BOXING AS A THERAPEUTIC PRACTICE, AND A NERVOUSSYSTEM RESET

Shaking is a powerful way to reset the nervous system, often practiced in bodywork modalities such as Qigong.

Shaking is a natural neurogenic response that helps discharge excess sympathetic activation (adrenaline, tension, and micro-stress buildup). Animals in the wild shake instinctively after a stressful event to reset their nervous system and prevent trauma from getting stored in the body. Humans have the same ability, but we often suppress it.

Boxing & Fluid Punching as a Nervous System Reset

Relaxed, tension-free punching can have a similar effect. When you punch loose and fluid,

you’re essentially:

1. Dissipating tension rather than holding it in your muscles.

2. Allowing energy to flow naturally through the body rather than getting stuck.

3. Engaging rhythmic movement, which regulates the nervous system (like rocking, bouncing, or dancing).

This is why elite strikers often seem so relaxed and effortless—they’re constantly using motion as a way to prevent tension buildup. When you move and strike in this way you are literally shaking away trauma from the body every time you punch. As you add speed and. power to the movement you release more and more tension and stuck energy in the body.

This can be an extremely therapeutic practice.

Using Shaking and boxing as an Active Recovery Tool

Shake out fully after intense sessions, or even as a full recovery session and combine it with shadow boxing focusing on being as relaxed as possible. Turn your shadow boxing into an active meditation, constantly feeling into your body to notice where the tension is andreleasing it by exhaling, shaking and striking. This will teach you good fundamental principles of alignment and structure. The important thing here is to have a strong foundation (roots) but a very relaxed upper body to allow the force to travel through.

You can start by focusing solely on the shaking exercise to feel deeper into your body and get out of the analytical mind. Loosen up your body by bouncing lightly to prevent tension accumulation. While you do this, put as much attention on your feet as possible, feeling the force of your bodyweight hitting the floor, imagine there are roots travelling down into the floor as any tension in your body drops down into your roots. You should start to feel lighter and lighter yet stronger and stronger at the same time.

Shaking this way with deep sighs or extended exhales will double the nervous system reset.