At Spartans Boxing Club, we have long championed the benefits of boxing for mental health. In previous blogs, we discussed the benefits of boxing for trauma, depression, and mental resilience. We have also reviewed studies examining the impact of exercise on general well-being, noting that boxing is one of the few modalities shown to benefit those recovering from mental health issues.
A recent study by Bozdarov et al. (2022) adds further weight to this growing body of evidence. The paper reviews existing research on boxing as a mental health intervention. In this article, we summarise the study and outline its most important findings.
Boxing and Exercise as Mental Health Interventions
The paper begins by examining exercise as an alternative or complementary treatment for individuals who do not respond well to traditional psychotherapy or pharmaceutical approaches. Particular emphasis is placed on activities that combine structured breathing and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), both of which have demonstrated strong links to improved mental well-being.
Boxing is presented as uniquely positioned within this space. It naturally combines mindfulness through technical focus with HIIT-style physical intensity. This hypothesis aligns with large-scale population data, including a cross-sectional study of over 1.2 million Americans conducted between 2011 and 2015, which found that individuals engaging in regular physical exercise experienced a 20.1% reduction in mental health burden (Chekroud et al., 2018).
Overview of the Scoping Review and Methodology
Due to the limited number of high-quality studies available, the author selected a scoping review rather than a meta-analysis. Only studies focused strictly on boxing were included, with other martial arts such as Muay Thai excluded. Sources were drawn from Google Scholar, Medline, and PsycINFO, though many were rated as low-quality evidence.
Out of 155 initially identified studies, 16 met the criteria for inclusion. These studies included qualitative research, quasi-experimental designs, randomised controlled trials, case studies with pre- and post-intervention measures, and mixed-method approaches. Participants came from New Zealand, Canada, China, the United States, Ireland, and England.
Most studies involved adults (69%), followed by youths (19%), with the remaining studies focused on older adults, including individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
All boxing interventions reviewed were non-contact. Typical sessions included shadow boxing, pad work, and heavy bag training, with 88% delivered in group settings. A small number of studies also incorporated cognitive training elements.
Key Findings and Implications for Mental Health
Positive mental health outcomes were reported across all studies. The review found that boxing reduced stress and improved mood, self-esteem, and quality of life in 94% of the included research. Participants demonstrated improvements in confidence, perceived physical ability, school performance, and overall psychological well-being.
Several studies using measurement-based care reported statistically significant reductions in symptoms of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and PTSD, as well as improvements in quality of life indicators.
Additional benefits included providing a healthy outlet for aggression, reducing rumination and negative thought patterns, and fostering social connection through group training environments. Adverse effects were minimal and unrelated to mental health, primarily involving musculoskeletal strain. Importantly, there was no evidence of violence transfer from boxing training into the community.
While the overall quality of evidence remains limited, the consistency of findings is difficult to ignore. The effectiveness of boxing appears to stem from its combination of technical focus, physical intensity, and cathartic release. Beyond mental health, boxing also improves cardiovascular health and body composition, both of which are commonly affected by depression.
Social engagement and music-enhanced training environments further contribute to adherence and enjoyment. Notably, benefits were observed regardless of gender, and effective outcomes were achieved with as little as two 45-minute sessions per week.
After months of reviewing research in this space, the conclusion is clear. The evidence consistently points in the same direction. Boxing is no longer an emerging idea in mental health support. It is a well-documented, well-supported intervention with meaningful benefits for mental health recovery.
References
Bozdarov J, Jones BDM, Daskalakis ZJ, Husain MI. Boxing as an Intervention in Mental Health: A Scoping Review. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2022;0(0). doi:10.1177/15598276221124095
Chekroud SR, Gueorguieva R, Zheutlin AB, et al. Association between physical exercise and mental health in 12 million individuals in the USA between 2011 and 2015: A cross-sectional study. Lancet Psychiatry. 2018;5(9):739–746. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30227-X