How’s your boxing game?
Whether you glove up and box weekly to stay in shape, or find that your only interaction with boxing is that you’ve watched Rocky Balboa run up the 72 stone steps before the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Arts, in that famous clip , there is a new class that was built by Equinox with you in mind.
The Cut, created by Christa DiPaolo launched this week in Equinox fitness clubs. It’s a rhythmic boxing workout that tones and strengthens your upper body and core while giving you a cardio workout that incorporates basic self defense skills—think dance dance revolution, upper cut style!
Boxing techniques are central to this workout. But there are no gloves, no straps and no fancy shoes required. All you need is a keen interest in boxing and discipline, the rest is taken care of by the instructors who will run you through five cutely named rounds of conditioning and strength training; Round One, The Main Entrance, Round Two, The Basics, Round Three, Mastery, Round four, Knockout and Round Five, The Final Bell.
“It’s a combination of boxing, kickboxing, and conditioning elements but it’s tempo based,” says DiPaolo. “That’s where my dance background comes in. The common denominator with people and working out is music. I’ve heard people say ‘oh my god, if I don’t have rhythm, I’m not going to be able to do it.’ But you’re still jabbing, you’re still hooking, you’re still doing the burpies and the push-ups. So it doesn’t matter if you punch to the beat. But it is really freaking fun.”
If you’ve done burpies and push ups together you’ll know that it’s fun, but don’t confuse that with this being an ‘easy’ class. It’s far from it. “We wanted to make it doable for beginners,” says DiPaolo. “But it’s still challenging for seasoned athletes. We hit that sweet spot.”
Similarly, the fact that there are no gloves does not mean it’s for beginners only. “We wanted to create a main studio format that was minimal with equipment, but with real boxers shadow boxing,” says DiPaolo. “So it’s a great way to work on your form and technique without actually having that contact. And it’s still cathartic, you’re still punching and kicking.”
It’s encouraged to do this class as many times as you like as long as you don’t “over train,” says DiPaolo. “I always say switch it up, so go to your spin class, come to this class. Do different things you like that keep you interested.”
Then be ready for the results. “You’re using the entire kinetic chain from your legs all the way up,” says Dipaolo. “Your arms are going to get cut and you’ll get into fighting shape. With boxing its very core-centric, so you’re working everything.”
