With boxing back in the pop culture conscious, courtesy of the cheering-in-your-seat Oscar winner “The Fighter” and taut FX drama “Lights Out,” even cubicle warriors are getting motivated to hit their fighting weight, incorporating elements of the sport into their regular workout.
“People see a popular movie based on boxing and they think, ‘You know what? I’m gonna give it a try,’” says New York Sports Club’s Jenaro Diaz, a former fighter who has integrated techniques from the ring into his training methods at the gym for the last 15 years. “I’m seeing a lot more new faces [signing up],” he adds.
Boxing classes for regular folks, like the ones Diaz holds, may be non-contact, but that doesn’t mean they won’t kick your butt. Participants do get to don gloves and throw their best one-two combination, but there’s also plenty of cardio (including sprints) and strength training (like battling ropes) to tone any Micky Ward wannabes.
“A lot of the class does come from a traditional boxing workout, but a lot of it is also functional training,” says Diaz. “That way it doesn’t matter what level of fitness you’re at; everybody can adapt the exercises to their own level so everybody can reap benefits.”
