Sometimes you have no boundaries for your cardio workout: You could run for miles and miles, complete a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) class that requires plenty of room to jump, or bike from your place to the next town over. Other times, however, you may find your workout options limited by space, temperature, or time—and when that happens, shadowboxing is pretty much your best bet for releasing those feel-good sweat endorphins.
On this week’s installment of Trainer of the Month Club, Deja Riley, Lululemon ambassador, Mirror trainer, and founder of The Sweaty Smile Squad is leading you through a fun and fluid “power punch” boxing class that you can squeeze in between meetings or on your lunch break.
For the unordained, shadowboxing is the name for boxing sans bag. The workout involves punching, jabbing, crossing, and hooking in the air, and aside from speeding up your heart rate, boxing also gives you a chance to test and improve your coordination. And all you need to get started with Riley’s workout is enough room to punch the air and shuffle in place—so don’t worry if you’re short on square footage.
Before challenging you to a trio of three-minute rounds, Riley will run you through a warm-up to teach you the basic movement patterns you need to box like a pro. Think: Twisting your torso and reaching at the same time, plus pivoting your feet from side to side as you bounce in a fighting stance. Then you’ll move into the boxing session before shaking it all out and going back to your day re-energized.
Whether this is your first shadowboxing class, your tenth, or your one-hundredth, never fear: Riley will help you roll with the punches. Get on your gloves (or not), press play on this week’s video, and start fighting the air in your living room.
