What to Expect from Your First Boxing Session
Boxing is a hard sport. You cannot dispute it.
Physically and mentally, it is one of the most challenging sports I have ever competed in. Never have I come out of a gym session or football lesson sweating and in so much pain than I have in a boxing session. But I love it.
Boxing teaches you discipline, you become part of a family that motivates and inspires each other. You will become the fittest you have ever been (if you put the graft in), and whether you are participating in the sport or just doing the training for fitness, the lbs will drop off you! There is honestly no other sport like it.
If you're thinking about boxing, read through this post so you know what to expect from your first session and so you can get some top tips for staying motivated and getting the best out of boxing classes!
1. It is hard work, but not like you have experienced before
Boxing is the best sport to do if you want to lose weight and build endurance. Because it is incredibly hard work and I cannot explain how hard it is, you need to experience it yourself. But do not go if you are going to make excuses for yourself. Coaches and boxers do not welcome a half-hearted effort. If you are going in to excuse yourself from core workouts, drills and sparring then you are only cheating yourself. You are not going to get the results you want. Your technique, ability or fitness will not improve. You will be wasting your own time and the time of the coaches. If you want to work at your own pace and take an easy ride, go to a regular gym.
2. It is a learning curve
You are going to have some amazing sessions where you come out feeling on top of the world and like you have really made a breakthrough. You are also going to have sessions where you may be in tears because it has been tough, there is more to work on and you are in a lot of physical pain. Know when you walk in that door that you are brave and strong. You are walking into a gym where at some point you will inevitably be punched and punch other people, and a lot of people do not have the guts to put themselves in that situation. Don't go in putting loads of pressure on yourself to be amazing within the first few weeks. Slow progress is still progress. As long as you are listening and learning, you have no reason to doubt yourself.
3. Things won't be sugar coated
This is not to scare you off from the sport, but if you do a sh*t job and there is a general impression you are not putting in the effort, you won't be told 'oh yeah you've done well, good effort'. You will be told straight that you need to give it your all. It's not done out of malice. Your coaches genuinely want you to learn and be the best version of yourself. Also, it is a dangerous sport. Your coaches want you to be safe so if you do something dangerous, aren't keeping your guard up or aren't showing progress then you are not safe to enter that ring and they want you to get the most out of the sport, so they will push you! You know the phrase 'honesty is the best policy'. Would you really want to be told you're a natural when you can't even keep your guard up and can't land a punch? You need to be told honestly what requires improvement so you can grow and focus on your weak spots and show improvement, rather than being under the illusion that you're a pro and refusing to put the work in.
4. You don't 'play' boxing
Whilst you're going to have a laugh, make good friends and learn a lot, it is a serious and potentially dangerous sport. Your coaches are training you hard because they want the best from you and they want no time wasted, but also because they want you to be safe during sparring and any potential fights you may be preparing for! You're going to have successful sparring sessions, but you're also going to have sparring sessions and fights that push you to your limit, leave you bloodied up, and a bit p*ssed off with yourself! It's not a game, but you need to be completely on it, practicing footwork, shadow boxing at every opportunity. It's not a game and you need to be prepared for everything.
5. No two sessions are the same
So if you get bored, the club aren't doing their job properly! There are so many things to practice and master to be good in this sport. One session you will be perfecting the footwork, the next session you will be getting one-to-one with a coach flogging you with a pad and aggravating you to hit the pads with full force, strength and conditioning, core training, running, cardio...the list goes on! This is why the sport is so good for discipline and fitness, because it is varied but you are expected to always perform in all areas and continuously push yourself both inside and outside the gym.
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Thank you so much for reading this post! I hope you stick around for more and get some motivation out of this blog. Make sure to follow now so you don't miss a thing and I will be writing the next post as you read this, so keep your eyes peeled!
This is not to scare you off from the sport, but if you do a sh*t job and there is a general impression you are not putting in the effort, you won't be told 'oh yeah you've done well, good effort'. You will be told straight that you need to give it your all. It's not done out of malice. Your coaches genuinely want you to learn and be the best version of yourself. Also, it is a dangerous sport. Your coaches want you to be safe so if you do something dangerous, aren't keeping your guard up or aren't showing progress then you are not safe to enter that ring and they want you to get the most out of the sport, so they will push you! You know the phrase 'honesty is the best policy'. Would you really want to be told you're a natural when you can't even keep your guard up and can't land a punch? You need to be told honestly what requires improvement so you can grow and focus on your weak spots and show improvement, rather than being under the illusion that you're a pro and refusing to put the work in.
4. You don't 'play' boxing
Whilst you're going to have a laugh, make good friends and learn a lot, it is a serious and potentially dangerous sport. Your coaches are training you hard because they want the best from you and they want no time wasted, but also because they want you to be safe during sparring and any potential fights you may be preparing for! You're going to have successful sparring sessions, but you're also going to have sparring sessions and fights that push you to your limit, leave you bloodied up, and a bit p*ssed off with yourself! It's not a game, but you need to be completely on it, practicing footwork, shadow boxing at every opportunity. It's not a game and you need to be prepared for everything.
5. No two sessions are the same
So if you get bored, the club aren't doing their job properly! There are so many things to practice and master to be good in this sport. One session you will be perfecting the footwork, the next session you will be getting one-to-one with a coach flogging you with a pad and aggravating you to hit the pads with full force, strength and conditioning, core training, running, cardio...the list goes on! This is why the sport is so good for discipline and fitness, because it is varied but you are expected to always perform in all areas and continuously push yourself both inside and outside the gym.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you so much for reading this post! I hope you stick around for more and get some motivation out of this blog. Make sure to follow now so you don't miss a thing and I will be writing the next post as you read this, so keep your eyes peeled!
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