Boxing has been around since the dawn of time, well at least since the time the first fist was made and sent snapping through the air towards its target.
The ancient Greeks believed the Gods fought with fists, whilst in Ancient Rome they embellished their gladiatorial performances with metal-stuffed hand wraps which maimed or killed their opponents! In the 18th Century a revival as a working man’s sport, saw boxing transition from ‘street brawls’ to bare knuckle bouts and in 1866 eye gouging was thankfully eliminated and glove wearing made mandatory. Whilst it’s popularity has wavered over the years, boxing is currently enjoying a revival on the fitness scene.
I can’t say for certain, and I’m no statistical expert, but I believe that in the UK boxing’s profile started to rise in 2012 when we basked in the glory of a fantastic home Olympics. The Olympic boxing team brought home 4 medals, including two golds, one of which was won by female boxer, Nicola Adams.
I’m not an Olympian, so why would I box when I could jump on a treadmill and have done? The treadmill tedium won’t help you burn up to 700 calories in an hour like boxing, but may help you lose your mind. An hour. On a treadmill. Just let that sink in.
‘Strong not skinny’ is a phrase that has been banded around for a while now, however it seems to be what many people are gravitating towards as we move away from slimming down to barely there bodies and work on building fuller muscles instead. Celebrities like Ellie Goulding, Gigi Hadid, Gisele, Hilary Swank, Mark Wahlberg and many Victoria’s Secret models are all advocates of the benefits of boxing. In a world where we rightly or wrongly look to celebrities as role models, their endorsement of the sport is bringing boxing to the attention of those who may never have considered a contact sport, even if that contact is glove to pad.
Boxing combines cardio and resistance training, really getting the heart rate up and torching calories both during the workout and in the after burn. It’s also great for building confidence, reducing stress and sculpting the body like no other workout. Thankfully it’s no longer held captive in intimidating boxing gyms, but has escaped into boutique environments and independent classes, becoming accessible to all.
After my first class with Carly I was hooked (pun wholly intended) and as soon as I could get my own gloves, I did. For me nothing beats the sound of gloves making contact with the pads, the elation of perfectly completing a 20 move combo-oh yes!-and the general communal feeling of achievement at the end of the hour.
As the popularity of boxing goes from strength to strength, so visibly do the participants, and it doesn’t seem like either will be losing momentum anytime soon.
If you want to have fun, get fit, lose weight or try a new sport, then boxing for fitness may be the one for you.