Boxing at the PCYC

For some strange reason I decided to take up boxing. I did go to a boxercise type class at my local gymn last year and wanted to go back but never quite got up in time for the 6.15 am start on a Wednesday morning.

So, when a swimming friend told me the PCYC had great boxing trainers I decided to check it out. Last Friday night it was bucketing down and I nearly didn't go, but somehow I gave myself that little push and glad I did. I arrived soaked and a little nervous.

This place is so friendly and the exercise really good. Very soon I was sweating and enjoying sparring with experienced boxers. Even the really skilled are very happy to show you what to do and don't seem to mind at all that a beginner may not give them the workout they want.

Then the teacher, Arnel looked at me quizzically asking: how did you find this class? I wasn't sure why he was so puzzled, but when I looked around I saw only a couple of girls in the sea of men and these were younger women. Maybe I didn't look athletic or something.

Anyway, Arnel was very encouraging. He said they didn't do just punching, but also defence and you get very fit. I told him that's why I was there - to get very fit.

AND I love the authentic atmosphere: posters of Mohamed Ali and Ivanda Holyfield, a real ring, lots of punching bags and a whole room for skipping etc. You should see the skipping! It takes a lot of skill and is very aerobic.

A few years ago at the Sydney Film Festival I saw a documentary on Lucia Rijker. She is a dutch boxer who now lives in California. What a fantastic athlete. She is described as the most dangerous woman in the world pound for pound. A boxing trainer interviewed in that film was asked why would a woman do boxing? He said something that has stayed with me: in our society there are no real channels for women to express that sort of aggression and power. Boxing offers that.