Editor’s note: Part nine of USA TODAY’s Working Out From Home (#WOFH) series focuses on boxing moves you can use at home. Sign up for Good Sports, our weekly newsletter that will bring you more home workout tips + stories of the good(!!) throughout the world of sports:
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That bottle of wine? That laundry detergent? Those canned goods? They’re more than household items these days. They’re also your free weights.
I can speak from experience as someone who has tried to stay on a daily workout routine from home, forced to share my living and working space with fitness during the coronavirus pandemic.
But in the month I’ve been sheltering in place, I’ve learned a productive and varied workout is possible — and so is all the love, good vibes and energy (shoutout, coach Jonathan!) one feels from going to the gym with friends and coaches whose goals are to push you to get better physically and mentally.
All it takes is 40 minutes and you’ll be burning more than 400 calories, dripping sweat and channeling your inner Muhammad Ali.
I can thank the group fitness experience at BASH Boxing in Arlington, Virginia, that is now streaming classes free on Instagram Live. Its rotation of coaches is still bringing passion and encouragement, accompanied by music that makes you shake it like you’re on the dance floor during rest periods.
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STAYING HOME? STAY ACTIVE: Tips, ideas to exercise while social distancing during coronavirus pandemic
It is possible to fuse boxing with a functional-body workout that improves endurance, strength or power — even from home.
“We want (people) to feel like they’ve had a full-body workout,” said Alex Trakas, co-founder, founding coach and CEO of BASH Boxing. “We want your entire body to be in that exhausted point, and also that you feel well-rounded.”
Fist bumping your neighbor after a difficult exercise is 100% still encouraged, albeit in emoji form during what becomes a big group chat during the workout.
Take it from me, a 31-year-old journalist: It is possible to enjoy a thorough workout from your apartment, turn up the volume on some throwback beats and have fun while doing it, too. You will feel accomplished and better mentally when you’re done.
“Don’t get discouraged about the low days,” said Trakas, who alluded to the BASH coaches and community coming together to brighten her days during these unprecedented times.
Even Tom Wilson, the Washington Capitals’ forward and owner and partner of BASH, has taken classes since the NHL was suspended March 12. He said it’s “nice to do something different and get in a good sweat” rather than repeating the same hockey-focused workouts during the off time.
“I went from 100 to zero overnight as far as working out and playing hockey,” Wilson said. “Doing a little bit every day — staying consistent — will save you from having to get out of a hole you dug yourself while staying in quarantine.”
How can you pull this off at home? First, think of using your household items as weight (laundry detergent for squats, wine for curls, canned goods for boxing … be creative), and let Trakas, the expert, explain the rest:
WHY BOXING?
“Boxing is the best form of cardio there is,” Trakas said. “You’re moving your body through all planes of motion. So when you’re on a bicycle or treadmill or running outside, you’re working through one plane of motion. When you’re boxing, you’re forced to move in every direction.”
Plus, Trakas said, there’s a lot of forward movement, which helps those of us not moving much, stuck in chairs or couches all day.
Do it at home: Shadowbox. (Practice your punches. You’ll be surprised at how exhausting it gets.)
ENDURANCE
What kind of movements? “To test your endurance, you have to test your consistency,” Trakas said. “It’s not about the most powerful motion you can make. It’s about keeping the same one-second count of tempo for a 60-second interval.”
Do it at home: Jab-cross punches. Repeatedly.
POWER
What kind of movements? “It’s explosive,” Trakas said. “Load down for two seconds and explode up in your body. Shorter, maximum effort, maximum output. It’s maximum effort, it’s maximum output.”
Do it at home: Squat jack. (Feel the burn in the quads and glutes.)
STRENGTH
What kind of movements? “This is where the tempo is the most important,” Trakas said. “The best way to describe strength is time under tension.” As in, count three seconds during your time in the movement, then hold for a second before coming out of it.
Do it at home: Dips. (Remember: Three seconds down … it’ll get hard!)
THE TIP
Do a morning workout. “If you get up and move your body, your day is going to be a little bit brighter and better,” Trakas said.