Many women want to learn to box, but feel intimidated and don’t know where to start. But Boxing Boot Camp, a new fitness video by Empower Fitness, will have us throwing left jabs and right hooks in no time.
Striking beauties
Created in collaboration with Striking Beauties, the nation’s first 24-hour boxing gym designed exclusively for women, Boxing Boot Camp is a maximized interval training workout that includes a cardio-revving jump-rope warmup and 12 rounds of boxing.
Boxing Boot Camp comes with a 6-pound medicine ball, speed rope, two weighted gloves ergonomically designed for women, a DVD with a 28-minute workout , a bonus abs workout and a complete instructional section that teaches you how to harness the power of your own body through punches and combinations.
SheKnows got a personal preview of the intense workout with USA boxing coach Jaime “The Hurricane” Clampitt, a four-time world champion boxer who co-created and appears in the Boxing Boot Camp video. In 2009, Clampitt met Striking Beauties owner Dena Paolino, and the women partnered to create an authentic boxing program for women at all fitness levels. Clampitt also created an amateur boxing program at Striking Beauties, located outside of Boston, that has already produced several national champions. We asked Clampitt, who's so fit she performed the boxing demo while pregnant with her second child, for a few boxing tips for beginners.
SheKnows: How can women get over feeling intimidated, and what's the best way for a woman who has never boxed before to get started?
Jaime Clampitt: I feel this [Boxing Boot Camp] video will provide women with a great way to get started in the sport of boxing. The video is not only an amazing workout, but it also focuses on proper technique. Having the technique and the conditioning from the video will give women the confidence to go to a boxing gym if that’s something they would like to try.
SheKnows: How often should you use the Empower Boxing Boot Camp video or take a boxing class in order to see toning and weight loss results?
Jaime Clampitt: For most women, I would have them start with two to three times a week. I think that this is a great way to begin your training regimen so you allow your body to rest between sessions, but it will still give you weight loss and toning results. As they get stronger I would have them increase their workouts up to six days a week. The great thing about boxing is that the same workout can always get harder. As your technique gets better and your stamina builds, you can move faster, punch faster and punch harder. In the video we box two-minute rounds with 30-second and one-minute intervals so you can increase your punch output as you build your stamina.
SheKnows: What is the biggest benefit of boxing as a form of exercise for women?
Jaime Clampitt: Boxing is one of the best all-around workouts. This is a huge benefit because you work every muscle in your body, and boxing also provides an aerobic and anaerobic workout. I think it’s a great way for busy women to condition their whole body in one workout.
SheKnows: What is the most common feedback you hear from women who come to Striking Beauties?
Jaime Clampitt: The most common feedback is that they really feel empowered. Our members leave the gym with a sense of accomplishment after each challenging class. It’s amazing as a trainer to not only see their bodies change, but to see their confidence build.
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