The boxing gym renaissance is in full swing, but today’s celebrity boxing workouts look nothing like the training montages from “Rocky.” According to fitness entrepreneur Anthony Geisler, who has deep roots in the boxing fitness industry, the sport has evolved far beyond its fighting origins.

“People aren’t necessarily committed to learning how to fight,” Geisler explains in a recent industry report. “It’s not a self-defense angle that gyms have been emphasizing—it is a cardiovascular angle. But now you’re seeing a lot of weight training coming into it.”

This hybrid approach has made boxing studios the new go-to destination for celebrities looking to maintain lean muscle while burning calories. The workout combines high-intensity interval training with strength components, creating a comprehensive fitness experience that addresses multiple goals simultaneously.

For celebrities navigating the challenges of maintaining muscle mass while using new weight loss medications, this evolution of boxing workout programs couldn’t have come at a better time. The combination of cardio and strength training helps address the muscle loss concerns associated with popular weight loss methods.

As Geisler notes, “Boxing, which has a high-intensity training aspect to it, with cardio as a part of it and weight training as a piece of it, I think that’s where we’re going to see boxing going in the future.”