Working it out: Getting started
As I grew older, fitness lost that sense of joy. It started to become a chore for me. I wanted to change that, and bring the fun back to fitness.
As a kid, I would dance, jump and run any chance I could. I remember running at full speed as fast as I can for no particular reason, and it always put a smile on my face. As I grew older, fitness lost that sense of joy. It started to become a chore for me. I wanted to change that, and bring the fun back to fitness.
When I entered the InsideOut Studio for the first time, I felt a sense of hope. The space felt more welcoming than any other gym I’d ever stepped into. The majority of gyms or studios seem intimidating, especially as you struggle with complicated machines and awkward encounters. At InsideOut, as soon as I walked in, there were friendly faces around the cozy studio to help me.
I hadn’t done any intensive workouts for a full month. A few short pilates sessions here and there, but holiday festivities got in the way of any real progress. For years I had been trying to get into shape but was never able to stick to a routine or diet. Throwing myself back into the push-ups, the running and the sweating, was daunting, to say the least, but I was pretty determined, and boxing bootcamp was the first step.
The only thing I had done close to boxing, was one martial arts class when I was 7 years old, which I doubted would come in handy. I was nervous, of course, boxing always seemed so intense, but what better way to get the nerves out than punching things? Before the gloves were even put on, there was a stretch and warm-up. I definitely got warm, I thought, there couldn’t possibly be more, but there was. I chose a pair of pink boxing gloves, because why not, and started punching. The first few punches were empowering, the next couple were therapeutic, and then my arms started to burn. If my arms are feeling sore, I’m sure that’s a sign I’m starting to build up my muscles, but all I could think about was just sitting down and taking a nap. I kept pushing through. Punching bags always look so light and easy to hit, but I can tell you, they are a lot heavier than you think. Looking at a punching bag, it looks simple, easy even. It's a bag, how could it be hard? You would be mistaken. It takes a lot of force to move and swing that bag around, but once I did it, man did it feel good. It started to become like a dance, right left right, doge, right, left, right doge.
By the end of the class, I may have been exhausted, but I was smiling wide, and so were the other participants. I ran on a feeling of adrenaline for the rest of the day, before waking up the next morning and feeling my muscles ache. Oddly enough, I felt proud of my sore muscles. It means I pushed myself, and will have to keep pushing, until one day, my muscles aren't so sore.
Boxing can be very beneficial to your health. If you want to try out boxing for yourself, you can try a boxing class for free at InsideOut!