Watermarked 360p preview. Through the API this animation plays without the watermark at 600 × 720, 30 fps. See plans
Cardio · Body Weight
Alternate Punching
Alternate Punching is an intermediate compound cardio exercise that works the cardiovascular system (cardio), with the core and upper back assisting. It needs no equipment beyond your own body weight. A typical prescription is 1-3 rounds of 30-60 seconds per side, and it burns about 8.6 calories per minute.
- Target
- Cardiovascular System
- Body part
- Cardio
- Equipment
- Body Weight
- Category
- Cardio
- Mechanic
- Compound
- Force
- Push
- Sets × reps
- 1-3 × 30-60 sec
- Calories / min
- ≈ 8.6 kcal
Primary muscles
- Shoulders · deltoids
- Chest · pectoralis major
- Triceps · triceps brachii
Secondary muscles
- Core · rectus abdominis, obliques
- Upper Back · trapezius, rhomboids
How to do Alternate Punching
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands held up in a guard position near your chest.
- Punch forward with your right arm, rotating your upper torso slightly.
- Return your right hand to the guard position and punch forward with your left arm, again rotating your upper torso slightly.
- Continue alternating punches in a rhythmic manner.
Form tips
- Keep your core engaged to maintain balance and stability throughout the exercise.
- Focus on snapping your punches out quickly and returning your hands to the guard position to maintain proper form.
- Maintain a slight bend in your knees to absorb the impact and enhance stability.
Alternate Punching alternatives
More cardiovascular system exercises
Alternate Punching FAQ
What muscles does Alternate Punching work?
Alternate Punching mainly works the cardiovascular system in the cardio (deltoids, pectoralis major and triceps brachii). The core and upper back work as secondary muscles.
What equipment do you need for Alternate Punching?
None. Alternate Punching is a body weight exercise, so you can do it at home or anywhere with enough space.
How many sets and reps of Alternate Punching should I do?
Start with 1-3 rounds of 30-60 seconds per side. Pick a load or variation where the last one or two reps are hard but your form stays clean.
Is Alternate Punching good for beginners?
It's rated intermediate. Beginners can work up to it once they control simpler cardio exercises.
How many calories does Alternate Punching burn?
About 8.6 calories per minute for a person of around 70 kg, based on a MET value of 7. Ten minutes of work is roughly 86 calories; heavier people burn more.
What is a good alternative to Alternate Punching?
Other exercises for the cardiovascular system include Treadmill Walk, Gym Elliptical Machine Sprint Speed, Suspension Trainer With Grips Mountain Climber and Treadmill Jogging.
For developers
Use Alternate Punching in your app
Get this exercise and 1,900+ others from the WorkoutX API: 720p MP4 animations at 30 fps without the watermark, male and female models, muscles, instructions and form tips in 7 languages.
# One request returns the exercise and its 720p media links curl "https://api.workoutxapp.com/v2/exercises/ex_MPXWWH" \ -H "X-WorkoutX-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" { "id": "ex_MPXWWH", "name": "Alternate Punching", "model": "male", "counterpartId": "ex_UJEUAG", "target": "Cardiovascular System", "equipment": "Body Weight", "media": { "mp4": "https://…/ex_MPXWWH/mp4-720.mp4?…", "poster": "https://…/ex_MPXWWH/poster.jpg?…" } }