Boxing my way out
As someone who has found management of negative emotions difficult to handle, I can confidently claim I wouldn’t be who I am today without boxing. You might be thinking, just how big of an impact can a simple sport have on an individual? Well, let me tell you.
But first, a little about the sport itself.
Boxing is the art of hitting, without getting hit. It requires high levels of speed, power, endurance, commitment and most of all, resilience. You must master the ability to move multidirectional, while maintaining effective defence and attack simultaneously.
Boxing effectively takes years to develop. This leads me to explain how boxing has improved my wellbeing. My weekly boxing sessions which I started at the age of 14, provide me with something meaningful, something to look forward to, and it’s about spending quality time to improve my wellbeing and mental state. It provides a sense of purpose and focus, that I lacked before I started boxing. A 90-minute session does wonders for my confidence and allows a much-needed break from a screen (although I do enjoy still enjoy the odd TDM match).
Secondly, the physical changes I noticed after just 3 weeks of consistent training was a huge confidence boost. Want toned abs and boulder shoulders? Start boxing, stick to it and they’re yours! You’ll notice your body become quickly plated in firm muscle which sends your happiness levels through the roof. Who would turn down such an offer?
One more benefit, and the biggie for me: Heightened emotional control. When you’re in the ring, inevitably at some point you will get hit. What is also inevitable is the pain that accompanies the punch(es). When you’re being outboxed, it’s not uncommon to sense feelings of intense frustration. Now, if you lose yourself to these feelings, you’ll get hit…repeatedly.
The key is to control the frustration and not let it consume you. This ability to see through the ‘red mist’ is applicable to everyday life. It grants you superior emotional control in conflict situations and this is something I really aspire to nurture further as it will only continue to serve me well in to adult life. Emotional control has always been difficult for me, and I know many young men my age struggle similarly. Boxing teaches a very valuable life skill, that of emotional regulation.
Not included within this blog are many other benefits of boxing, but I have only detailed the ones that I found most important. I hope my words inspire others to take up boxing, as I know from personal experience that it can fill a massive hole at a challenging point in the lives of many young men. Now 18, I can honestly say that boxing for the last 4 years has been a game-changer for me.
So take a peek at your local boxing gym and give it a go. Let me know how you get on @seamsand
Adam Vorajee
Co-founder, Seams&…