How many rounds should you do as a boxing beginner

The competition standard — 12 three-minute rounds — isn't the starting point for anyone who's just beginning. The key is to build up the number of rounds and their length gradually, without burning out in the first few weeks.

Recommended progression

• Weeks 1-2: 4-6 two-minute rounds, with 1 minute of rest. The goal is to learn technique without piling up too much fatigue.
• Weeks 3-4: 6-8 rounds of 2:30, with 1 minute of rest.
• From month 2: work up to 3-minute rounds, adding rounds as your fitness improves.

These times are a guide: adjust them based on how you feel in the last 30 seconds of each round. If you finish with energy to spare, increase the length or the number of rounds the following week.

Why not start with 12 rounds straight away

Doing long rounds without an endurance base tends to break down your technique in the later rounds, which is exactly when bad habits set in (dropping your guard, throwing punches off balance). It's better to do fewer rounds with good form than many with broken technique.

How to set it up

In ROUNDS you can start from the Boxing profile and lower the number of rounds and their length with the +/- controls, or create your own progressive setup week by week.