From Rookie to Rocky
Okay, so we all get angry right? In reality, things don’t always go our way. Work pressures, finances, relationships, even down to the dog chewing up your favourite pair of shoes. It can be something small or something huge but whatever it is that makes us tick, that rage needs to be released somehow. A build-up of stress isn’t good for anyone, mentally or physically.
Let’s get personal. Have you ever got so angry that you tried to beat up your pillow? Kicked the corner of the bed and regretted it instantly? It’s okay. No judgment here, same. This is where boxing came in and changed my life. Summer of 2020, what with the covid crisis, a breakup and gaining weight rapidly I felt hopeless. Thankfully a friend saw this emerging and told me to buck my ideas up and give boxing a try. Tough love, eh? At first thought, the doubt kicked in. ‘Isn’t this a guys sport’ ‘I’m not going to be any good’ ‘It might make me angrier’ but she pleaded with me so I gave in and went for a session. Boy, oh boy am I thankful to have gone.
To begin with I felt like my heart was about to jump out of my chest, the sickness from the lactic acid build up was awful. My body ached for three days straight and even reaching for the shampoo bottle became a struggle, let alone the task of washing my hair. Yet, the endorphin rush became addictive. After a few weeks I noticed steady progress, however my stamina was slacking. My coach insisted I needed to make some dietary changes and with the help of my employee perks at Prep Kitchen I jumped on a meal plan. The increase in protein (40-50g per meal!!) and micronutrients from all the vegetables was a game changer. Before I knew it, I was reaching thirteen, two-minute rounds, with a one-minute break between and to top it off I was a stone lighter.
Boxing has empowered me, I feel happier, healthier and it has boosted my confidence like no other endeavour I have ever taken up in my life. It may not seem like the right choice for a women in such a male dominated sport but trust me, take the dive. You’ll thank me! The anxieties of the past couple of years seem to disappear for me with every punch I throw and it’s amazing what 30-45 minutes of concentrated hard work can do for you.
For anyone looking to get into the sport here’s a few tips to help you be your best:
1/ Do a little research and find a good boxing coach. They will make you feel welcome in the ring and push your limits so you become the best you can be.
2/ Optimize your pre workout meal. I liked to have a portion of PK’s go go oats and a banana, the combination of quick and slow release carbs with a a good amount of protein and a hit of caffeine really got me fired up and helped maintain my energy levels through the workout.
3/ I would recommend magnesium dense meal’s post workout, it really helped calm my cortisol levels and relax me after the shock my muscles had endured from the HIIT workout.
4/ Make sure you’re getting adequate protein into your body on both training days and rest days. As soon as I took mine up to 150g+ per day I noticed a huge difference in my recovery and core strength. The balanced fat loss meals from work were great as they have 40-50g of protein per dish!
5/ Unleash the fury, save up any bad energy from your day or week and let it all out in those 45 minutes. Take any negativity and channel it into your workout, trust me, there’s no better therapy!
Enjoy,
Sophia
PK Customer Service
