Boxing

CLASS FEE: $15. AVERAGE BURN: 642 calories. COST PER CALORIE: 2¢. (Photograph by JJ Miller)

THE SALES PITCH

By George “Monk” Foreman III, Owner, The Club by George Foreman III

George Foreman is my father. I was eight years old when I first started helping him train. I’d count his rounds, stretch him out, even carry his ax when he’d chop wood. But I didn’t start boxing myself until I was 24. I was overweight—more than 280 pounds, basically a couple of weeks shy of 300—and I knew it was time to start doing what I had been learning about my whole life.

From the beginning, my dad wouldn’t let me touch weights. He’d tell me that boxing is about using the body all at once, building the muscles above the knees and below the shoulders with movements based on “real-life” activities. That’s what we call “functional training.” The old-school boxers were fine-tuned athletes thanks to functional training; even 100 years ago they knew that regular, everyday moves combined with core strength was the best way to get into shape. My dad and I would do things like chop wood and dig holes and complement that with jumping rope to build endurance. I still work out that way today, and so do the professional and recreational athletes I train.

So, yes, boxing is hitting a bag—and maybe eventually another person—but it’s way more than that. It’s about your overall health. At a boxing gym, you will improve your speed, timing, and ability to think under pressure. It’s real fighter training and conditioning, but also skills that are important even if you never want to step foot in a ring. In my opinion, you won’t find that with any other workout. For me, though, the best part about a boxing gym is that it’s a community. You need that third place in your life, in between your work and your home, where it’s all about making yourself better.

The Club by George Foreman III, everybodyfights.com.

Do You…Pound the Elliptical?

Boxing emphasizes real-life movements through functional training, which is a good way to counteract the stagnant elliptical.

Ultimate Accessory

Why? Because Foreman says they’re the best.

Ringside Heritage Pro Fight Gloves, $200, everybodyfights.com.

What You’ll Get

Concentration, waist, cardio, agility.

How You’ll Pay

Shoulders, head, wrists.

Check out more of our winter fitness package, “Stronger, Faster, Dirtier.”