Q: My friend said you have to be in amazing shape to join a boxing gym. Is that true?
A: The answer is NO. People of all ages and backgrounds join boxing gyms. It doesn’t matter what you look like. If you have the heart to train and enjoy boxing, you will survive in any boxing gym. Don’t worry about excess fat around your body. There are many off-season professional fighters that walk around at “fat-weight” and train alongside the more slender and trim looking boxers. Again, ignore everyone else, just work hard and you’ll be fine.
im too fat to box
Fat has nothing to do with anything brother. Have the heart to fight, and you will be fine.
Too fat to box
Believe it or not, you are never too fat to box. Look at the professionals when they’re in between fights and you might see some of the most out of shape people in the world. You can box for fun regardless of what shape you’re in. If you don’t like getting hurt or don’t have the cardio to go at a fast pace, just let your sparring partners know and they will be happy to slow things down. NOBODY LIKES TO GET HURT!
beginning
am i to old at 26 to take up boxing
too fat to box… never!
I was very overweight when I started boxing (117 kilos and im only 176cms tall). When I first started at the boxing gym I kept to myself because I was afraid of being ridiculed. However, I was surprised to find that almost everyone I ended up meeting were very helpful and encouraging. Not only did the trainers and fellow boxers give me tips on how to box, they also gave me tips in regards to weight lose and lifestyle changes I needed to make to reach my goal. I’ve been boxing (for fun, mind you) for 7 months now and I am now 84kilos. The only regret I have is not starting earlier.
Also, Alan, I’m 24 and I thought I might be too old to start boxing but there are people of all ages at the gym I attend.
boxing replies
Alan – it’s never too late. What you need to do is to inform everyone that you will be approaching boxing as an art and not a sport. Fitness and many health benefits is one of the side bonuses. Let everybody know so they go easy on you in the ring. I’ve seen MANY MANY people take up boxing at a later age and even many of them become successful pros. While it may too late to secure a champion belt, it’s never too late to have fun and improve your physical and mental health with boxing.
Wills – thanks for the encouragement!
No, you are not too fat nor too old to box (for fun)
I am 57, and started boxing just 3 months ago for the first time.
Two years ago, I got back into martial arts (Systema, not boxing at first) and weighed 50-60 lbs more than now and working out just helped me lose weight that much faster and easier.
We get out of shape and even pretty obese people in the boxing gym all of the time — part of the reason people take up boxing is to get into shape, not to show off their already sleek bodies.
Some of this does depend on the gym of course, but ours is a pretty serious BOXER’S GYM (with a core of Golden Gloves and a few professional fighters) and a LOT of people who train seriously but who will not likely ever compete (again) — and they are all unfailingly nice and supportive of newcomers, wimps, the out of shape, old guys (like me), and ladies who want to learn to box or who just want to train for the health and fun of it.
I say they are unfailingly nice and helpful because coach would rip them a new one if they acted any other way — much of the tone and atmosphere will be set by the coach/trainer so find a good one who will support you and ride you hard enough to help you get good results.
Most gyms will let you take a sample class (or a few) so try out a few gyms and pick the one that bet fits your goals and personality.
Oh, and for competing you probably aren’t too old either
If you under 35 you can compete in the main US Golden Gloves or other US Amateur Boxing events, and older boxers can compete in “Masters” but I understand they must have special physicals which are a LITTLE bit expensive. Also Masters are limited to plus or minus 10 years in age difference, for a 48 year old cannot fight anyone younger than 38 or older than 58 (from what I have read.)
I’m 26, tall, skinny and not exactly muscular
I’ve recently joined an MMA club (for self defense) and I’ve fallen in love with the boxing aspect of it, I’m thinking of going all out for Boxing (maybe even as a sport), but I’m 26, tall, Skinny and not exactly Muscular, and was wondering if that is to big of a handicap and if that doesn’t make boxing a bad idea for me.
tall skinny boxers
Col,
Google these boxers: Thomas Hearns, Alexis Arguello, Erik Morales, Diego Corrales, Jose Benavides, Paul Williams, Ali Funeka, Kelly Pavlik.
Thin Boxers…………..AWESOME!!!
Thanks Rado, Googling these guys has been Really inspirational.
I’m 57 yrs old..Am I too old to get into the sport of boxing?
🙂 I’m 57 yrs old & badly out of shape. Am I too old to get into the sport of boxing? Can I become a ameteur boxer?
boxing at 57
I imagine you’d have to enter a Masters Novice division or something and there might not be a lot of competition for you. At the very least, you can join a sparring club where you take on smoker fights against other guys. There’s a few 50-something guys in my sparring club right now that go at it every week.
boxing
I’m 21 bout 275 and I want to be a cop do you think taking up here would help me get in shape.
boxing
I mean taking up boxing
getting in shape with boxing
I highly recommend boxing for weight loss exercise! But don’t take my word for it, just give it a try and see for yourself. I see people all the time who tell me that boxing helps them lose weight 3 times faster. No exaggeration!
lose weight with boxing
Boxing is great for getting skinny fast anyway so i’m sure that after a few weeks the fat would start coming off pretty quickly anyway and you should be in really good shape in no time.
I remember when i first started boxing i came across a personal trainer that told me you cant just jump into a gym, what a deceit, i now currently have joined a gym, its a great gym and i learned alot the only regret is not joining a gym when i first started rather than a personal trainer that only wanted to spar
Some famous “fat boys” who went into the gym to shed a few pounds were Joe Frazier and George Foreman. Joe Frazier was listed at 5’11 1/2″ and that might be a little generous, but Frazier stated that he weighed about 230lbs as a teenager and went to the gym just to get rid of some lard.
I’m 16 and I want to start boxing I know it a good workout and can help out losing weight but how do u actually start?
Get to a boxing gym and do whatever workout they give you.
Approximately how old do you think you’d have to start training to go pro? And how olds too old. Im 24, done a little boxing training when I was a teenager and now want to get back into it hard and proper. But dont know if its worth getting knocked about as a amateur if it’s too late to train and go pro. On a side note this is the best boxing advice website I’ve been on, keep up the good work you’ve got a lot of fans.
I’ve seen successful guys of all ages. If you really want to do it, go out and do it.
Thanks, I will try!
I weigh about 117 kilos and its pretty much all football weight because I played in high school. I wanna get in shape thru boxing but I don’t wanna be ridiculed at a gym for being that fat of a guy
Any tips?
Change your diet! Diet will help you lose a ton of weight. Many people say the diet is like 75% of weight loss, while exercise is the other 25%.
I am 26 and weigh 186 I want to get down to 140-150 in six mouths for my first fight is it possible?
For your first fight…I think cutting 40lbs is a bit harsh but not impossible. If you’re really out of shape, then I don’t see why not. I don’t know how much of your body is fat and so I can’t throw out a number there. Eat as healthy as you can and come down safely and you should be ok.
I am 20 years old and weigh a lot as I put a lot on over past few years (im about 150 kilos). Is there even any point my thinking about a boxing gym or is that possibility over before i started?
Get to the gym and get in shape. The sooner you start, the better. Stop asking questions about what’s possible and go see for yourself.
Two questions: Last time I checked I was 476 lbs and I just turned 28 last month. Is it possible to learn boxing if I’m out of shape. I can’t even do a pushup. Need some advice
Why not?
Hi Clint and happy (late) birthday,
Boxing for fitness is the best way to drop the weight and improve your conditioning. Another benefit to boxing is that hitting stuff is fun except for getting uppercut to the stomach (I hate that). Also, down the road, you may want to consider amateur boxing for getting chicks…errr…I mean a for accomplishing new goals.
My advice is to start soon and good luck. Remember, if you encounter any negative people, just kick them in the balls. >:D
No one is too fat to box, when i started fighting i weighed nearly 260, now im down to 200. so it goes to show your not too fat and boxing is a good workout for weight loss.
Hi my name is louie. I’m 15 years old and 5’96 inches tall. Im abit afraid of the repercussions of going to a boxing gym while fat (weighed in at 200 pounds or 90 kg in april 2017 and im probably larger now) but i have recently become attracted to the sport without no knowledge of its history and the famous boxers (excluding mike,ali and anthony joshua) or what style of boxing/ techniques Fit me as a person or styles and techniques in general. Although i know what a jab straight right (left due to me being a southpaw) uppercut and a hook are but dont know how exactly to perform the punches correctly and i kinda feel self conscience about how my punches’ll look due to my weight slowing my speed.
You are fine, Louie. There are many people of all shapes and sizes in the boxing gym trying to get in shape. Believe me, everyone starts off as an awkward beginner at some point. Those who might appear natural from day one will hit their sticking point later on. Go in there to learn and have fun. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks and you’ll realize they aren’t worrying about you either.