I'm currently cutting, and I understand that 'shadow boxing' whilst holding a light dumbell in each hand can be great for toning and for improving your punching power.

However I've also heard that over time, this practise can lead to tendon damage.

Can anyone outline the benefits of shadow boxing with light weights, or confirm that it is bad for you?

I wouldn't do it. It probably depends how heavy the DBs are. But it's got "injury" written all over it.

Well, I did it a couple of days ago for the first time. Tricep very sore today

What about shadow boxing by itself, or with a punchbag?

shadowboxing is good. If you punch a punchbag it's not shadow boxing anymore, but it's still a good workout.

Make sure you know how to hit, specially how to align your wrist so you don't hurt yourself! Punching (specially heavy bags) means quite an impact when you hit, and it's important to know how to punch right to minimize wear and tear.

shadow boxing with weights is very good for speed in punches, and nuscle indurance, but don't over do it.

from jeremy 1130

How will it help? Power and speed in punches comes mostly from rotating the entire body, doing things like full contact twists (which you do explosively) will help speed and power in a punch. Shadow boxing with weights will not. And don't forget that gravity only pulls the weight down, and you would want the resistance to be in another line of you wanted to train the punching movement (unless you're only doing uppercuts).

it helps with speed trust me, coz ur body gets used to the extra weight and becomes stronger

but yes the real power and speed is from the hips i agree with that

from jeremy130

If you're a fighter and your joints are healthy, I don't see why not. I did em before and they seemed to make my punches harder and faster. Plus it was pretty fun. But it's not a substitute for real fight training or real weight training. If you do them smart with good control it should minimize injury.

Mayweather uses punching weights, they are designed specially tho and appear to be a a very light weight. I can predict that using too heavy a weight could increase injury risk.

I used to tape a 0.5kg weight to my punchbag gloves and shadow box, hard work!

using very light weight can work, but still, what's the point? Just do bag training with gloves, and do some rotation work at the gym.

the reason boxers use weights is not to improve punching power,it helps them to keep there hands up for 12 or whatever rounds.

you are not punching against ressistance holding a weight,now if you use a wall cable then you are,but holding weights the ressistance is downward not forward.