What does the research say?
Therapeutically guided boxing is primarily being investigated in mental health promotion and neurological rehabilitation. Studies indicate positive effects on body awareness, emotion regulation, attention, motor control, and self-efficacy. The framework is crucial: no fighting, no sparring, but clear structure, dosage, professional support, and conscious integration.
Therapeutic boxing
Uses sport-specific movements as a body-oriented intervention.
The focus is on regulation, stabilisation and the conscious handling of inner tension, anxiety, anger or overwhelm.
Boxing movements are not used for acting out, but for self-regulation: strength, boundaries and impulses are physically perceived and regulated.
Note: Therapeutic boxing does not replace psychotherapy or medical treatment, but rather complements them sensibly.
Strategic boxing coaching
Women in particular benefit from strategic boxing coaching, as it teaches the skills and techniques needed to take up the necessary space in the professional environment, to clearly formulate goals and not to avoid confrontations and conflict situations, but to use them to their advantage. In this way, HR managers can empower female employees and managers to position themselves authentically and strategically.
Selected literature
Bozdarov, J., Jones, B. D., Daskalakis, Z. J., & Husain, M. I. (2023). Boxing as an intervention in mental health: A scoping review. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 17(4), 589-600.
Molina, J. S., & Mahecha, S.(2024). Therapeutic Boxing: Narrative Review About Boxing as Therapeutic Tool. SVOA Orthopaedics, 4(4), 73-84. https://doi.org/10.58624/svoaor.2024.04.074
Römling, F., Brixius, K., Klier, K., & Petrowski, K. (2025). The Role of Boxing in Parkinson's Disease: Evidence, Benefits, and Future Directions. German Journal Of Sports Medicine, 76(2), 33-39. https://doi.org/10.5960/dzsm.2025.623
Wang, Z., Song, B., Liu, C., Ma, H., Bai, Z., Carneiro, M. A., ... & Wang, D. (2025). Effects of boxing exercise in people with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 17, 1505326. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1505326
Ante, T. (2024). Therapeutic boxing. Psychosocial review, 39(3), 12-13.
Bozdarov, J., Jones, B. D., Umer, M., Blumberger, D. M., & Husain, I. M. (2025). Mindfulness-based (non-contact) boxing therapy (MBBT) for depression and anxiety: A feasibility study. PLoS One, 20(2), e0318364. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318364
Ersoy, C., & Iyigun, G. (2021). Boxing training in patients with stroke causes improvement of upper extremity, balance, and cognitive functions but should it be applied as virtual or real?. Topics in stroke rehabilitation, 28(2), 112-126. https://doi.org/10.1080/10749357.2020.1783918
Horbinski, C., Zumpf, K. B., McCortney, K., & Eoannou, D. (2021). Longitudinal observational study of boxing therapy in Parkinson's disease, including adverse impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown. BMC neurology, 21(1), 326. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-021-02359-6
Lyon, D., Owen, S., Osborne, M., Blake, K., & Andrades, B. (2020). Left/Write//Hook: A mixed method study of a writing and boxing workshop for survivors of childhood sexual abuse and trauma. International Journal of Wellbeing, 10(5). https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v10i5.1505