170 marieclaire.com.auPHOTOGRAPHY BY ATAKAN-ERKUT UZUN/STOCKSY.COM. TEXT BY FIONA O’CALLAGHAN.Why boxing is taking the
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f you don’t know
your jab from your
uppercut, you’re
missing out on some
of the powerful fit-
ness results that
boxing can achieve. In fact,
some of the fittest models on
the planet credit the activity
with helping them stay
toned, strong and runway
ready.
Gisele Bündchen regu-
larly shares her boxing skills
on Instagram, while Gigi
Hadid is known to pull on
gloves at New York’s exclu-
sive Gotham Gym. Even
model and mother of two
Adriana Lima attributes
boxing to keeping her career
well and truly alive.SO WHY THE HYPE?
Well, boxing is all about
intensity. Boxing fitness
classes have you moving fast,
using a variety of muscles so
you’re working your whole
body and keeping your mind
active. Boxing movements
improve your coordination
and cardio fitness, but,
most importantly, they’re
a great stress reliever as well.And don’t worry about
broken noses and cauliflower
ears – you don’t have to
throw punches in the ring
to reap the benefits. Boxing
for fitness puts the focus on
the boxing moves instead.
You’ll still be wearing gloves,
but instead of using some-
one’s face as a target, you’ll
use punching bags and
training pads. This means
you get the fitness benefits
without the physical contact.punch!
PAC K A
READY TO
RUMBLE
With boxing classes
popping up across the
country faster than you
can swing a left hook, it’s
clear that boxing is taking
over the 2018 fitness scene.
Finding a class shouldn’t
be too hard as most gyms
are now ofering sessions;
however, if you’re new
to boxing, start with
a class that’s suitable for
beginners to help you
learn the right stance and
technique to avoid injuries.
Once you’ve got that
down, you can progress to
more challenging classes
and incorporate kicks
and even sparring
(if that’s your thing).BOXING WITH RESISTANCE
If a solo sweat session is more your style, you can
get fighting fit at home with a few simple moves.
As with any workout, start by warming up. Most
boxing routines start with skipping to loosen up
the whole body, but jumping jacks work just as
well if you don’t have a skipping rope.
Once you’ve warmed up, grab some gloves
and air-punch it out. If you haven’t got a pair
yet, use some light free weights or, for less im-
pact, try the latest boxing twist – a resistance
band.
“Boxing with resistance bands is the perfect
mix of cardio and low-impact strength training,
and the ultimate full-body workout,” says Renee
Scott, owner of Sydney’s Balance Moves. “The
resistance band works both ways so you can
work on your strength and control while sculpt-
ing long, lean muscles.”WELLNESS