No doubt, Anger is a big emotion and can seriously affect our mental health through social isolation and abuse, if left unchecked:
So, Is Boxing Good for Anger Management?
Boxing is an incredibly effective solution to anger management. In fact, hitting on a punching bag or doing other high-intensive boxing workouts with a focused mindset provides an outlet to channel your anger. It also lifts your mood and helps you to avoid negative feelings and uncontrolled anger.
How Does Boxing Affect You Mentally?
Not only does boxing helps you to increase your strength and stamina but it also has a significant impact on your mental health in a very positive way. Here’re some of the mental benefits of boxing:
1. Manages Anger
Punching a boxing bag is a great physical exercise but it also helps to overcome negative feelings. Scientifically, it creates a response in your body that assists you to release tension and control your anger.
2. Improves Focus
As a boxer, you need to be aware during your training sessions as well while practicing different combinations with punching bags. With a period of time, this process enhances your concentration and helps you to avoid unnecessary distractions while being focused even outside the boxing ring.
3. Makes you Feel Good
When you do work out on punching bags and in the gym, your brain increases the production of endorphins which is a feel-good hormone.
It allows you to sleep more peacefully (both physical and mental level) which makes you feel more confident and better throughout the day.
4. Increases Self Esteem
To master the game of boxing, you need to show a fighting spirit and never give up attitude till the match ends. With continuous training and high-intensity workout sessions, you increase your self-confidence and overall mental strength to face real-life challenges without any fear.
5. Relieves Stress
When you’re in the boxing zone, you’re just focusing on your punches and different techniques without caring or even thinking about the outside world.
Creating such boundaries from external noise and fully working on something makes your mind more calm and clear. That’s why many peoples feel very light after the match.
6. Better Emotion Management
Sometimes things do not go in the way we want them and result in unwanted frustration. All this leads to depression and anxiety and we started fighting with our loved ones for no reason.
Getting started with any extreme sport is one of my favorite options and boxing is definitely not a bad choice. As a high-energy sport, boxing can help you with eliminating negative emotions and enable you to manage your emotions much better.
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How to Channel Your Anger into Boxing?
Anger is an intense emotional response that releases a great amount of energy in your body. but using such uncontrolled emotions in the boxing ring is never a good idea.
Boxing is a game of focus and self-discipline and you need to be very specific while showing aggression, which is only possible through lots of training sessions. Floyd Mayweather is one such popular boxer who had mastered his anger and improved his boxing skills.
Here’re some of the workouts that can be effective to manage your angry urges:
Punch-Out for Anger Release
Punching a bag is undoubtedly a great way to release loads of aggression and energy. If you punch a bag three times a week and then combine that with meditation, believe me, you’ll get your desired results.
Just make sure you remove any watch or ring that you’re wearing and put on your boxing gloves or wraps. Don’t go wild on the bag because all you’re going to do is set yourself up for an injury.
As a beginner, you should just focus on straight punching with your alternate hands. Left-Right, Left-Right, Left-Right… Make a nice, clean, and speed punching for 30 seconds and see the results:
Basic Exercises for Beginners
If you don’t currently have access to punching bags or whatever, you can get started with these workouts.
1. Sumo Squads
Sumo squad is for lower body strength, taking a wider stance, and turning the feet outside. Uplift your upper body and keep your back straight. Grasp your hands together at chest level and push your body up and down with the help of heels.
2. Knee Hugs
Hug your chest by your one leg with the help of your hands and then release it like a gate. Then again do this with another leg. Make sure to stand straight while doing this.
3. Arm circles
Stand straight and open your hands in a T shape. Now make circles with the help of your arms and move back and forth. This will warm up your back and shoulder.
4. Quad Stretch
Bend your right knee and hold your foot from the backside with your right hand. And then slightly press your right hip forward now do this with another side.
Can Boxing Make You More Violent?
Boxing does not make you more violent even though it is a very aggressive sport. Boxing training sessions require a lot of focus and self-control that helps to eliminate negative feelings and make your mind calmer and relaxed, even outside the ring.
Is Boxing Good for Angry Kids?
Generally, boxing can be a good outlet for angry kids to channel their aggression. Self-discipline is the most important principle of boxing that teaches kids how they can control their negative emotions. Boxing also increases their overall potential and their patience level to find inner peace and become more relaxed.
Final Thoughts on Boxing for Anger Management
Boxing involves high-intense training and heavy workouts. that’s why having an aggressive mind actually helps you to master the skill faster.
But: entering boxing with your uncontrolled aggressive emotions is never an option because it distracts your focus and makes you weaker.
A great place to channel your anger is during your workout and training sessions. your intense workout schedule will teach you how you can stay focused and concentrated and use your aggression in the right way.
You can get started with the exercises that I mention above and eventually make your way forward. All you should know is, It’s your day, make it perfect 🙂
