Look ma, no punching bag!

Who says you need a heavy bag and gloves to get a heart-pounding boxing workout? Grab a spot in your living room (or outdoors if the weather’s nice!) for a quick 20-minute beginner shadow boxing workout that packs a serious punch for your fitness goals.

“This shadowbox-only workout focuses on basic punches, short combos, speed, power, and defense,” says Bobbie Jo Davis, CPT, trainer for Rumble Boxing. If you’re a boxing beginner, this is a great way to learn. And if you’re a veteran boxer, use this workout as a way to focus on—and perfect—each movement.

Davis designed the workout below as part of our Movement of the Month Club, but you can do it anytime and reap the benefits of shadow boxing. “You’ll increase the endurance of your arms, improve your stamina, support your cardiovascular fitness, and gain badass confidence!”

Join the movement

If you’re following along with our August 2024 Movement of the Month Club, these are the moves for week 1. You’ll do one boxing combo or exercise each day, Monday through Saturday.

Then on Sunday, you’ll do the full, 20-minute shadow boxing workout. Perform each move or combo for 45 seconds, then do some active recovery (boxer’s bounce, step or walk around, shake it out) for 15 seconds. Repeat with the second and third move or combo.

Here’s your beginner shadow boxing workout

In the video below, Davis will take you through the the six boxing punches you’ll need to know for the workout—jab, cross, lead hook, rear hook, lead uppercut, and rear uppercut—as well as how to duck. Then, she’ll lead you through the full workout, which is broken down with short videos and written descriptions below.

1. Jab + footwork

Learn the first punch of boxing and establish your footwork. Start in a boxing stance: feet shoulder-width apart with the non-dominant foot (if you’re right-handed, this would be your left foot) slightly forward. The rear foot should be at a 45-degree angle. Keep your knees slightly bent, elbows close to your body, and chin tucked.

1. Jab (1): Extend your front hand quickly straight forward from your chin, rotating your fist to have your palm facing down just before impact, then swiftly pull it back.

2. Step forward starting with your lead leg, then throw a jab (1). Step back starting with your back leg, then throw another jab (1).

3. Jab (1) at normal height, then bend your knees into a semi-squat before throwing another jab (1) from the bent-knee position.

2. Jab + cross

Create combos with the jab and cross.

1. Cross (2): Throw a straight punch with your rear hand, pivoting on your back foot and rotating your hip and shoulder forward, palm facing down on impact.

2. Jab (1), then follow it up with a cross (2) as soon as your lead hand comes back from the jab.

3. Jab (1), cross (2), jab (1), cross (2), then do a few small bounces on both feet, backward and forward. Reset for the next combo.

3. Hook combo

1. Front-hand hook (3): Rotate your front arm in a horizontal arc, leading with your elbow and turning your front foot and hip as you strike, fist parallel to the ground.

2. Rear-hand hook (4): Pivot on your back foot and swing your rear arm in a tight curve, using your hip rotation to add force with your fist parallel to the floor.

3. Throw a front-hand hook (3), then a rear-hand hook (4). Take a step forward, leading with your front leg, then step back, leading with your back leg.

4. Uppercut combo

1. Front-hand uppercut (5): Drop your front hand slightly and drive it upward in a sharp, vertical line, rotating your front hip to add momentum.

2. Rear-hand uppercut (6): Bend your knees slightly, then thrust upward with your rear hand, rotating your rear hip as you drive your fist in an upward arc toward the target.

3. Throw a front-hand uppercut (5), then a rear-hand uppercut (6). Then, bounce forward and back on both feet a few times. Reset for the next combo.

5. 3-punch combo

Now, let’s put the punches we’ve learned together into this combo that uses your body and your brain.

1. Jab (1), jab (1), cross (2).

2. Front-hand hook (3), rear-hand hook (4), front-hand uppercut (5).

3. Jab (1), Cross (2), front-hand uppercut (5).

6. Endurance + defense

These HIIT endurance drills combine defense and throwing hands to help you build punching speed.

1. Throw a front-hand hook (3), then duck (bend your knees and lower your body quickly to evade an incoming punch). Next, throw a rear-hand hook (4).

2. Jab (1), jab (1), cross (2), duck, duck.

3. Jab (1), cross (2), jab (1), cross (2), front-hand uppercut (5), rear-hand uppercut (6), front-hand uppercut (5), rear-hand uppercut (6).