Boxing is one of the most widely watched sports around the world. There is something exciting, raw, and exhilarating about seeing two boxers take the ring under the bright lights in front of a roaring crowd. The tenacity, resilience, toughness, and aggression of a boxer holds a has become a model of endurance and ambition. The iconic image of a boxer getting up and fighting back is an inspiration to millions. Indeed, legendary fighters like Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Manny Pacquiao, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have captured the admiration and attention of people all over the world.
Boxing has been a popular sport for thousands of years - literally. The earliest evidence of fighting sports dates back as early as the 3rd millenium, and Egyptian carvings show images of fighting and spectators. Boxing emerged in the Greek Olympics in the year 688 BCE, and the word boxing itself is derived from the Greek "pyx", which means "with clenched fist". Boxing has evolved significantly over the years, becoming widely accepted in the West. In England, the "London Prize Ring" rules were established along with the "Queensberry Rules", which continue to inform boxing regulation today. In Canada, boxing started as a bare knuckle affair before gloves were introduced to protect the hands of the fighters. While boxing endured much scrutiny and criticism as a remnant of a "less-civilized" past, the sport continued to enjoy widespread popularity and profitability. Today, boxing is a billion dollar industry with professional and amateur leagues, specialized gyms, gear, equipment, and training.
And while boxing is largely considered by most to be a fighting sport for spectatorship, you might find it surprising to learn that it is actually a fun, accessible, and well-rounded fitness workout that can lead to a variety of positive outcomes. You don't, in other words, need to fight to enjoy boxing as part of your wellness routine. Set all stereotypes of dark, gritty gyms, marathon morning runs, and having a broken and bruised body: boxing fitness can lead you to being fit, strong, with a sculpted upper body. Should you want to train for competition, you will be starting on an exciting fitness journey that will push your body and mental strength to new highs.
So how can boxing fit into your life? This article is all about the reasons you should get into boxing, the types of classes and pathways you can take in boxing fitness, and the equipment required to join this exciting sport. Let's start by talking about the top reasons to start boxing in Canada.
While many people believe that boxing is a violent sport best practiced by professionals or amateur fighters, boxing has become a favourite style of workout for fitness enthusiasts of all backgrounds in Calgary.
What are the Top Reasons to Start Boxing Training?
There are a lot of great reasons to start boxing training if you’ve never boxed before, and even more reasons to continue if you have tried it already. Let’s go through some of the top reasons.
De-Stress by Punching it Out
Stress is not new in our lives: between jobs, family responsibilities, relationships, school, traffic and other elements of daily life, we may feel the need to release some aggression and pent-up emotions. Heading to the gym and punching your stress, either on a speed bag or with a sparring partner, can feel liberating. Best of all, boxing training is organized, safe, and will give you all the safety benefits as well.
Build and Sculpt your Upper Body
Because so much of boxing uses your upper body - arms, abdominals, obliques, and shoulders - you will start seeing incredible results with time. Boxing requires you to keep your torso active and moving throughout the workout, resulting in more tone and definition the more you work out. Part of boxing training is also weighted exercise, so you will build lean muscle that will give your the upper body physique you have been striving for.
Develop your Cardiovascular Fitness
Much of boxing training involves cardiovascular movement and agility training, which is excellent for your overall health. Boxers need to move quickly and respond to their opponents in a small space, so the exercises in both competitive training and fitness training will mean you will be making small movements with your feet constantly.
Enhance your Reflexes
Unlike many other sports and fitness regimens, boxing requires you to develop your instincts and reflexes since you will have to respond to defensively to your opponents. Responding physically to an attacker is no easy task, and boxing will help your mind to stay sharp and aware of external threats.
Join an Amazing Fitness Community
Boxers undergo some or most of their training in boxing gyms, where you will find plenty of other like-minded athletes that also love the sport. You will be part of a supportive fitness community that not only trains together, but fights together. Being part of a fitness community also means that you can share training and nutrition tips.
Beat the Winter Blues
It’s no secret that we have long, cold winters in Canada. Outdoor sports are hard to get into, especially when you can only do them for a 4-5 months out of the year. Boxing is an intense sport that is done indoors: perfect for those cold days being outside is unbearable.
Boxing is one of the most effective ways to get fit in Vancouver. It combines cardiovascular movement, strength building, agility, and sports all into one. Find out all the reasons to start boxing in Vancouver.
How does a Boxing Gym differ from a Regular Gym?
Boxing gyms have a lot of similarities to regular gyms, but here are some major differences that will impact your decision as to which gym to join.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Joining a Boxing Gym
If you are interested in boxing and really want to be part of a fitness community with the same interests, a boxing gym is definitely the way to go. A boxing gym will have much of the same equipment as a regular gym: cardio machines, weights, and space for stretching and classes. They will also have boxing equipment, such as speedbags, punching bags, shields, a ring or rings for fighting and sparring. You will also notice that lots of other boxers that may be training for professional and amateur events work out there, so you will get a first hand glimpse into what serious training looks like. At a boxing gym, you will also have a great opportunity to network with other boxers, learn about different workouts and diets, and learn more about what competing is like from others. You may also find that there are fitness classes that are geared specifically for boxers.
Boxing gyms may cost more than a regular gym, since you are getting access to specialized amenities. They are also not as easy to find as regular gyms, which may be an issue if you live in a smaller city. Those that live in larger urban centres like Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, Halifax, Vancouver, Winnipeg should have a fairly easy time finding a boxing gym nearby.
Benefits and Downsides of a Mainstream Gym
Regular gyms have some advantages over boxing gyms. They can be found pretty much anywhere, boast competitive membership costs, and may even have amenities like a spinning centre or a swimming pool. The equipment is much more geared toward general users, with free weights and cardio machines for members. There are also usually fitness classes included, and you may even find a boxing inspired fitness class in the schedule.
Regular gyms, however, will not have the specialized equipment and the unique energy that comes from having so many boxing enthusiasts together. You may find yourself seeking additional options for training such as a boxing trainer - which we will discuss shortly!
What about a Home Gym?
If you prefer to train at home, you can certainly outfit your basement, workout room, or garage with the essentials for practicing boxing exercises at home. A punching bag mounted on your ceiling, along with free weights, kettlebells, and TRX trainers will be fabulous additions to your home gym if you do not already have these tools.
While the history of boxing might suggest that it is not a sport for most people, the truth is that boxing is a fantastic fitness option in Ottawa. While you could certainly fight and spar with others, you can engage in boxing activities without being punched!
What do you Learn in Boxing Lessons?
Boxing training will vary depending on what your fitness goals are, and what you want to get from boxing training. Consider this question: do you want to box for fitness benefits, or are you looking to compete and fight in amateur or possibly even professionally in the future?
Those that want to engage in boxing fitness over fighting will find that the workouts are challenging and fun. A boxing fitness workout will include:
- A warm-up to raise the heart rate and get your body moving: running, aerobic exercises, stair climbing, or sprints may be part of the warm up.
- Strength training with free weights, kettlebells, and bands. Sometimes classes will use the equipment in the gym to engage in strength and muscle building. You may do a circuit, or follow along with an instructor.
- Guided exercises in punching, dodging, and footwork. Your teacher may choose to focus on different types of punching, such as uppercut, cross, and other offensive moves. Guided instruction should also include defensive movements, like blocking, weaving, and other movements that will enable you to protect yourself from a fellow competitors punches.
- Sparring with partners using gloves, a shield, and other protective gear. This is a great activity that will help you feel like you are in the ring, without the fear of injury of course! You and a partner will take turns using the shield to field each other’s punches.
- Stretching and cool-down. Group boxing classes will end with stretching and cool down to slow the heart rate and stretch your muscles.
Group boxing classes are a great supplement to a regular fitness program that you have developed for yourself.
What will Training for Competition be Like?
If your purpose for training is to compete in boxing matches, your learning will be more focused on developing the strategies and strength to fight others in your weight class. Boxers that compete are typically divided into different weight classes based on size, such as featherweight, lightweight, heavyweight, and welterweight. Many boxer eat carefully, dieting strategically before a big match to ensure they can enter the weight category of your choice.
Your training will involve not only fitness activities like running and aerobic exercises, but time fighting in the ring with a partner who likely has similar goals. Training for competition will mean that you will need to purchase more sophisticated protective gear, gloves, and a nutrition plan to help you meet your weight goals.
While you can certainly train on your own, you will likely want to have a coach who will assist you with developing your fighting abilities and keep you on track with your cardiovascular training and nutrition.
When it comes to boxing, many Montrealers think of sweaty fighters in a ring surrounded by bright lights, loud music, and a raucous crowd. Perhaps even a dark, serious gym, or a gritty weight room with bruised and beaten athletes. Outside of the movies or pay-per-view, however, nothing could be further from the truth!
Do I Need to Purchase a lot of Boxing Equipment to get Started?
If you are just starting out in the boxing game, you likely do not need much to get started unless you are really eager to plunge in. Beginner boxers will generally need a pair of gloves and a place to train. If you are fortunate enough to be part of a boxing gym or a studio, you may be able to borrow some of these equipment until you feel confident enough to make a purchase. In most cases, loaner materials are cleaned regularly and borrowers must wear special gloves underneath the boxing gloves for hygiene reasons.
Are you already in love with the sport? Then why not go ahead and get some equipment for your personal use or home or garage. This is an excellent addition to your home even if you are already at a gym: why not practice you jabs and crosses before work? You will also want to consider getting gloves that are fitted appropriately for you, protective head and mouth gear, and boxing shoes.
Here is a list of some popular boxing equipment available for purchase at sports stores or boxing brands like Everlast:
- Punching Bag
- Resistance bands or tubes
- Push up/pull up bars
- Weighted vest
- Hand Weights
- Suspension trainer
- Kettlebells
- Medicine Ball
- Workout Gloves
- Speed bag
- Boxing shoes
- Strike Shield
- Head Gear
- Sparring and Hook and Loop Protector
- Target Mitts
Is it Better to Hire a Boxing Coach or a Personal Trainer?
Though it can seem like a luxury, there are plenty of people that see private or personal training as an essential component of their fitness routine. Yes, it is more economical to take classes or be part of a big gym. But private training has lots of benefits that make the investment worthwhile.
Private coaches and trainers will ensure that you get a focused fitness experience focused on your body type, needs, goals, and schedule. Many people opt for private fitness training because they need to maximize the time they spend working out, especially if much of the rest of the time is needed for work or family responsibilities. Many private instructors have access to facilities that are not shared by a large gym membership, or they can even come to your home or meet at a local park so you can get an outdoor training experience. The possibilities are truly endless with private instruction.
But going back to our original question - should you go for a boxing coach or a personal trainer? If you are a competitive or aspiring competitive boxer, a boxing coach is likely the best option for you. Most boxing coaches should have a background in boxing, and can give you insights, training tips, motivation, and strategy that you simply cannot find with anyone else.
Personal training, on the other hand, is ideal if you want to improve your general fitness. It is certainly possible to find a boxing coach with personal training credentials, or a personal trainer with a boxing background, so you can easily get the best of both worlds with a little research.
Canada’s largest city, Toronto, is home to many boxing gyms and mixed martial arts studios where you can practice and learn boxing and combat sports. These gyms offer modern equipment, a motivated fitness community, and a broad perspective of fitness that goes beyond spending hours sparring in a ring.
Where Can I Find Boxing Classes?
Not convinced that personal boxing instruction is for you? Group boxing classes are available through a few different options in Canada. Here are a few ways to find them.
As Part of a Gym Membership
Many large gyms and boxing gyms will have boxing classes either included in your membership or that can be purchased with an extra fee. The great thing about taking boxing classes in your own gym is that you are already familiar with the facilities, and can stick around before or after for some extra working out.
In a Boxing Studio
Some Canadian cities and towns will have boxing studios operated by fitness entrepreneurs that are passionate about the sport. They may offer boxing themed classes with other styles of fitness, or provide space for individual or personal training.
Virtual Classes
If finding a gym or a studio is tough, you can always train virtually with a class or find videos you can work through independently. However, you will be missing out on getting personal feedback and being part of a boxing fitness community.
Create your Own Class
If you want to have a boxing class but cannot make personal training fit into your budget, or cannot find a boxing class in your region, you can always coordinate a small group class with friends or family and a personal boxing coach or trainer. Many personal trainers are open to the idea of having students cost-share. The best part is that you can train in a convenient place, be with people you already know, and get an intimate fitness experience at a cost that works for you.
Disadvantages of Group Classes
A major issue that people often have with group classes is that they are happening at times that are inconvenient. It can be tough to make an evening class if you are working, have family responsibilities, or are simply not close enough to the facility where the classes are taking place. Group classes may often be hard to find, especially if you do not live in a large city with a significant fitness market.
Are Private Boxing Classes Optional in my Gym?
You may be able to find private boxing classes in the gym you go to. However, availability of boxing classes will likely depend on the skill set of the staff and whether or not they are willing to offer them.
Alternatively, you can find a private boxing coach on Superprof Canada!
Is it Easy to find a Private Boxing Coach?
It is easy to find a private boxing coach using the Superprof Canada site. The site is set up for students of all ages looking for a individualized instruction. You can find boxing, or private instruction in nearly anything you can think of, from Yoga to Mathematics.
To find a private boxing coach near you in Canada, simply use the search tool on the site. You can type in “boxing coach Ottawa,” or “boxing trainer Calgary”, for example. Then, you can view the profiles of available boxing coaches near you. Contact only those that interest you directly through the site, and set up a time to meet or chat to discuss further details.
Find a private boxing coach on Superprof today!
Did you like this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
