Sunday, April 15, 2012

Boxing As A Workout?...I Can Dig It

I've often come to the end of a long day and wished to heaven I had a heavy bag, a set of boxing gloves, and tons of space within which to use them both. Seriously, even as a stay-at-home-mom, there are days when you want to kick the living crap out of people for their blind ignorance.

That said, I have often mentioned the idea of purchasing said bag and gloves to my hubby—if only to at times save his shoulder from coming into contact with a wandering blow—and he's as been pretty receptive to the idea as well.

Bearing all that in mind, it was interesting to read the following article last week regarding the increasing number of women who use the sport of Boxing as a release and workout for both their bodies and their sanity.
"It's fun. It's empowering. It's as much psychological as physical," he said of the workout, which he said can burn up to 1000 calories. "If you can't do a six-punch combination, you do a two-punch. Everyone gets their own bag and goes at their own pace."

He calls the hour-long classes hardcore and quick.

"It's a testosterone-filled environment for people who seek out an intense workout. Women don't walk in there with makeup on."

...boxing workouts are great for toning the upper arms, back and abdominals, areas that women often like to target, while providing a high-intensity cardio session at the same time.
"It's all intermixed with boxing," she explained. "Just hitting the bag is cardiovascular, and you're working on your abdominals and your arms. You're also twisting, and then there are plyometric (jumping) moves, followed by pushups and sit ups."

She said boxing is a particular draw for professional women.

"The people who take our classes are Type A," she said. "They learn to do it well."

Her clients mainly attack heavy bags, not people. "I don't think anyone imagines they would hit anybody," she said. "But just imagining they could is a confidence booster."
 So I can burn up to 1000 calories and I get to hit something...sign me up!

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