Dallas Moms Blog has partnered with Cooper Fitness Center to bring you this guest post. All opinions are our own.
Though not a new sport, boxing is in the spotlight as one of the top fitness trends for 2017. The sport is making its way back into mainstream fitness routines across the country, transcending the idea of the traditional boxer in the ring. With a variety of options like heavy bag training, shadow boxing, cardio boxing and kickboxing, there is a type of non-contact boxing training that can work for every member of the family. What was once thought of as a sport only for male athletes, is now making its way to both moms and kids alike.
Mom can float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
Boxing is no longer just for men – it is the perfect workout routine for moms after a stressful day at work or after sitting in traffic with the kiddos.
Thanks in large part to mainstream media showcasing female athletes and notable celebrities training with boxing routines, women are finding that boxing is a fun, fast-paced and extremely effective way to get their hearts pumping. For moms short on time, various forms of cardio-based boxing with a boxing trainer/coach can provide positive benefits (minus the bruising).
• Total Body Workout: Boxing provides a one-two punch as an excellent cardio and metabolic workout while also building the strength of your arms, legs, back and core. Boxing training is typically designed as high intensity interval training, meaning that you have maximum effort followed by active recovery which builds strength, speed, and power. BONUS: it is hard to find cardio sessions that focus on your upper body, but this powerful cross-training activity will really get your heart pumping.
• Stress Reliever: After a tough day in the office or a challenging day with the kids, hitting the heavy bag in a boxing session can be the perfect outlet for reducing stress. The endorphins released during your workout are bound to put mom in a better mood by the end of the workout, a win for the whole family.
• Self Defense: Any mom should know how to defend herself and her family. Hopefully you will never have to use the self defense skills, but it’s important for safety and security.
• New Challenges mean constant results: Every session is different and that means it is constantly going to challenge you and your muscles. It is easy to fall into the same old routine and feel a plateau with your fitness results, but boxing will help your body continuously change and keep your spirits high as you see positive results.
Million Dollar Baby
Boxing has been a sport that many young boys enjoy watching but parents shied away from allowing their child to participate in for fear it would increase their propensity for fighting. However, with non-contact versions of this sport, combined with the rise of reported bullying and dangers, parents are looking to the sport for far more than entertainment for their sons and daughters.
While your child will learn how to throw several types of punches like the jab, hook and uppercut, they should also learn from their coach the appropriate times to use them. Finding the ideal coach is key when introducing your child to any sport or exercise regimen.
• Exercise: Before ever putting on a pair of gloves this sport can give kids a great workout through jumping rope, jogging, agility training and shadow boxing. With so many components, it doesn’t run the risk of losing your child’s attention. Sessions are action-packed!
• Self Defense: Learning to defend themselves is one reason boxing is on the rise for youth. A good boxing coach will teach kids that they should only use what they are learning when necessary and explain those possible circumstances to a child. Remember there are many boxing options that do not include sparring or contact.
• Confidence: Participating in an individual activity that doesn’t rely on a team is one of the best ways for children to develop self-esteem. Their success is tied to solely to themselves and their individual efforts.
• Focus and Discipline: Boxing for sport or exercise requires extreme focus in order to stay safe, thus stressing discipline. This can translate to better attention and focus when it comes to schoolwork.
Even Grandma and Grandpa can join you!
Not only is boxing good for youth and parents, non-contact boxing is also great for those with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Boxing helps improve balance, agility, strength and hand-eye coordination, all of which can be affected by PD. Through mitt work where a client punches a moving target, clients with PD work on tracking skills and eye-hand coordination – all while having fun!
So if these reasons make you want to jump in the ring, learn more about Cooper Fitness Center’s Boxing Professional, Derrick James. Not only does Derrick train three world class boxers, he also trains every member of the family through cardio-based non-contact boxing sessions.
Options to train with Derrick include:
- Private Lessons
- Parent-Child Lessons
- Small Groups – great moms’ night out idea!
- Parkinson’s patients
Learn more about sport-specific programming and other youth programs at cooperyouth.com/Dallas.
Find Cooper Fitness Center on Facebook & find Cooper Aerobics on Facebook & Twitter.
Want to Win a FREE Cardio-Boxing Session with Derrick James?
Cooper Fitness Center is giving away a 30-minute Cardio-Boxing Session with Derrick James at Cooper Fitness Center to two readers! Simply enter the giveaway below and we’ll select two winners on March 17, 2017. Good Luck!
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Meredith Rosson is the Assistant General Manager of Cooper Fitness Center. Meredith studied Exercise Physiology at University of Texas at Austin and has played an integral role in developing the Cooper Youth Programs since 2006.
Derrick James is the Boxing Pro at Cooper Fitness Center with more than 35 years of boxing experience, including 10 years coaching. He teaches boxing fundamentals, fitness conditioning and self defense techniques, including private, semi-private and group sessions for adults and youth.
Cooper Fitness Center has offered youth programs for more than 25 years and provides a variety of year-round programs including basketball, swimming, tennis, boxing, martial arts, soccer and other seasonal programming. Download the full Youth Programs Guide and register online at cooperyouth.com/Dallas.
