Boxing is a great way to get in a workout. Whether you’re doing shadowboxing, sparring, bodyweight work, or agility training, all types of boxing workouts can help you improve your overall fitness. And how about if you could do the workout of one of the top boxers of all-time, Floyd Mayweather? We did the hard work for you and created one of Mayweather’s best 30-minute workouts to get you into prime boxing shape.
If there’s anyone who knows what it takes to be at the top of your game and stay in knockout shape, it’s Mayweather. The boxer finished his career with a perfect 50-0 record with 27 knockouts, a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics, and was the Fighter of the Decade, according to the Boxing Writers Association of America. The reason Mayweather was able to fight for so long and stay at the top of the sport was due to his commitment to training outside the ring and preparing for each fight like it would be his last. Mayweather eventually hung up his gloves winning over Conor McGregor in what turned out to be one of the most profitable fights of his career, netting Mayweather over $300 million. Not bad for a night of work.
One thing that helped to separate Mayweather from other boxers of his era was his combination of speed and strength. This workout will help you build your combination of those. This is a rundown of Floyd Mayweather’s workout, courtesy of Mayweather Boxing + Fitness in Los Angeles. You can find out more information on the Mayweather Boxing + Fitness gym (including classes and programs by clicking here). Add this to your boxing workout routine and you’ll see an improvement in your knockout punch.
“Before each workout, I warmup for 1-2 minutes with dynamic movements and stretching in order to raise my heart rate, warmup my joints, and prepare my body for exercise.”
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Round One
One-Minute Jump Rope: “The jump rope is one of the most important pieces of equipment for me. It is a great warmup and cardio tool and demands good hand-eye coordination. Being proficient at the jump rope requires you to stay light on your feet, enabling you to become more elusive against your opponent in the ring.”
10 Pushups / 20 Second Plank Super Set: “Sometimes the simplest workouts are the most effective. I superset two of the most basic yet effective core exercises together, push-ups and planks. Both pushups and planks engage your shoulders, back, and core muscles and help build a powerful upper body. The plank is an effective exercise to maintain good posture which is critical for a boxer, as well.”
10 Ab Rollouts / 10 Crunches Super Set: “A boxer’s core strength is one of the most important aspects for overall conditioning. A strong core builds power and strength with each offensive and defensive movement and provides a protective layer for potential punches that land. I superset ab rollouts with traditional crunches to engage my core and build strength quickly and effectively.”
10 Jumping Squats / 10 Reverse Lunges with a Twist Super Set: “Plyometrics are always a part of my training regimen because my explosiveness is one of my biggest weapons in the ring. Jumping squats are a great exercise because they build my lower body’s explosiveness which I use in my offensive punches, especially my uppercut. I like to superset jumping squats with reverse lunges in order to work on my footwork, balance, and engagement of my core.”
One-Minute Shadow Boxing with Weights – Jab, Cross: “Shadow boxing is an incredibly effective workout and helps instill muscle memory for boxing combinations and footwork. Light dumbbells added to a shadow boxing session increase the intensity and build upper-body strength and tone. To begin, work on your jab to feel out your reach and follow up with a straight right hand cross. These are the two most fundamental punches and are critical to any boxer’s success.”
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Round Two
One-Minute Jump Rope Side Swing: “In the second round of jump rope, focus more on your coordination. Throw the rope back and under to one side, diagonally crossing it to the opposite side of your body. This will help you to continue developing better hand-eye coordination.”
15 Pushups / 25 Second Plank Super Set: “As I progress in my workout, I like to increase my reps and length of each exercise. Adding on five pushups and five seconds to the plank forces your body to keep evolving and growing, rather than getting stagnant in your workout.”
15 Ab Rollouts / 15 Crunches Super Set
15 Jumping Squats / 15 Reverse Lunges with a Twist Super Set
One-Minute Shadow Boxing with Weights – Hooks: “In the second round of shadow boxing, the focus should be on hooks. Work on both your left and right hook, keeping your chin down and hands up while throwing the punches. Make sure your power comes from the rotation in your hips as you throw each hook.”
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Round Three
One-Minute Jump Rope – Double Jumps: “One of my greatest keys to success is my high conditioning level, which remains even in the late rounds of a fight. For your third jump rope round, focus on double jumps which will spike your heart rate and increase your conditioning level.”
20 Pushups / 30 Second Plank Super Set
20 Ab Rollouts / 20 Crunches Super Set
20 Jumping Squats / 20 Reverse Lunges with a Twist Super Set
One-Minute Shadow Boxing with Weights – Uppercuts: “In the third round of shadow boxing, uppercuts should be your focus. Focus on snapping the uppercuts while staying elusive on your feet and quickly returning your hands to protect your face.”
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Cooldown
“Once your workout is complete, it is important to cool down with static stretching to lengthen the muscles, improve recovery, and reduce the risk of injuries.”
