How can I train to become a boxer?

Question

I am 22yrs old
6ft
230lbs
Pretty strong - bench 235lbs, squat 300

I recently bought a heavy bag, and I have a jump rope, punching mitts and some weights.

I need to make my core much more solid and improve my punching technique.

Any tips?

Thanks Santana.. Any specific tips for core strength and toning as well as punching technique..

How should jabs, hooks, crosses come off?

Answer 1

Shabtownie ~
Here's my tip, get yourself to a boxing gym not one of these Health Clubs that offer "boxing Training" the yo yos that teach those classes sat and watched a video for an hour and now have the gall to call themselves "Boxing Trainers"

I've been around boxing almost all of my life and you can not train at home it's nearly impossible, sure you can hit the bag, run and do your sit ups, but you're not getting the benefits of being in a boxing gym. It's the little mistakes that you make while training at home that become bad habits that could cause you to be hurt.

Stay away from weights, It doesn't matter how much you can bench, squat or deadlift, not in boxing anyway.How many boxers do you see that look like they can bech a small car? You show me one and he'll have a losing record unless they're hand picked opponents. Evander Holyfield is muscular but it's also long lean muscle.

Get a Trainer from a Boxing Gym and once he/she points you in the right direction you can practice what he/she shows you at home, like snapping out a clean crisp jab. If there isn't a gym near you, you going to ask yourself How bad do I want this" and that my friend is all up to you. When my old gym closed "Bucky's House of Pain" in Joliet, Illinois I drove 45 miles to train at another gym every day.

Stop buying all of the home equipment and start paying gym dues, Go to USA Boxing.com and see what sactioned gym are in your area or the yellow pages.

Good luck and thanks for the question Shabtownie.

Shabtownie,
You have to have good balance when throwing a punch correctly, I could write to all day about how to throw a punch properly and you probably wouldn't understand, I have to there with you showing you, it's much easier that way. Try doing push ups off a basketball to strengthen your core. Get yourself into the push up position instead of doing a push up rest yourself on your elbows and hold that for three minutes for 5 sets the up your times as you grow accustomed to it.

It's important to get yourself to a gym and find yourself a good trainer and he/she will guide you. Peace.