Week #3
Chosen Article: “Boxing boosts fitness and confidence. Read this primer before you lace on some gloves.” by pam Moore.
In this article, Pam Moore, a freelance health & fitness writer and speaker from Boulder, Colorado, provides some insights and advice to readers about boxing gyms from various experts. From the importance of safety, choosing proper gears, as well as workout expectations. Although this article did not go in-depth about the relation between fitness and cognition, it did discuss, however, the impact of boxing on wellbeing, which goes beyond losing weight. Due to the combination of physical strength, speed, concentration, and agility this sport requires, it increases cognition demand. Boxing boosts fitness, and as a result of the nature of boxing, it positively impacts cognition and emotions, which goes from relieving stress and aggression to creating a sense of community, assurance, and confidence.
I have always been drawn to boxing but I did not get into it sooner for two reasons. The first reason is that it is seen as a “boys/men sport”, the second reason was the lack of resources. In my community, workouts, and sports that require a lot of physical and muscular demands are for men only. Therefore, there are no coaches or women facilities equipped for boxing. I first got into boxing in 2017, among many other activities, for the sole purpose of increasing dopamine and releasing the pressure and stress I used to feel at the time. From my experience, I found that activities requiring the most physical demand and strength are the ones that have the most positive effect on our mental and emotional health as well.
When people think of the word “boxing”, probably fighting is the first thing that comes to mind, or maybe Dwayne Johnson! From my perspective, boxing is a great full-body workout that is both a cardio and a strengthening workout. The article was very short and mainly focused on the advice start than the cognitive benefits. I was still surprised, however, by those benefits especially how it increases confidence in different situations as she reported of a client who books one-on-one boxing sessions with his coach right before important meetings. I found that extremely odd due to the exhausting nature of boxing. I tried to justify that feeling and I concluded that working out and fitness in general, and boxing in particular, push us beyond our physical limits to some extent, which creates this sense of confidence in our ability and strength to tackle anything or whatever situation that life might throw at us.
