There is a lot of fitness variety in Los Angeles, as folks enjoy getting outside and running the Culver City stairs, traversing the trails at Kenneth Hahn Park, or getting in some tennis at Rancho Cienega Sports Complex. But some people, like to get a little physical with their workouts.
For those who are looking to add a little adventure to their physical activities, boxing would be right up their alley. Boxers are incredibly strong, quick and they have great endurance so that they can dance around the ring while throwing and avoiding punches for 12 three-minute rounds. That all comes from their intense training, and one other benefit is that they have incredible, well-toned physiques.
The workout enthusiast who is looking to get into great shape can also benefit from the training that boxers subject themselves to, and they can do it without getting hit in the head…well, unless they really want to get hit in the head.
“Just like any other workout regimen, and with a sensible diet, with as much work as these fighters are putting in, you’re going to look at your body and say, ‘Wow, I look pretty good,’” said boxing trainer Roberto Luna, who has trained professionals, amateurs, and Olympians over the past 15 years.
Luna trains fighters out of The Rock Boxing Gym in Carson. He has been surrounded by some of the greatest fighters in the world, as former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield and former welterweight champion “Sugar” Shane Mosely have trained at the gym. ESPN’s The Contender was filmed at the gym, and it was also used by the U.S. Olympic boxing team as their main training site to prepare for the 2012 London Games.
“Sparring sessions are the toughest challenges for a boxer because they are extremely taxing on the body. Intense and exhausting,” Luna said. “When you have somebody in front of you that wants to hit you in the face, and they are coming at you hard for five to six rounds, it is very taxing.”
Luna points out that the average person, and even highly-trained athletes from other sports, would struggle to last for more than 30 seconds in the ring because the movements performed are so exhausting, which is why he recommends anybody that wants to really experience the workout that a boxer does to lace up the gloves and get into the ring.
“When you have somebody in front of you, it is a lot more tiring when you are trying to defend against the other person’s attack,” Luna said. “Whether your opponent is just tapping you or not, it’s mentally more taxing, so your body has a greater workout. The best workout for a boxer is being in the ring, having another fighter punch back at you. That right there puts more pressure on the body, and it burns off more calories. People can do a basic boxing workout, but there is nothing like getting in the ring.”
Luna understands that not everybody is built to take a punch, or wants to. He suggests that training partners can have an agreement to only hit in the shoulders and body. Also, wear bigger gloves than a boxer, which will have more padding to soften the blow. Wear head gear for added protection. That will allow a person to escape without a serious head injury, or having to wear sunglasses to work the following day.
“If somebody does get a black eye, I always look at it like a war wound. You can go talk to your friends about it,” Luna laughed.
Another great thing about boxing is that it is a great way to get the mind right after a tough day.
“I think that any form of exercise is a great stress reliever,” Luna said. “But boxing in particular, because you’re letting out your frustrations, if you had a bad day you can come and hit the bag and you’ll feel a lot better.”
Luna also advises that anybody that is looking to give recreational boxing a try should hire a trainer at their local boxing gym, because there is a lot of form in throwing a proper punch and hitting the punching bag. A person has to learn how to get into the proper stance, and how to protect themself.
Many people who have entered the ring with the goal of getting in shape have seen great progress.
“We’ve seen incredible results,” said Pastor Josh Canales of Mission Eben-Ezer Family Church, where The Rock is housed. “We believe that our gym is a place where people can develop holistically. That would be spiritually first, mentally, physically, socially, and emotionally. We see young people, including family members, parents even, begin to use the gym and commit to a healthy lifestyle.
“I’ve seen tremendous gains in terms of loss in body fat, increase in muscle, stamina for exercise. You may see them when they first come in, and then six months down the road they have completely transformed.”
For a change of pace in any workout program, or if a person is looking to overhaul their training regimen, boxing training can lead to a fit and healthy lifestyle.
