Avenue Calgary — January 2018

AvenueCalgary.com 31

BOX YOUR WAY

TO STRENGTH

L

et’s get something straight right off

the bat: no one is suggesting you step

in the ring and get the stuffing beat

out of you in the name of getting fit.

Rather, what we’re talking about is

instructor-led classes that use basic boxing

manoeuvres (jabbing, ducking, uppercuts,

fancy footwork and the like) in a high-octane

workout of calisthenics, push-ups and planks.

If you want to hit people, ask the guy in your

office with two black eyes about where to go

for that club that you’re not supposed to talk

about. But if you want to get lean and ripped

and develop the reflexes of a panther, then

boxing fitness is right up your alley.

At Undrcard, a boxing studio that opened

its doors in December 2016 (on Boxing Day,

naturally), the standard class experience takes

place in a room full of heavy bags suspended

from the ceiling — participants sign up for

a bag and use it for the duration of the class.

Real leather boxing gloves are necessary and

on hand to use free of charge, though partici-

pants must purchase their own hand wraps

to wear underneath the gloves. Newbies need

to arrive early enough to learn how to wrap.

Once you’re wrapped and gloved and

bagged, that’s when the good stuff starts.

The DJ pedigree of Undrcard co-owner

Joanna Majcherkiewicz (a.k.a. Joanna “Ma-

jik”) is evident in the dimly lit, night-clubby

vibe and booming PK Sound system in the

workout space. As for the boxing, you can go

through the motions, or you can wail on that

bag with all you’ve got, which adds a stress-

busting element to the whole endeavour, not

to mention a serious endorphin high when

it’s all over and done. No worries if you’ve got

noodle arms and look like you couldn’t beat

an egg; the disco lights and throbbing beats

make everyone feel like a contender. —S.A.

“Work with someone instead

of wandering from store to

store and getting frustrated,”

she says.

Another of Pirri’s tips is

to have a flexible approach to

sizing. “We don’t all fit into one

box. So when you’re shopping,

please don’t have a size in mind,

because you could have the most

amazing shopping experience

if you’re not married to a num-

ber,” she says.

Although online shopping is

becoming increasingly popular,

Kara Chomistek, personal

shopper at Bankers Hall and

the president of PARK (an

organization that promotes and

celebrates local designers and

retailers), agrees that actually

visiting the stores and interact-

ing with style experts in person

can really improve your look.

Many local boutiques have their

own personal stylists in-store to

help shoppers choose what will

look best for their coloration,

body type and confidence level

Chomistek says.

Both Southcentre and Bank-

ers Hall have done free events

where anyone can come and

hear from experts about every-

thing from new collections to

how to pull off the latest trend.

Chomistek says locally,

fashion is edging toward taking

more risks, and recommends

pushing beyond your comfort

zone. Mixing unorthodox

textures and prints is trending

this winter and people often

find perfect pieces by “taking

the plunge.”

“It’s definitely an era of con-

fident dressing,” she says. —J. F.

3 BOXING

FITNESS

STUDIOS

TO TRY

RUMBLE

720 17 Ave. S.W.,

587-352-7625,

rumbleboxing.com,

@rumbleboxing

THE SWEAT

SCIENCE

1406 9 Ave. S.E.,

403-998-6129,

thesweatscience.com,

@thesweatscience

UNDRCARD

BOXING STUDIO

349 10 Ave. S.W.,

587-356-3779,

undercard.com,

@undrcard

FINDING GREAT

CLOTHES

T

he quest to perfect

your wardrobe starts

with understanding

which stores carry

clothes that will fit

your body best, says B.R. Pirri,

a fashion stylist with the Style

Concierge program at South-

centre and campus manager at

The Fashion Institute by Olds

College. She recommends us-

ing a stylist service like hers to

help navigate the overwhelm-

ing number of stores out there.