Forget the gym – honing in on your boxing skills is as easy as walking outside for some exercises.

At the Rafael Trejoboxing gym, in Havana, Cuba, boxers perform all their workouts outside. This open-air outdoor gym has produced more amateur boxing champions and gold medalists than anywhere else in the world. They get in their workouts in outside, but they are no less intense. There are a multitude of exercises you can do outside to hone your skills.

Here is the ultimate outdoor boxing workout plan.

Preparation

There is not much you need for a great outdoor boxing workout. Make sure you have good running shoes, a water bottle and a jump rope. Since this is a boxing workout, be sure you know the basics found in our boxing for beginners guide.

Warm-Up

Every boxing workout plan should begin with a warm up. There are a number of ways you can get your blood pumping. Running and jumping rope are great methods to warm up and can also be used for sprint intervals.

If you decide to run for your warm-up, take a few laps around the block. Whether you are at home or at the park, you can get in about half a mile to a mile with a light run.

If jumping rope is your preferred method of warming up, make sure to do about 5-10 minutes of jumping rope. This should be done at a slower pace, keeping you relaxed while you jump just high enough to get over the rope (two inches off ground).

Shadow Boxing

Shadow boxing is an important part of any boxing workout. The exercise is usually done in front of a mirror, but being outside changes that. The ground becomes the mirror as you box your shadow on the ground, making the term “shadow boxing” quite literal. Shadow boxing gets all of your muscles ready for more activity, but also helps you maintain a boxer’s rhythm. You are boxing an imaginary opponent during this activity, which requires you to move your feet, hands and head.

Shadow Boxing Combinations

The key to shadow boxing is getting the entire body engaged during the exercises. The following boxing combinations include offensive and defensive techniques. Each of these combinations should be practiced for two to three minutes at a time with a 30-second rest in between.

Jab, Slip-Slip, Right Hand

This combination focuses on core engagement. For novice boxers who haven’t quite learned how to engage the core for their punches, this combination will help.

· Step with your front foot as you throw the jab out

· As you are bringing your hand back to your face, drag your back foot the same distance as you stepped with your front foot and twist your torso to the left

· Twist your torso back to the right

· The right side of your body is behind you again, which allows for the straight right hand to come across

· Rotate your torso back into your stance position

One-Two, Bob-N-Weave, Left Hook, Right Hand

This combination not only gets the core involved, but utilizes the legs as well.

· Step forward with your jab

· As you bring your jab back, rotate the right hip and shoulder forward while simultaneously throwing out your right hand and dragging the back foot the same distance as you stepped with the front foot

· As you are bringing your right hand back to your face, begin to drop down. Bend your knees and rotate your right shoulder behind you (this is your defense from your opponent’s left hook – the bob)

· Staying low rotate your shoulders back to the left as you begin to come back up ( this is your defense from your opponent’s looping right hand – the weave)

· Now that your left shoulder is behind you, your body is wound up for a left hook

· Throw your left hook out as you rotate your body to the right, keeping your right hand up

· Now the right side of your body is behind you, which allows for the straight right hand to be thrown out

· As you bring your right hand back to your face, rotate back into your stance position

Plyometrics

Plyometric exercises can be a huge boost to a boxing workout plan. Boxing is mostly an anaerobic activity, so plyometrics help with conditioning the athlete for that kind of workout.

Jump Squats – Great for glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and the core

· Start in the standing position with the feet facing forward, shoulder width apart

· Drop down into a squat position and immediately push back up into a jump at least one foot above the ground

· As you return to the ground, immediately drop back into the squat position, making sure your knees don’t go past your toes

· Repeat the sequence 10-20 times for 15-20 reps

· You may swing your arms to give your body momentum

Burpee With A Push-Up – Great for full-body

· Start in a narrow stance squat position with the hands on the ground

· Kick both feet behind you, keeping them together and your arms extended

· Land in a push-up position and do one full push-up

· Immediately return feet back to narrow stance squat position, being sure to keep the feet together as you bring them back

· Jump up, bringing both feet off the floor and clapping over head

· Do 10-20 reps

Put It All Together

Now, with a full arsenal of exercises, you can put them all together for the best outdoor boxing workout plan.

Set your personal round timer

Set your timer on two minute intervals with one-minute rests in between. This rest period will be used for plyometric exercises.

After two to four rounds (5-10 minutes) of warm-up, you will start the workout. You will do three sets of five rounds (approximately 45 minutes).

Round One:

Jab, slip-slip, right hand

Rest: Burpee with push-ups

Round Two:

One-two, bob-n-weave, left hook, right hand

Rest: Jump squats

Round Three:

Jump rope

Rest: Burpee with push-up

Round Four:

Jab, slip-slip, right hand

Rest: Jump rope

Round Five:

One-two, bob-n-weave, left hook, right hand

Rest: Jump squats

These five rounds can be performed in any sequence. Adding jumping rope in allows for a break from the plyometrics. Mix up the exercises and keep the workout fresh fresh. Add in more combinations each time you do this workout.

If you give this workout a go, let us know your thoughts in the comments below or @DegreeMen on Twitter.

Cover Photo Credit: M Glasgow / Flickr.com