Some years ago, as a college student, I was overweight, teetering towards obese for my height. I blamed it on my broke adolescent status: being hungry and on a tight budget didn’t exactly allow for healthier choices so I’d usually resort to budget meals from fast food chains to fill me up. Exercise? I had no time for that after a full day at school, and I couldn’t afford a gym membership. Not long after, I noticed that I would run out of clothes faster than usual because they started becoming a size too small, or didn’t drape the same way on my body. It wasn’t just my appearance, either; I was more sluggish, I became more breathless after walking short distances, and I would get sick more than usual.
After months of reusing my “fat clothes” and getting sick constantly, I decided to turn it all around and adopt a healthier lifestyle. I would get up at 5:30 in the morning every day, without fail, and jog around campus for two hours. I also stopped making excuses about my food and found ways to stock cheap yet healthier food items in my dorm. I eventually lost about 15 (!) pounds in just a month. Friends called me their “fitspiration”.
Oh, how times have changed. I’ve graduated from university since, and I’ve fallen back into a routine that seemed familiar: a desk job that lets me sit in front of a computer for several hours a day, gorging on whatever was most convenient for me at any given time. I’d use work as an excuse to keep me from hitting the gym, because I had “too much to do”. I reneged on my fitness progress, and the pounds have once again caught up with me.
Sometime last year, I then decided to commit to a more balanced lifestyle, and that included making time for the gym. Because I no longer had the quick metabolism of a 19-year-old, I decided that I needed a workout that was more high-impact and that would push my physical limits further. Inspired by Gigi Hadid, I decided to take up boxing.
I’ve already written in the past how boxing is a great sport for fitness newbies (and girls!) to take up. Just because we think of brawny, hyper-masculine images such as Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather, this shouldn’t deter us from taking up a great sport that helps you reach your fitness goals in no time. If you’ve listed down “lose weight” or “be more fit” as your New Year’s resolution for 2018, then this is for you.
5. It provides a total body workout
While most people look at boxers and think that only the upper body gets trained from all those punches, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Boxing not only tones your arms and shoulders, it also works out your back, core, and legs. To land a powerful punch, boxers need to draw strength from their core and legs, meaning you’ll get a flatter tummy and shapelier legs!
4. Boxing provides both cardio and strength training
Boxing doesn’t just get your heart rate up; it also provides some great resistance training. Training with the heavy bags resists against each punch, which builds muscle in your shoulders, back, and chest.
3. It’s great for people who hate running
Although I mentioned that I used to jog every morning, personally, getting up to keep my legs running felt like a chore. It’s even worse when it’s on the treadmill, staring at the timer for it to end! As mentioned, boxing gets your heart rate up, and because you’re anticipating and throwing different kinds of punches, it provides variety for those who get bored with running.
2. Boxing helps you burn plenty of calories
As your heart rate speeds up with a variety of punches, you’re engaging different muscle groups, providing for a more effective calorie burn. Just how much can you burn in a single session? Well, for adult males, it can range anywhere from 700 to 1500 calories for an adult male. Paired with conditioning exercises, expect to burn a whole more.
1. The workout is perfect for people with busy schedules
With the fast-paced nature of boxing in short intervals, it’s essentially High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), proven to burn more fat than, say, going on the treadmill at a moderate pace. That means you only have to squeeze a short time at the gym while ensuring that you get an effective workout!
If you live or work near the Pasig-Ortigas area, then I highly suggest checking out Empire Boxing Pasig. An exhilarating boxing session starts at P200, which is very affordable for the training and calorie torch you’ll get in return. Visit them at 3/F Westlake Building, Pasig Boulevard, Bagong Ilog, Pasig City. Check them out on Facebook.
Are you aiming for #ProjectBalikAlindog this year? Let us know your thoughts!
