Get rid of tension fast with a punchbag

Ladies, lend me your ears. I have a secret to disclose and I urge you to take advantage of it quick, before this noble and wholly unselfish deed passes you by! Yes, noble is how I would describe my current state of mind for I am about to divulge hard and fast facts about fitness that will pretty much immediately change your mood, body and fitness level. I have found the ultimate It-Bag; this particular one doesn’t cost a couple of month’s mortgage instalments. No lady. It also doesn’t hail from a glossy, global brand such as Mulberry, Balenciaga or Chloe. The It-Bag I am talking about is the punch bag.

I have never known a sport where weight loss and toning is so incredibly fast and noticeable – your body actually changes shape;  a regular two-hour boxing training session will get you fitter than any ‘class’, you will go down a dress size sharpish and your natural shape becomes fabulously toned too. Add to the mix the unadulterated chemical-free high and pure pleasure from punching the life out of a punch bag or smacking a pair of pads held in front of you by a hot (straight) alpha male. And one more thing – any irritable angst/annoying niggle you’ve felt during the day is simultaneously released, pretty much on impact.

N.B. It helps if you imagine the face of the one who has caused the niggle on said bag. Trust me – those jabs are SO much more powerful when you do this!).

Since discovering boxing as a twice/thrice weekly two-hour session, I have found myself to be calmer, less uptight, a friendlier person (on the roads and to my family) and sleep is definitely deeper. And another thing – it has to be the best gift to yourself – it is incredibly cheap compared to yoga or Pilates.  In a time of cutting back on gym memberships and the things that make us feel good, this has to be a must-do, guilt-free weekly activity.

Boxing is of course hugely beneficial for boosting a lady’s confidence and her self-defence reactions. No complaints either from being in extreme proximity to sweaty guys (being the minority sex in class is fabulous too, and a rarity at a yoga or ‘legs, bums, blah blah’ class at the gym). Forget psychoanalysis, psycho-babble, self-help; get a bag, some gloves, don’t forget the wrist straps, and practice that jab. Let your anger out and forget the OMG-ing. In our world of iPods, laptops and face-less twittering, reality TV and box-sets, it so refreshing to have social interaction and physical contact during recreational sport.

With boxing you let it all out, you sweat (sorry girls, you perspire) and ‘real life’ disappears for the duration. Don’t lose your concentration for one second.  The expression ‘one blink and you’ll miss it’ really resonates here.  The release of endorphins is mind-blowing and the after-effect is amazing.

Boxing training is a full work-out; for the mind, the body, and the soul. For me at least, there is still that feeling of being a little naughty, revealing that you like to smash the living daylights out of something as hard as you possibly can.  Quite frankly it is the most empowering extra-curricular activity in which I have had the pleasure of partaking. Do nice girls go boxing? I think so.

I spent a month researching a host of local (and not so local) boxing schools. I finally found All Stars,  in London’s Harrow Road; a truly wonderful bunch of guys run the joint, take an interest in all the students and are making their voice heard for the 2012 Olympics.  Skipping, weights, mat-work and circuit training are also thrown in.

A boxing class at London's All Stars...

Some of the benefits of taking up boxing

● Physical change – noticeable changes to the body in record time with incredible results.

● Utter focus – no time for losing concentration otherwise you get hit!

● Release and unleashing of tension like no other sport (it personally healed a ‘lock’ in the back of my shoulder).

● Many boxing clubs now let women join the classes, as equals (irritating to certain males, I am sure).

● Improvement in sleep patterns.

● Inexpensive: you just need to buy straps and gloves and that is it – no special footwear is required.

● Good for gaining confidence, literally and psychologically, as a woman for self-defence, and good to be surrounded by sweaty (straight) men!

● Great to learn how to perfect your technique; there is an art to perfecting your jabs and improving your style.

● It’s fun!

AND women box for Britain! For the first time, women have been invited to box for their country, in the 2012 Olympics.