I was recently in a sports store and saw a father and his little daughter having a fun boxing workout right there in the aisle. He had boxing gloves on, she had gloves on, and he was calling punches as she boxed with a big smile. It reminded me of what a great workout boxing is for kids and parents.

So why is boxing good for the family? How do we keep it safe? Here are some quick tips to get you started at home.

Is Fitness-Boxing safe for children?

When some parents hear the word Boxing, they say, “There is no way my son is boxing.” I remind you that before you evoke images of little Johnny lying on the canvas, we are talking about Fitness-Boxing. Little Johnny or Jenny is going to get fit, not hit. Fitness-Boxing is about punching pads, not people.

Why Fitness-Boxing is an excellent exercise for children?

Exercise has to be fun or the kids won’t follow through. Fitness-Boxing is excellent for the simple reason that children love it. Learning Fitness-Boxing will not only improve your fitness, but will also boost your confidence and give kids a much-needed stress release. When I teach my Adult Boxout classes, quite a few kids are there with their parents and they are so excited to get in the ring, put on their gloves, and take a round of punches with me.

Why is Fitness-Boxing an excellent exercise to do with my child?

The beauty of Fitness-Boxing is that it is interactive. You stand face to face, face to face with your son. You are the “coach” and your son is the “boxer”. You can hold the punching gloves and call in the jab, uppercut, hook, and then combos. You are helping your child improve his fitness and self-discipline, and you are also building his relationship.

What equipment do I need?

There are many different ways to do Fitness-Boxing, including punching bag, punching bag and boxing gloves. The best option is boxing gloves and boxing gloves. Hit mitts, also called focus mitts or focus pads, are mini targets that are attached to the hands. You can buy them online or in sports stores. They require more skill from the “trainer” but are more fun and interactive for your boxer than the punching bag. They are also mobile – you can take them to the park or on vacation.

So how do I teach my child?

While I may not be able to teach you how to be a boxing trainer in one paragraph, I can tell you that holding boxing gloves is a skill you can learn, and one that I’ve taught thousands of trainers and non-trainers alike.

The secret to teaching kids is to use hints, in other words, quick, colorful, and easy-to-remember hints. Like everything, start with the basics. I use the 3 ‘F’s: Feel the leather on your face (lifts your hands up), Float like a butterfly (puts you on your toes), and Keep Going (makes you hit harder).

Start with the basic stance, then progress to the 4 individual punches (jab, cross, hook, uppercut), then move on to combos. Here are 4 basic combos to get you started. These combos will work on boxing gloves, punching bag, or shadow boxing.

L,R (left jab, right cross)

L,L,R (double left jab, right cross)

LRL (left jab, right cross, left jab)

L,R,L,R (left jab, right cross, left jab, right cross)

Get you and your family Fighting Fit!