43 Boxing
The Ring, Southwark
Enjoyment - 90%
Success - 50%
Will try again - Yes
First timer’s recommendation – If you can take being shouted at for an hour or so whilst putting yourself through the ringer, this is one of the most rewarding sports you can try.
After a couple of attempts at combat sports that weren’t that enjoyable, it was time to give boxing a try, in the hope that the higher emphasis on cardio would be more suited to me. The Ring boxing club is an institution in Southwark, and is located only a few hundred yards from its original location on Blackfriars Road. The setting under railway arches is perfectly suited to this raw and gritty sport, and the welcome I got when turning up was the most hospitable of the year so far. The club offer an introduction to boxing session, where you are assessed and you decide if you want to take part for fitness, to fight, or both. The session I did was the toughest of the year, with a decent warm-up and minimum rest between exercises, and it took me a few days to recover property.
Boxing is something I would definitely try again, and there are many clubs in London that cater for white collar boxing, putting you on training plans tailored to having you ready to fight after 6-10 weeks. The video below shows the Berserker Boxing Circuits class that you can turn up and take part in, and they have sessions before or after work and also at lunchtimes.
