The Influence of Anthropometric Characteristics on Heart Rate Responses During Different Boxing Exercises in Male Recreational Boxers

Understanding how anthropometric characteristics influence internal load during boxing remains limited, despite heart rate (HR) being a key indicator of exercise intensity. This study examined the relationship between anthropometry and HR responses during three boxing-specific exercises—shadowboxing, pad work, and heavy bag work—in 39 male practitioners (29.0 ± 2.3 years). Body height (BH), body mass (BM), and body mass index (BMI) were assessed. HR_peak and HR_mean were recorded using a validated chest-strap monitor (Polar H10). Significant positive correlations were observed between BH, BM, BMI, and HR responses across all modalities, with the strongest associations during heavy bag work (e.g., HR_peak: BH r = 0.658, BM r = 0.681, BMI r = 0.677; all p < 0.001). Regression analyses indicated that BH explained 23–36% of HR variance during shadowboxing and pad work, whereas BM and BMI showed greater predictive capacity during heavy bag work, explaining up to 46% of HR_peak variance. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant differences between modalities, with heavy bag work eliciting the highest intensities (p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate that greater anthropometric dimensions are associated with higher cardiovascular responses, supporting individualized training prescriptions based on morphological characteristics.