to the body and mind?
Unfortunately, stress is part of everyday life for most of us. Work, children (or for children: school, parents...), household, relationships - every day and all at once. All of this produces the same reaction in our bodies as being eyed by a jaguar in the forest. Only constantly, and usually without a fight-or-flight valve. Permanent or chronic stress has consequences for our mental and physical health: from tinnitus and high blood pressure to panic attacks and burn-out. That's why it's very important to relieve stress from time to time in everyday life! You can do this by knitting or meditating, walking the dog or, and here we come to the topic of this article: Boxing.
What does boxing do to the mind and body, and why is it such an effective way to relieve stress? What are the benefits, what are the risks? Who is boxing suitable for (spoiler: everyone!) and how can you easily incorporate the punching bag into your stressful everyday life?
Why does boxing help so well against stress?
On the one hand, boxing releases the happiness hormones endorphin, serotonin and dopamine. On the other hand, the intense exercise lowers the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Boxing also activates the whole body and focuses all energy on one point. All the stress factors from everyday life (the pile of laundry, the unanswered email, the bad grade, the upcoming exam...) are simply forgotten for a moment. Even if it's only for a minute, they often feel much smaller afterwards. And boxing helps to deal with pent-up anger in a healthy way. Simply put, in the words of boxing coach Christoph TeegeBoxing 'satisfies the natural need that sometimes comes over us to clench a fist and hit something'.
What does boxing do to the body?
You might initially think of boxing as an arm workout. But if you train properly, boxing works your entire body. From the tip of your foot to the tip of your finger, everything is in controlled motion. Regular boxing leads to more stamina, which has a positive long-term effect on the cardiovascular system. It makes the whole body stronger, leads to quick reflexes and better posture. The susceptibility to slipped discs and similar complications decreases, and boxing doesn't even put too much strain on the knees!
What does boxing do to your head? More than just stress relief.
Working out properly clears your head so that you can concentrate better on other tasks. But that's not all. When boxing, you feel your own strength with every punch and can test your limits in a safe way and even consciously push them. In the long term, this gives you a self-confidence boost that is reflected in your overall charisma. Correctly assessing your own strength also helps you to assert yourself outside of boxing training: it becomes easier to say no and stand up for yourself.
Although boxing is of course no substitute for therapy, it is sometimes used as a therapeutic method for these reasons, for example for patients with burnout and depression, behavioral problems and anxiety disorders. This is how Kirsty, boxing coach and mom of three, describes it, in her blogdescribes how boxing helped her to overcome her anxiety disorder after the birth of her third child: 'After 12 weeks of boxing (in combination with therapy) my anxiety disorder was almost completely gone! I was able to sleep better, was a happier mother, ate better and lost 12 kilos.
Children, teenagers, adults: who is boxing suitable for?
You've probably already guessed it: boxing is for everyone. It helps children as young as 6 to reduce frustration and regulate their emotions. That's why we have designed a punching bag that is the perfect size and weight for children and beginners.
Find out more? Why boxing is the perfect sport for children
Boxing can help teenagers (and, let's face it, adults too) deal with overwhelming emotions such as heartbreak and world-weariness. Powering out on the punching bag helps to deal with the 'anger' phase, rather than getting stuck in the 'doomscrolling' phase of distraction and/or denial with ice cream in bed.
But boxing is also good for older people and is becoming increasingly popular, especially among women. Over eighty thousand people box in clubs in Germany, according to an report on the ARD-Gesund program. Caro Flauers from Munich explains how she discovered boxing at the age of 57: 'Boxing gives me the opportunity to really let off steam and come out completely sweaty and relieved. She can concentrate better in everyday life and feels more confident: 'When I walk through dark streets, I notice that I move differently. I know: if I have to, I can punch you in the face now'. Boxing therefore not only reduces everyday stress, but also stress in the event of real danger.
Boxing is also very adaptable to social preferences and can therefore be a suitable sport for shy and neurodiverse people. Boxing coach Kirsty writes: 'I train a lot of people who are on the autistic spectrum or introverted. They can train in a group or individually with the punching bag where they don't have to have awkward conversations about the weather.' Here, the punching bag at home is also an ideal solution.
Risks in boxing
Everyone knows the pictures of professional boxers with bloody faces and broken noses. This may seem daunting at first - but it is worlds away from normal 'fitness boxing'. Anyone who boxes doesn't have to practise sparring (boxing with a human opponent). Most boxing students only get into the ring after one to one and a half years, and even then only if they want to.
Therefore, the only general rule is: be careful with heart disease, cure the cold well first and protect your hands and head well. Then the risk is no higher when boxing with a punching bag than when walking the dog.
Do I have to register at a boxing gym? Home workout vs. group training
Is it better to train in a boxing gym or at home? That depends entirely on your own needs. Of course, it makes sense to have a professional trainer explain the correct technique to you. Professionals in the boxing studio can correct your posture and teach you new punch combinations. Training in a group also gives many people extra motivation.
But the punching bag at home also has many advantages: It makes it very easy and low-threshold to incorporate the workout into your everyday life. For example, you could resolve to hit it ten times every time you pass the punching bag. Or make it a daily ten-minute workout instead of an hour a week in the boxing gym. You can use the punching bag at home to relieve and process stress and grief as they arise. Ideally, we therefore recommend a combination of training in the boxing gym and at home.
Conclusion: Why everyone should have a punching bag
Boxing is an effective, quick and healthy way to relieve stress. It is good for body and mind and improves charisma, concentration and self-confidence. With a punching bag at home, children, teenagers and adults alike can regulate their emotions and prevent stress-related conflicts and illnesses, while improving their self-confidence and, of course, getting and staying physically fit. An investment that pays off!
