| I like to consider myself reasonably fit; I'm an | | | | We began. We started with the basic jab which |
| active healthy person with a good diet and well | | | | he labeled "1" then moved onto a left jab straight |
| used gym membership. I can swim for an hour, | | | | right combo labeled "2", "3" was a left jab straight |
| run for 40 minutes and feel fine afterwards. So | | | | right left hook combo. I was genuinely enjoying |
| perhaps I can be forgiven for being overly | | | | myself; we worked through the combos and |
| confident entering my first pad based boxing | | | | basic moves until we had enough to run though |
| workout. | | | | from one to nine. I tried my hardest as he |
| It wasn't my idea; a friend of mine was heavily | | | | repeatedly corrected me for the position and |
| into boxing and mixed martial arts. I'd been to the | | | | movement of my feet, hands and placement of |
| gym with him a few times for more conventional | | | | my guard. |
| workouts. We'd lifted weights together and put in | | | | As my confidence increased my training partner |
| some serious CV sessions but he could never | | | | began mixing up the combo's however I noted |
| resist mentioning his Tuesday night boxing class | | | | my punches weakening, how could this be? I was |
| making sure I knew that he considered it the | | | | strong and fit and yet within an hour I could just |
| most fulfilling exercise he did. | | | | about hold my hands up! We called it a day. |
| Why not I thought! I don't claim to be a tough | | | | Nothing could have prepared me for the following |
| guy but I'm no wet flannel. How hard could it be? | | | | morning. Every single muscle in my body ached. I |
| So along I went. | | | | could hardly move and was aching in places I |
| We started with some warm up exercises, | | | | didn't even know existed. I can honestly say that |
| throwing a medical ball back and forth coupled | | | | boxing training is without a doubt the single most |
| with some light skipping, hopping and stretching. I | | | | effective method of training I've ever participated |
| was going to be working through a gentle boxing | | | | in. Not only did it get the blood pumping I'd also |
| session with the guy that I trained with; he'd | | | | worked just about every muscle in my body. |
| decided it would be best to ease me into it | | | | As our sessions continued my conditioning |
| before jumping in the deep end and taking a full | | | | improved, never had a form of training made me |
| class. | | | | feel so unfit. All that time in the gym clearly hadn't |
| He kindly provided me with all of the boxing | | | | been as effective as I thought it had. |
| equipment I'd need for this introduction. He pulled | | | | I can honestly genuinely recommend boxing |
| out a sets of 12 ounce boxing gloves and some | | | | training, it needn't be violent and you don't have |
| focus pads. I wouldn't be needing headgear or a | | | | to spar. It is a fantastic form of exercise that |
| gum shield as we were just going to focus on the | | | | stimulates the mind and the body. Give it a try. |
| basic boxing moves. | | | | |