Boxing is a sport that requires a lot of physical strength, durability, and footwork. It is a great sport to keep you fit and flexible. But what if you want to continue boxing even when you are pregnant? Is it safe to do boxing during pregnancy?
Our elders often suggest that we rest and relax as much as possible during pregnancy to ensure maximum safety for the baby. However, mild exercise like walking, jogging, and yoga can eventually improve your pregnancy and childbirth experience. The question is whether you can put boxing on your pregnancy exercise list. Let’s know the benefits of boxing during pregnancy and its side effects to make informed choices.
Is Boxing Safe During Pregnancy?
Boxing can only be safe during pregnancy if you do it with precautions. Instead of heading for person-to-person combat, you can try boxing on a fixed punching bag. While mild footwork is fine, avoid too much jumping and forceful punches and kicks. You may lose your balance and harm the baby while doing so. But a mild and guided boxing session has many benefits to offer you.
Top 5 Health Benefits Of Boxing During Pregnancy
According to a scientific journal, those women who exercise during pregnancy have less back and pelvic pain. Other health benefits of boxing during pregnancy are;
1. Builds Stronger Muscles
Boxing helps to shape your muscles and make them flexible and strong. In boxing, constant hand and foot movement strengthen your ligaments, bones, and muscles (1). It will help you to bear your baby in the third trimester.
2. Aids In All Round Blood Circulation
Proper flow of oxygen to all your organs is essential during pregnancy. Our heart needs to pump more blood to supply it to the growing fetus. Strenuous Sports like boxing help to maintain good cardiovascular health by forcing the lungs to inhale more oxygen and the heart to pump more blood with it (2).
3. Gives You Strength
The boxing punches strengthen the muscles of your shoulder, chest, hips, legs, and back and make them flexible for a natural delivery. Hence, boxing may reduce labor time and the chances of c-section delivery.
4. Acts As A Stress Reliever
Hitting punches can often help you release stress. Stress can cause pregnancy complications like slow development of the baby, preterm delivery, and low birth weight (3). According to a study, exercises like boxing keep your body and mind engaged and prevent stress (4).
5. Prevents Excess Weight Gain
While weight gain during pregnancy is common, excess weight gain can be dangerous. According to a study conducted by the National Library of Medicine, excess weight during pregnancy can lead to problems like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and birth injury (5). Prenatal boxing can help you maintain good body weight and help you with a speedy recovery after childbirth.
So practicing mild boxing without hard-hitting kicks and punches can be a safe and stress-free mode of prenatal workout for you.
Does Boxing Have Any Side Effects?
Boxing is a strenuous sport. Too much of it can be harmful to your pregnancy. The side effects of boxing during pregnancy are:-
1. Overheats The Body
Boxing can exhaust you and cause overheat your body. Overheating of the body can be dangerous for the developing fetus. Thus you need to take more frequent breaks to rest during your boxing session when pregnant.
2. Dehydrates the Body
Intense physical activities like boxing can dehydrate your body quickly. Dehydration is bad for pregnancy as sufficient water is needed for the proper growth and well-being of the fetus. So you need to drink plenty of water, and fruits to ensure your body’s proper hydration.
3. Risk of Injury
Boxing demands direct contact and combat with the opponent. This direct combat can lead to serious injuries. If you get kicks and punches on your abdomen during boxing then it can harm your baby. Thus doctors may advise you to avoid usual boxing and instead try boxing with a punching bag, strength training, and stretching.
4. Risk of Losing Body Balance
Sudden-impact falls can even lead to miscarriages. Boxing has the risk of falling by losing body balance. So practice boxing on a stable platform with well-gripped shoes.
Who Should Avoid Boxing During Pregnancy?
If you have medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, fractured bone or ruptured ligament then avoid boxing during pregnancy. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting boxing during pregnancy.
When Should You Stop Practicing Boxing During Pregnancy?
Any negligence during boxing can lead to serious injury and membrane rupture. You need to stop practicing boxing during pregnancy if you have symptoms like;
- Cramps and vaginal bleeding
- Pelvic pain
- Dizziness due to excessive exhaustion
- Leakage of amniotic fluid
Immediately seek medical help for the safety of the baby if any of the above signs occur.
So boxing makes you stronger not just physically but also mentally. Boxing improves your core body strength and flexibility to hold and deliver the baby at the proper time. But the boxing workout that you plan to do should be pregnancy-friendly with the approval of your doctor.
FAQ’s
1. Can I Do Boxing In The First Trimester?
The first trimester is a tricky period. Excess physical stress and exercise can cause a miscarriage. So you can skip boxing for the first trimester or do it very lightly.
2. Is It Ok to do Kickboxing While Pregnant?
Yes, you can do kickboxing while pregnant if your doctor permits. Just lower your kicks and make your punches short and light to avoid over-exhaustion and accidental falls.
References
- Harvard Health Publishing- https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/punch-up-your-exercise-routine-with-fitness-boxing#
- Boxing Training Effects on Cardiovascular Risk – https://scholarworks.utep.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4008&context=open_etd
- NIH, Will stress during pregnancy affect my baby? – https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/preconceptioncare/conditioninfo/stress
- Hasan Zadeh LifShagard M, Tarkhan M, Taghi Zadeh M E. Effectiveness of stress inoculation training on perceived stress in pregnant women – https://hnmj.gums.ac.ir/browse.phpa_id=25&sid=1&slc_lang=fa&html=1
- Stubert J, Reister F, Hartmann S, Janni W. The Risks Associated With Obesity in Pregnancy. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018 Apr 20 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5954173/#
