Do you want to try your first class of boxing? You may be a little intimidated. It must start somewhere; I made my first steps in a kickboxing class in my 27 years. With my age and my physical condition, it was expected that it would take a place in my life, but it happened. I joined one of the finest boxing classes in London. It has greatly changed me, physically and mentally.
After so many years of learning boxing, I drafted some tips to help beginners get started in the best way. I did some mistakes and I learned from them, so here I am sharing my best understanding in form of tips for startup boxers.
Which Boxing?
This is your starting point, so you should know that there are many different disciplines from around the world such as:
- Savate-also known as French boxing-very bouncy, many dodges
- Full contact-no blows below the belt, many high kicks, very airy
- Kick Boxing-Kick legs at all heights, a little more “brutal” for more contact: it blocks attacks with shins and forearms, however seizures are prohibited
- K1-also known as Japan kick-an intermediate discipline derived from kick boxing which adds the knee strikes and short seizures (less than 5 seconds from memory)
- Finally Asian disciplines are Muay Thai, boxing Khmer, Votudo and Sanda.
Choosing the club
For your first course, if you find yourself surrounded by competitors, maybe you were wrong niche or room.
You must differentiate recreational boxing and boxing competition. These are not the same issues. Discipline remains the same, but the approach will be very different.
Right equipment
In the beginning, it is better not spend a fortune in equipment. Large chains of sports shops offer very cheap kits. There are multi-specialty stores that offer the same type of kits at equivalent prices, quality and more. Keep the budget at lower side in starting and do not expect miracles either. There are numerous and all-time available offers on boxing products for sale on the internet.
In general you need:
Boxing: The training gloves, size is chosen according to your weight, clarify this with the salesperson. Pick those gloves which protect you most. Discuss in detail with the salesperson before you buy. Your choice should be especially designed to protect your joints on powerful strikes.
Foot and shin guards: Foot protection is very important; there are many bones that break easily, a shell for man or woman, a chest protection for women.
Thai boxing and others: Boxing Kit + fist foot of elbow pads and knee pads.
Do not embarrass a helmet; it is almost never used except in sparring with real strikes in preparation for fighting.
What you should do in a boxing class?
Here are works to be performed in a boxing class:
Warming up is a mandatory phase. Do not arrive late; begin to train without heating is to risk a muscle or joint injury. It is very painful and the recovery can be long. The warm-up generally includes a preparation of joints, a stage race on foot, muscle exercises, or rope jump.
The shadow boxing can be used as heating or in transition. This boxing is done in alone, an imaginary opponent, often in front of a mirror. It’s awkward at first because you do not know what to do, but it becomes natural with time. In course of time you can take breaks to relax muscles.
The physical work is essential in this sport, so there are plenty of exercises devoted to building muscle, weight management, increase cardio vascular tolerance, making punches powerful, etc.
The technical work is equally important. How to make beautiful gestures, to have an efficient and accurate boxing is taught in it. To gain expertise, there is only one method: repetition.
Finally all this preparation put you in a condition for sparring; you will fight in different lengths of rounds and partner generally changes in each round.
