After an intensive boxing workout, you’ve probably had shaky hands.
Thankfully, this is easily preventable and shouldn’t hold you back from training.
This article will discuss why you have shaky hands after boxing and what you can do to prevent it.
Why Your Hands Shake After Boxing
Your hands shake after boxing because of:
- Muscle Exhaustion
- Improper Technique
- Improper Nutrition
The more of these conditions that you meet, the worse your hand shaking will be.
Usually this shaking isn’t serious and doesn’t mean that your hands are injured.
However, if you notice your hands are hurting or are going numb, you should rest them and see a doctor if these symptoms persist.
Muscle Exhaustion
First, your hands shake because of muscle exhaustion.
This is normal especially if you’re a beginner. Keep at it for a few months more and you’ll find that your shaky hands will go away.
For example, hitting the heavy bag is a completely new exercise routine if you’re a beginner. Your hands, forearms, and shoulder muscles aren’t used to such heavy impact at first.
Also, your nervous system needs to get used to the impact and the high energy requirement. Because of this, the adrenaline drain after a particularly intense training or sparring can cause your hands to shake.
Not cooling down after your training session can also contribute to your hands shaking.
As you train more and your muscles get used to the training, your hands will shake less.
Improper Technique
Next, your hands shake because of improper technique.
Many beginners don’t hit the heavy bag correctly. They go all out on the bag and don’t think about defense, range, or saving their energy levels. Doing this will push you to exhaustion faster.
Another reason is that you’re clenching too hard or not enough before your hands hit their target. Clenching your fists too hard will drain energy from your hands and forearms.
Not clenching your hands before impact will rattle your hands and possibly lead to a hand injury, especially if you didn’t wrap your hands properly.
After so many punches with the impact rattling through your hands, it’s as if your hands are still responding to that impact.
Improper Nutrition
Lastly, your hands shake because of improper nutrition.
According to the National Institute of Health, boxing is one of the most calorie-intensive workouts anyone can do.
Without a balanced diet, you’ll suffer from a calorie deficit which frequently leads to lower energy levels.
For some people, having lower energy levels is what leads to shaky hands.
A consistent healthy diet, frequent hydration, and a sports drink to replenish your electrolyte balance during training will help prevent future hand shakes.
How To Prevent Shaky Hands
To prevent shaky hands after an intense workout, follow these tips:
- Keep Training To Build Your Endurance
- Fix Your Technique
- Fix Your Diet
If you take care of these three simple points, you’ll reduce the chances of having shaky hands after a hard training session.
Of course, these tips aren’t an instant fix. You’ll still probably get shaky hands after following our suggestions, but we’d say that they will occur less often.
After some time, you’ll find that you don’t get shaky hands anymore.
Keep Training To Build Your Endurance
First, to prevent your hands from shaking, keep working and getting more training sessions in to build your endurance.
Over time, your body and mind will get accustomed to the muscle fatigue.
With an overall workout consistency, you’ll improve your cardiovascular health and train your nervous system to get used to the constant impact.
Each time you use the heavy bag, it’ll get easier and easier especially when you learn to incorporate defense, range, and resting into your rounds. You don’t always have to throw power shots on the bag.
Mix up your training with shadowboxing or the double end bag, which will allow you to rest your arms while training your mental flow and accuracy.
Fix Your Technique
The next way to prevent your hands from shaking is to fix your technique.
Go slow and use proper punching technique in front a mirror to start your workout to make sure that you’re using good technique.
On the heavy bag, start with light jabs and then gradually ramp up the intensity.
If you have the habit of clenching your fists so that your forearms get tired, work on keeping your hands open and then closing your fist sooner, right before impact.
Fix Your Diet
The last way to prevent your hands from shaking is to fix your diet.
For some people, having shaky hands is a sign of low energy levels.
Keep up your calorie intake via a balanced diet, making sure you’re not skipping meals.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day, not only when you’re at the gym. A few hours of good hydration before your workout will serve you more than a big chug of water in between rounds.
Move away from an unhealthy diet and start to incorporate healthy fats by prepping quick snacks that you can pack in your bag, such as nuts, a greek yogurt, or a turkey sandwich.
If you feel yourself getting lightheaded or starting to shake, it’s ok to take a long break and have a sip of water or a snack.
All of these factors will ensure that you have maximum energy levels in the ring.
Conclusion
Now that you know why you have shaky hands, you’ll be able to take steps to prevent this from happening.
Building your muscles’ endurance, fixing your technique, and getting your diet right will prevent fatigue and allow you to box more efficiently.
Make sure to rest and take a break after a strenuous boxing workout. Listen to your body’s needs and it’ll serve you well.
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