Shadow Boxing
Full-body combat drill using punches, footwork, and defensive moves to build technique, endurance, and coordination; ideal for warming up or conditioning in martial arts.
About Exercise
Equipment
Difficulty
3/5 • Beginner
Primary Muscle Groups
Shoulders, Triceps, Abs
Secondary Muscles
Biceps, Lats, Lower Back, Calves, Forearms
Popularity Score
6
Goals
Training Style
Setup Requirements
Requires Rack
No
Requires Bench
No
Requires Spotter
No
Space Needed
Medium
Noise Level
Low
Muscle Breakdown
View Muscle MapShoulders
9/10Anterior Delts
Triceps
8/10Lateral Head, Medial Head
Abs
8/10Rectus Abdominis
Obliques
7/10External Obliques
Glutes
6/10Glute Max
Quads
6/10Rectus Femoris
Biceps
5/10Long Head
Lats
5/10Teres Major
Lower Back
4/10Erector Spinae
Calves
4/10Gastrocnemius
Forearms
3/10Flexors
Programming
Typical Rep Range
30-90 reps
Rest Between Sets
30-60 seconds • Rest between rounds to recover while maintaining heart rate.
How to Perform
Stand in orthodox or southpaw stance with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, hands up guarding your chin, elbows tucked.
- Assume boxing stance with lead foot forward, weight on balls of feet.
- Throw jab by extending lead arm straight and snapping back to guard.
- Execute cross by rotating hips and pivoting rear foot while extending rear arm.
- Perform lead hook by pivoting lead foot and rotating torso in arc.
- Drive uppercut from legs, dropping hips and extending arm upward.
- Incorporate footwork by stepping forward, backward, or laterally while maintaining stance.
- Add defensive slips by shifting head side to side and bobbing knees.
Coaching Tips
Form Cues
- Keep hands up always.
- Stay light on toes.
- Rotate from hips.
- Eyes on imaginary opponent.
- Retract punches quickly.
- Breathe with movement.
Breathing
Exhale sharply on each punch for power and rhythm; inhale during guard or recovery.
Tempo
1-0-1
Range of Motion
Extend arms near full but avoid locking elbows; move feet to maintain shoulder-width stance without crossing.
Safety
Safety Notes
- Avoid full arm lockout to prevent joint strain.
- Start slow to master form before adding speed.
- Use mirror for self-correction if available.
- Stop if joint pain occurs.
- Wear supportive shoes for footwork.
- Do not use heavy weights initially to avoid injury.
Spotting
No spotter needed; perform solo in open space with visual feedback like a mirror.
Common Mistakes
- Hyperextending elbows on punches.
- Crossing feet during footwork.
- Dropping hands from guard.
- Tensing shoulders excessively.
- Neglecting core rotation.
- Overreaching without retraction.
When to Avoid
- Acute shoulder or elbow injuries.
- Recent wrist sprains.
- Balance issues without medical clearance.
Flexibility Needed
- Shoulder flexion to 160 degrees.
- Ankle dorsiflexion for footwork.
- Hip rotation for punches.
Build Up First
- Basic understanding of boxing stance.
- Familiarity with fundamental punches.
- Coordination for multi-planar movement.
Also known as
Air Boxing, Shadow Sparring, Imaginary Boxing
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