Top 10 Benefits of Juggling in Boxing (Next Level Reflex Drill)

Juggling is a fun activity that brings a lot of positive energy and helps unload the mind. Besides, juggling serves as a good auxiliary exercise in martial arts. It helps to develop several useful skills that are needed for martial arts.

Training Of Coordination Of Movements And Balance

Jugglers have a clear coordination of movements. They can keep their balance well and can easily walk on narrow paths or ropes. They easily win competitions that need confident and concentrated actions. About boxing, of course, you don’t have to walk on the ropes, but we all know how important balance and coordination are in boxing.

Improve Muscle Endurance

In sports, the muscle structure is evaluated from two sides, first from the strong position and second from the endurance position. Strength is developed with the help of dumbbells, barbells, and other weights. Endurance is trained by repeating some actions for a long time.

Juggling consists of repetitive movements that can improve muscle endurance. The longer you toss jugglers or tennis balls, the more enduring your arm muscles will be.

Improve Reaction Speed

Each person has a different reaction time to a visual stimulus. There are two types of reactions – controlled and uncontrolled. The speed of the uncontrolled reaction depends on the person’s physical characteristics.
It is impossible to develop such a reaction.

The average speed of this type of human reaction is between 0.05 and 0.2 seconds. The second type of reaction is the controlled reaction. This reaction can be developed by athletes to get better results in various sports. For example, a cyclist will ride the track faster if his reaction speed to the turn he sees is minimal.

A runner will run faster if he starts running immediately after firing the starting gun. And a boxer will see in advance his opponent’s punch. The reaction speed of a juggler, who keeps many objects in the air, must be very fast. Any slightest change in the trajectory of the pin in the air would instantly send a signal to change the position of his hands.

Jugglers are people with amazing reactions. This is shown in any situation that requires an immediate reaction, which is also very important for boxers.

Development Of Motor Skills

The movements done during juggling will develop motor skills, which is good for the brain. Well-developed motor skills will help you throw clear combinations in the future. You will do it without even thinking about it. You will raise your skills to a higher level, as if in semi-automatic mode.

Increased Observation And Agility

In the process of juggling, a person follows every object in the air. This training develops attention and allows you to react quickly to a stimulus in front of you and your surroundings. Quick reactions play a very important role in boxing. Quick reactions will help you to see your opponent’s fast movements, punches, and dodges.

This will help you to be more unharmed in the fight. You will be good at dodging your opponent’s punches and, most importantly, quickly identifying from where the attack is coming.

The Development Of A Non-dominant Hand

If you are used to doing everything with your right hand, juggling improves your left hand and in the opposite direction. For example, you can develop your hands to be able to change your fighting stance during a fight. Imagine what an advantage it could be for you to be able to jab in the right and left stance, for example.

This skill can make you an unpredictable opponent with various punches in your armory.

Recovery From Injuries

By engaging in the low-impact, repetitive juggling motion, individuals can facilitate gradual strengthening and increased blood flow to the injured areas, promoting healing without placing undue stress on the body. Additionally, the controlled movements required in juggling can help restore coordination and flexibility during recovery, aiding in the return to full mobility.

Brain Development

Studies have shown that people who juggle regularly increase the brain’s white matter production and gray matter production. Thus, juggling directly affects the structure of the brain. In addition, the volume of this organ itself increases by 3%.

The greater the amount of white matter, the greater the conductive capacity of the brain.
Accordingly, if a boxer often gets punched in the head, the gray matter will be very helpful in protecting his brain.

Production Of Serotonin

This exercise improves the interaction of both brain hemispheres. This stimulates the production of the joy hormone serotonin. This improves mood and normalizes well-being. This argument may not be as useful for improving your boxing skills, but at least it will improve your after-workout mood.

Enhanced Rhythm and Timing

Juggling can help boxers develop a better sense of rhythm and timing. These skills are essential in boxing for creating and capitalizing on opportunities to strike and for defensive maneuvers like slipping punches and countering effectively. By juggling, boxers can improve their ability to anticipate and react in a rhythmic fashion, translating into more fluid and timed movements in the ring.

How To Learn Juggling Technique In An Hour

I’d like to share with you a method that will help you to learn how to juggle as quickly as possible. Jason Garfield, the World Jugglers Association’s founder, has improved the standard method.

Starting Position

Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Arms bent at the elbows and parallel to the floor. Palms are facing upward. Your elbows are close to your body but not pressed against or sticking out.

One Item

Take one ball in your hand and throw it from one hand to the other. The height of the throw is slightly above eye level. Throws and catches are made at different points. Throws are closer to the middle of the body; the catch is on the outside of the body. After the catch, the hand makes a semi-circular motion and throws the ball again.

This exercise is simple but very important because it lays the foundation for juggling. Practice until you are confident in throwing and catching one ball.

Two Items

Take a ball in each hand. Throw with your right hand, following the guidelines in the previous section. Throw the second ball with the left hand when the ball reaches maximum height. Catch the first ball with your left hand, then the second ball with your right hand. Stop. Now repeat the same, but starting with the left hand.

Concentrate on the accuracy of your shots. When you start to exchange balls with each hand, you can do this exercise without stopping.

Three Items

Take two balls in your right hand and one in your left hand. Throw one of the balls with your right hand, then make an exchange as described in the previous section. When the ball reaches its highest point, make another exchange. As a result, you will have two balls in your left hand and one in your right hand. Repeat starting with the left hand.

Once you learn how to do a double exchange, reinforce the skill. Practice until you can perform a double exchange ten times in a row without dropping the ball. Now, you are ready to juggle. Do everything the same as in the previous section, but add one more throw.

Practice doing the triple exchange until you can do it ten times in a row. After that, add one more throw.
Then another, then another, etc. All the time, concentrate on the accuracy of the throws. A properly thrown ball will fall into the hand itself. At one point, you will feel confident and can juggle three balls as much as you want.

I hope this article was helpful to you. Good luck in Boxing.

If this article was helpful to you, don’t forget to add it to your Pinterest board.