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Get boxing fit, Rihanna style

So Rihanna's fronting the campaign for the new fit kit from Puma, and we must say, it's pretty hot. The star, who's also the creative director for Puma Women, shows off the new collection, which is all about staying (and looking) cool when you're training hard.

Because you only have to look on Instagram to see that not only do women like to work out, but we are training harder than ever. And what's more, we're proud of our sweat. Lifting weights, bootcamps and boxing are hits with our favourite fit celebs, such as Ellie Goulding and Millie Mackintosh, and now we can all amp up our gym selfies with a little RiRi style, too, thanks to the Puma IgniteXT.

To put the new trainer to the test, GLAMOUR joined Puma and Moreno Boxing for a high-intensity boxing session at the top of the Tate Modern in London. In between jabbing and ducking (and, yes, as predicted, a whole lot of sweat), we knocked out a few questions to Moreno founder and boxing champion, Carlos Moreno, about how to get box fit and tone up.

Why is boxing great for women?

Boxing offers an effective method of cross training so that you're not always doing the same thing. It primarily works your deltoid muscles, triceps, lats [large muscles on your back], abdomens and quads. All that rotating of the hips to throw punches provides an extremely effective way of giving your core a good workout. The movement in boxing involves a lot of side-stepping and bouncing, great for working your legs while the punches really challenge the upper half of the body.

What are your top five tips for better fitness?

1. Have goals.

In order to keep yourself motivated you need to ensure you have a vision of where you want to go, you need goals to keep you focused and driven. Make sure these are written down and are S.M.A.R.T [specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound] goals.

2. Start small.

When starting off on your journey to increased fitness, you need to start gently in order to ease yourself into it. If you're not used to high intensity training, you need to gradually build up to it.

3. Eat well.

One of the biggest determining factors of your fitness is what you eat, so ensure you eat well. Eat clean and healthy, avoid too much alcohol (or all of it) and don't eat too late at night.

4. Change the scenery.

Vary your workout as well as your workout spots in order to avoid boredom. Try out cross-training in different sports, not just boxing, try weights, running or circuits to keep things fresh. Also, if you enjoy running, avoid running in the City and go to the park instead, run somewhere with fresh air to avoid all the pollution. Even if you're fit, something as simple as running where the air is cleaner can do wonders for your progress.

5. Be consistent.

The biggest lesson I've learnt through boxing is that being consistent pays off - keep trying and don't give up."

What's the best exercise for strong, toned arms?

In order to develop strong, toned arms without getting too big, you should opt for bodyweight exercises like push-ups, dips and, of course, boxing. Try some high-intensity punching for 30 seconds to one minute non-stop, with about one to two minutes recovery, this helps to get your triceps and deltoids really firing up for some serious fat burn.

What's the best to work on our bottom half?

For your lower body nothing beats the deadlift! This is a great exercise because it works your entire lower body as well as your arms and core."

Why do you think there's been a rise in boxing's popularity amongst women recently?

I'd put it down to the increased participation of women in competitive Olympic boxing, alongside Nicola Adams' achievements in becoming the first ever women's Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion. It's inspiring to see someone succeed in a sport that's typically not seen as a woman's sport.

The new PUMA Ignite XT range challenges you to put more energy into training - the more you put in, you more you get out #NoMatterWhat.
