Today’s shadow boxing workout consists of 13 x 3-minute rounds of skill development with 45-second rest intervals. It requires no partner or equipment and can be completed at your home or anywhere in under 45 minutes.
These shadow boxing drills are designed to improve boxing-specific footwork, head movement, and combination punching skills. But they also make a great boxing workout at home for anybody looking to train like a boxer to burn calories. In fact, a shadow boxing workout burns 500 calories per hour.
Depending on your fitness level, and the intensity you bring to the session, this shadow boxing workout should be considered a light-to-moderate skill and cardio session. Incorporate it into your training plan accordingly.
Footwork drills (3×3 minute)
Complete 3×3 minute footwork drills (3:00 on/0:45 off) as follows:
- Round 1: Locche loops
- Round 2: Figure-8s
- Round 3: Lateral Weldon shuffle
All footwork drills are described in full here.
Precision Striking’s rhythm drill can be used in place of the Lateral Weldon shuffle.
Head movement drills (3×3 minute)
Complete 3×3-minute head movement drills (3:00 on/0:45 off) as follows:
- Round 4: Krause “changing guards” drill
- Round 5: Evasive combo A (outside slip-inside slip-pull-drop)
- Round 6: Evasive combo B (outside slip-weave left-weave right-inside slip)
To perform Krause’s “changing guards drill,” first pick a random point of reference – a spot on the wall, a picture, anything. For the purpose of this drill, this point of reference is now your opponent. Put your hands up so that they’re “framing” it on either side.
Now move your head for the duration of the drill while adjusting your guard so that it’s always between you and your “opponent.” For example, if you slip left, your guard shifts right. Krause demonstrates at 3:23:
To perform Evasive Combo A, execute an outside slip, inside slip, pull, and drop head movement sequence as detailed here. This combination teaches one way to evade the 1-1-2-3. Drill this defensive combination in explosive “reps,” then move around your training area in boxing stance to recover between efforts.
To perform Evasive Combo B, execute an outside slip (slip the jab), weave left (under the overhand/cross), weave right (under the left hook), and inside slip (moving us outside the right cross). As with Combo A, drill in explosive reps and recover between efforts with proper boxing movement. Push yourself!
Combinations and counter-punching drills (3×3 minute)
3×3-minute punching drills (3:00 on/0:45 off) as follows:
- Round 7: Combo A (1-6-5-2-1-1B-1)
- Round 8: Combo B (2-3-2B-1,1)
- Round 9: Counter Combo A (1-2-outside slip-2-3-inside slip-3-2-1-1)
To perform Combo A, throw a jab (1), rear uppercut (6), lead uppercut (5), cross (2), jab (1), jab to the body (1B), and one more jab (1). Drill this combination in explosive “reps,” then move around your training area in boxing stance to recover between efforts.
To perform Combo B, throw a cross (2), lead hook (3), cross to the body (2B), and double jab (1,1). Recover as you move around the ring as normal.
To perform Counter Combo A, throw a sharp jab-cross (1-2), then slip outside of the opponent’s jab to load a powerful cross (2)-lead hook (3) combination. Once the hook lands, slip inside the jab, then explode into a lead hook (3). Finish with a cross (2) and two jabs (1-1). Recover as you move around the ring as normal.
Conditioning drills (3×3 minute)
Rounds 9-12: 3×3-minute conditioning drills (3:00 on/0:45 off) as follows:
- 30 seconds Weldon shuffle (stationary)
- 30 seconds all-out straight punches (1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2)
- 30 seconds high-knees (sprint in place)
- repeat twice.
This drill combines sprint interval training with sport-specific boxing recovery (the Weldon shuffle). Push yourself!
Freestyle cool-down (1×3 minute)
FINAL ROUND (cool down): 1×3-minute round of freestyle shadowboxing.
Keep your movements slow and smooth. Run through some of the skills you drilled in today’s shadow boxing workout. Approach this final cool-down round as “play,” not work.