Back

How To Start Working Out At Home For Beginners In 2021

As the year comes to an end, the annual tradition of setting a New Year’s Resolution begins. Without a doubt, one of the most popular resolutions is improving overall personal fitness, but that may look different starting in 2021.

Even though the pandemic seems to be winding down with the development of a vaccine, gyms aren’t likely going to open for a few more months. With this in mind, learning how to start working out at home can give you a jumpstart on your resolution.

With that said, many people often ask: how can I start working out at home?

Boxing is one of the best and easiest ways to get your New Year workout plan going.

Why Should I Start Boxing?

Unless you have thousands of dollars to pour into an at-home gym setup, it’s not likely that you’ll be able to replicate your gym perfectly, but that's no excuse for not getting fit.

Boxing is a sport that can build your muscles while also training cardio at the same time, making it a win-win. Better yet, boxing for beginners requires no equipment.

When you become more advanced, you can start incorporating boxing equipment, but it isn’t necessary when you’re just starting out. Until then, practice some powerful no-equipment boxing workouts that can get you in shape today (At-Home Boxing Workout).

How Can I Start a Workout Routine?

Starting a workout routine can be intimidating, but once you’ve made the decision, following a few steps will get you started in no time. First of all, what you put into a workout is what you get out of it. Regardless of if you are at the gym or in your garage, you can create a powerful workout routine that will work all of your muscles and make you healthier.

Step 1: Set Up Your Space

Fortunately, boxing at home doesn’t require a lot of space. Still, your first step towards starting your New Year workout plan should be dedicating a space in your home for your workouts. You don’t need more than a six-foot by two-foot clear space, but any added room is a perk!

If you really want to take your training to the next level, consider outfitting your chosen area with at-home boxing equipment (4 Essentials For Setting Up Your At-Home Boxing Gym). Any gloves, weights, or other workout equipment you already have can go into this area as well. The goal is to try to replicate a personal gym as best you can.

Step 2: Build Your Workout

This is the fun part of your new resolution. When people ask, "can you learn to box at home?", the answer will vary depending on how committed you are. You don’t want to create a workout that is too difficult from the start, but you also want to push yourself to get stronger.

Here’s a sample workout and structure that you can follow:

Warm Up (3 minutes)

Start your warm up with some dynamic stretches such as lunges or arm circles in 30-second increments to loosen your joints and muscles. Transition into a cardio flow by lightly running in place for about 1 minute. Follow up with 30 seconds of jumping jacks, and finally end your warm up with 30 seconds of side shuffles to train footwork.

Workout: 3 3-minute Drills

This is where you will have freedom to build your workout with powerful boxing drills that work up a sweat and help get you in shape (6 Effective Boxing Drills). When you are just starting out, here are a few sample drills using basic boxing punches and combinations:

  • Drill 1 (3 minutes): Jab - Power Punch - Hook
  • Drill 2 (3 minutes): Jab - Power Punch - Hook - Slip - Roll
  • Drill 3 (3 minutes): Jab - Power Punch - Hook - Slip - Roll - Uppercut - Power Punch - Hook

Rest for 1 minute in between each drill and repeat the set as many times as you feel comfortable. The above sample workout is known as a progression workout. Basically, you build off of your last combination to really cement the movement. It is a great way for beginners to practice basic boxing movements.

As you become more experienced and dedicate more time to your workouts, add in strength exercises such as push ups or burpees. You can also add more rounds to your workout for more endurance training.

Cool Down (2-5 minutes)

Finally, cool down by performing a couple of static stretches. Here are a few basic examples:

Chest Arm Stretch


  • Stand upright with your arms down at your sides
  • Lift one arm and pull it horizontally against your chest with your other arm

Toe Touch

    • Start by standing upright
    • Bend at the waist and reach down towards your toes
    • For an added stretch, fold your arms together while hanging down

    Lunges

      • From a standing position, step forward with one leg until your legs are about double shoulder-width apart
      • Bend your front knee forward (ensuring it doesn’t go past your toes)
      • Lift up on the ball of your back foot and drop down as far as you can go
      • Hold for 15-20 seconds before slowly coming back up to stand and repeat with the other leg

      With any static stretch, try to hold the position for 15-20 seconds before switching sides.

      How To Keep Yourself Motivated In 2021

      One of the biggest reasons people end up not fulfilling their New Year’s resolution is a lack of motivation. After all, it’s easier to go to the gym when you have the accountability and support of others working out.

      This year, more than ever, personal motivation will be key to succeeding in your resolution. Besides family, friends, and yourself, there will be no other motivating factor to conquer your resolution. Think for a minute about the one thing that may motivate you to keep moving forward when learning how to start working out. For most, seeing progress is one of the biggest reasons to keep working out.

      How Can I Track My Progress?

      If we want to keep consistent with any new habit, we have to have some sort of proof that it is working. The best way to track your progress with your new workout routine is with fitness trackers.

      Fitness trackers are devices that you can add to your workout that measure factors such as output, intensity, and more. FightCamp offers powerful punch trackers that allow you to measure punch intensity and count, while also setting attainable punch goals for every workout.

      Stay motivated by tracking workout progress in some form and you’re bound to make your new boxing workout routine a habit in 2021.

       


      The Author: Tommy Duquette is the Co-Founder and Head of Content at FightCamp. He is a former US Boxing Team member with 136 fights under his belt and qualified for the 2012 Olympic trials as the #2 seed. He has 18 years of experience training clients in boxing and fitness. 

      Back to Boxing Training