There seems to be a trend at the moment in 13 reasons why blogs. I don’t know why it’s 13 but it seems to be popular so I thought I’d continue that theme in my blog today.
Yes you guessed right, 13 Reason why you need to start boxing
I’m sure I can think of more than 13. Boxing has changed my life for the better. At 12 Rounds we are all about changing lives too. Our members continually report that since they’ve been training with us that they not only feel fitter but they are happier in general.
Here are 13 reasons why you should bring boxing into your life in 2019
1. Ultimate fitness. It will vastly improve your cardiovascular fitness. Think you are fit already? Boxing training is unlike anything you will ever do. Where some forms of fitness like running or cycling will only work the aerobic system. Boxers work in short explosive bursts meaning you work all the energy systems and the body has to adapt to generate power quickly. It will challenge you and condition you like nothing else.
2. Improved physique. Now who doesn’t want a boxers physique? Boxing will give you lean and defined muscles and it will tone and condition the whole body. Don’t be fooled in thinking you are only working your upper body when you punch. Punching power comes from the legs upward therefore leg and core work are a big part of training. Sprints, shuttle runs and leg exercises are all part of a boxers conditioning to build the explosive power needed to throw those big shots.
3. Improved strength and power. Building on the point above, not only are you going to look better but there is no doubt you will be physically stronger. At 12 Rounds all our beginners start wth a press up test and everyone reports a massive improvement within just 4 weeks.
4. Positive mental health. This is my favourite one as it’s what I personally get most out of boxing. If you struggle with low mood, stress or anxiety, boxing instantly changes your brain set by brining your attention back to the present with the focus on technique. Combine that with a natural endorphin rush and you will instantly feel better after a training session. I’m not saying it solves all your problems, but it will definitely lift your mood and allow to take action on whatever is bothering you.
5. Lower stress levels. There is no doubt that punching stuff is one of the best forms of stress release ever. When we are stressed our nervous system releases adrenalin and cortisol to help us get us out of danger by running from it or fighting. These days most of our stress is mental and we have no way of utilising those stress hormones. Boxing helps you literally ‘punch it out’ At the end of a session you will feel lighter and more relaxed. Again it won’t stop you getting stressed, but it will give you a positive way of releasing it.
6. Learn a skill. Boxing training has a purpose. You may or may not wish to take your skills into the ring and compete but you will have learnt a new skill nevertheless. See your progression in mastering that skill leads me on to my next point – self confidence
7. Improved confidence. So you feel better in your body, you’ve stuck to something consistently and you’re seeing yourself progress in a skill. Think this might improve your confidence? You bet it will. Confidence comes from doing and taking action. If you’ve taken on the challenge of learning to box, you’ve made a positive commitment to yourself and your health. You’ve started to value yourself and your body. These are the building blocks to confidence and self esteem. Walking into a boxing gym to begin with can be scary but once you’ve got past this and got comfortable with being uncomfortable, your confidence will grow and theres no limit to what you can achieve
8. Better mental focus and concentration. In todays social media scrolling age many of us have lost the skills of concentration and focus. Learning boxing skills requires a lot of this. The more we practice and utilise the skills of concentrating and focussing the more we develop those neural connections in the brain. It then becomes a more developed neural pathway and will help us be able to focus and concentrate better in our daily lives.
9. Meet new friends. Boxing communities are extremely friendly and supportive. It may seem intimidating to walk into a venue where people are punching each other in the face, but I can assure you after the rounds it’s all smiles and hugs. Particularly at 12 Rounds we strive to create a warm, friendly and supportive atmosphere. Boxing might be a lone sport when you are in the ring but the training is very much about team work. You often work in partners with pad work and bags so you have to communicate and work together. Training is very much about team spirit and encouraging and motivating each other through the tough rounds. We love seeing the close bonds and friendships that form with our members at 12 Rounds
10. Community support and involvement. Boxing brings communities together. Get to know local people and getting involved with your community. We love finding out what our members do and supporting there local businesses. Look out for our local business net-working event coming soon!
11. Better relationships – So your health has improved, your confidence has improved, you feel good in your body and your less stressed. Think this might help your relationship? Many, many people report that they have just become a nicer person since starting boxing and have a better relationship with their partner.
12. Give yourself a challenge – stepping out of your comfort zone is how we grow. If we don’t change anything then nothing changes right? Start by challenging yourself to learn the basics and commit to a month a training. See where it takes you. Many of our members loved it so much they’ve gone on it compete in our white collar shows in front of hundreds on people. Imagine what that does for your confidence.
13. It will make you happier. So bringing all that together, you feel better, you look better, you are full of confidence with have great relationships and are taking on new challenges. Think you might be happier? We do. In fact we swear by it. We fully believe that boxing makes you better at life.
If you are ready to take that first step and join us in 2019 get yourself booked on to our boxing fundamentals course in January here
We also have gift vouchers available in you are looking for a unique Christmas present idea just email us for full details
A huge Merry Christmas from all of the team here at 12 Rounds Boxing. We hope that 2019 is a knockout year for you