Boxing Post-Training Recovery Guide

To be a good boxer, you not only have to train hard, but also make your recovery a priority. Effective recovery enhances performance, prevents injury, and ensures longevity in the ring.

Here is our complete boxing post-training recovery guide. Check out everything you need to know about improving your recovery and use Hot packs help improve your performance.

Post-Training Cool-Down  

A hard boxing training session will leave your muscles sore and full of lactic acid. That’s why you need to dedicate 5-10 minutes to do a cool down.

Anything from a light jog to a round of low to moderate paced shadowboxing. Doing these movements will help gradually lower your heart rate, while preventing blood pooling and reducing muscle stiffness.

After completing this round of low pace cardio, take another 5-10 minutes with static stretching. Target key muscles groups that were used in training such as your shoulders, hips, quads, and calves.

Being consistent with these post-training movements will improve flexibility, reduce lactic acid buildup, and muscle fatigue. You’ll feel better going into your next training session and won’t feel sluggish.

Hydration and Electrolyte Replenishment 

Boxers sweat heavily during their hard training sessions and lose crucial electrolytes like sodium and potassium. Rehydrating, along with an electrolyte drink or snack can accelerate recovery.

To ensure proper recovery, sim to drink enough water for every ounce lost and an electrolyte drink/supplement. Be sure to consume these drinks within an hour after training.

Nutrition Refuel & Repair

Boxers have an hour to two hour anabolic window to consume a meal after a training session. This window is the prime time for your muscles to absorb nutrients. 

We won’t give you a full meal plan, but follow these basic nutrition guidelines.

• Protein: Aim for 30-40 grams of protein or more depending on your size and nutrition needs. Chicken, eggs, beef, fish, and whey protein shake would be optimal options 
• Carbohydrates: Aim for 50-100 grams of carbs to replenish glycogen. Rice, sweet potatoes, and fruit are among the best carbs to consume.
• Healthy Fats: Consuming healthy fats provide anti-inflammatory benefits your body needs. Anything from avocados, almonds, olive oil are great options.

Hot & Cold Therapy

Some boxers feel that hot therapy is a must, while others feel cold therapy is the way to go. The reality is that both types of therapy are beneficial for a fighter’s recovery.

To get your body training at an optimal level, quickly go into cold therapy after training. It could be anything from a cold shower, ice bath, or cold packs. 

All of these types of cold therapies work as anti-inflammatories to smooth muscle soreness and joint pain. Doing cold therapy anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes will help reduce soreness and lactic acid in your body.

Once you’ve completed your cold therapy, you should switch over to hot therapy to get the blood flowing again. Not only does hot therapy get your muscles going again, but also deliver nutrients back to your muscles.

Collagen also increases in your body which will increase flexibility, while reducing stiffness and injury risks. For hot therapy, you can use anything from Hot packs to saunas.

Active Recovery

On days where a boxer doesn’t have a hard training session, they should be engaging in active recovery. Active recovery is where you engage in a light activity, while allowing your body to recover.

Active recovery can be anything from yoga, walking, or swimming at a low to moderate rate for less than an hour. Doing this will keep blood flowing to your muscles and joints, while not overtaxing them.

Sleep

What is arguably the most important thing you can do to improve your post-boxing training recovery is sleep. It is a boxer’s secret weapon which allows them to endure their grueling training sessions.

Boxers should aim to get 8-10 hours of sleep every night and keep that schedule. A good night’s rest allows your body to produce and release growth hormones to repair and build muscles.

All the top fighters get their 8-10 hours of sleep in every night.