Boxing Training for Girls

The sport of boxing was first introduced in Greece in 688 B.C. as a featured event at the Olympic Games. Today, boxing is a thriving sport, with clubs across the country. Increasingly, girls and women are taking up the sport. Most clubs offer classes specifically for girls and host all-female tournaments and matches.

  1. History

    • The first boxing club to allow women to box was the Missy Junior Boxing Club in Texas. It was founded by Doyle Weaver, who believed that if boxing was a good sport for boys, it would be good for girls, too, according to the website Women Boxing Archive Network. However, it was only toward the end of the 20th century that women’s boxing began to gain widespread support. The first national women’s boxing championships were held in 1997.

    Training Basics

    • Just as with most other aerobic sports, training starts with full-body conditioning. Girls who want to learn to box can start by building up strength in their arms. Boxing coach Tom Shook recommends push-ups, pull-ups and free weights to build arm strength for boxing. He also advises, however, that boxing is as much about mental strength as it is about physical strength. To build mental strength, he suggests that girls join a boxing club.

    The Heavy Bag

    • The heavy bag is one of the most recognizable pieces of boxing equipment. Punching with speed and power requires practice, and the heavy bag provides a lifelike, weighted target for punching practice. The website Ross Boxing recommends five to six sessions with the heavy bag during each practice. Because boxing rounds typically last two to three minutes, boxers can practice with the heavy bag for that length of time, with a one-minute to two-minute break between sessions. This builds strength, power, hitting technique and endurance.

    Sparring

    • While strength training and heavy-bag workouts are essential for becoming an accomplished boxer, sparring with a live partner is the best way to prepare for a real fight, according to boxing instructor Ross Enamait. Girls are weighed and split into weight classes the same way boys are (though the heavyweight classes are typically lighter for girls and women). Sparring teaches thinking on your feet, reacting to unpredictable situations and sportsmanship, says Enamait.

    Safety

    • Boxing has the potential to be a dangerous sport, especially with inadequate safety equipment. However, with the proper equipment and careful supervision, boxing can be as fun and safe as any other contact sport. Boxing equipment includes gloves, a mouth guard, boxing shoes, headgear and hand wraps, according to the website Title Boxing.