Chloë Garrett-Dyke reports back on her somewhat sweaty experience of trying out a Boxercise exercise class in Brighton, Sussex.
So what is a boxercise class really like?
My first impression was a pleasant surprise as the group was a lot smaller than I had anticipated with only about 10 people in it. The first five minutes were spent gently warming up; walking round the room, then gradually building up to jogging, before mixing in sideways skips. My initial thoughts of “Hmm, this doesn’t seem too bad…” would soon prove premature.
Once warmed up we all had to grab a mat and a kettle bell. There followed 20 minutes of exercises designed to build strength, increase fitness and improve core stability. Anyone familiar with circuit classes or high intensity interval training (HIIT) would feel right at home here. We were guided through a number of exercises on our mats such as mountain climbers, lunges and press ups, followed by a circuit round using props such as kettle bell swings and squats holding a medicine. This section was hard work.
It’s hard to imagine just how exhausting 60 seconds of any one exercise can be. Having said that the variety of exercises and fast pace ensured that as one part of the body started to tremble and reach its limit, you were moving on to another part of the body, feeling another burn and momentarily forgetting how tough the previous minute had been. Personally I love this type of training and find it easier to really push myself than when sticking at the same exercise for longer periods of time. It is worth mentioning though that a familiarity with the type of exercises used in HIIT or circuit training is helpful here. Whilst all exercises are demonstrated to the class, the session moves at such a pace there is not a great deal of time for coaching or individual guidance on your technique, so it could feel rather daunting trying to keep up if you’re learning new moves at the same time.
At the end of this section there was a good breather to take some water onboard, wipe the sweat away and catch your breath. Now came the part I’d been waiting for, the boxing. I have attended one or two boxercise classes in previous years where the boxing elements are incorporated into an aerobic routine. Whilst I have enjoyed that I have never felt that I’ve really mastered the boxing part particularly well. This class was different in that the boxing section is completely devoted to just that. We teamed up into pairs with a set of gloves and pads between us.
During this section we took it in turns to don the gloves and follow the boxing drills as instructed. Much more time was taken in this section to talk through and demonstrate each move, followed by having some individual advice on how to improve your technique and form. I now understand the difference between a jab, a hook and an uppercut!
As someone who had never really boxed before two things surprised me. One was the incredible amount of energy it took to follow through on a punch – you can literally feel the calories exploding out of your body. Secondly I had not anticipated just how much of a workout being on the pads would also be. If you think this is your chance for rest and recovery you’ll be in for a nasty shock!
By the end of the drills I was truly exhausted. We cooled down with a range of stretches focusing on all the key areas that we had been working. I was pleased that there seemed a good amount of time devoted to properly cooling down and really stretching out our muscles. I knew I was going to feel it in the morning but in a way that would give me a smug glow of satisfaction.
At-A-Glance
Cost: Boxercise classes typically cost between £5-£8. Where available they are often included at no extra cost as part of membership to a gym.
Demographics: The class was a mix of men and women in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
Where: Boxercise classes are provided by a large number of gyms and fitness instructors throughout Sussex.
Ideal for: People who want to give their fitness levels a big boost and who enjoy an intense, sweaty workout. The fast pace and variety of exercises is perfect for anyone that bores easily whilst the technique training of the boxing section will satisfy those that like to exercise with a purpose.
Find out more: If you would like to learn more, there’s a great article here (http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2007/mar/24/healthandwellbeing.features) which goes into much greater detail about Boxercise.
Chloë attended the 10am Sunday Boxercise class at Withdean Sports Complex, Brighton.