Starting your own aerobic boxing class
I started teaching aerobic boxing in 1988 at the local YMCA. Aerobic dancing was all the rage in those days and the instructors were, in most cases, ex-dancers. Being a physical education student with a master’s degree in exercise physiology, I always chuckled when someone told me I was an aerobics instructor. The definition of aerobic means the catabolism of energetic substrates with oxygen, so it could mean that that particular individual was a “walking” instructor. Fortunately for me, I had a background in boxing and taught physical education before becoming a firefighter and fitness instructor.
Since dancing was not my strong suit, I decided to incorporate boxing into a group class. Fabulous footwork and the strong upper body movement that develops from hitting combinations catapulted my 60 minute sweat box to the top of the charts. My class appeared on “The Today Show,” “Good Day NY,” and “Fox Five News.” Your class will always evolve to keep up with the competition, but I’m going to lay out the basics for a starter class, and if I can do this, anyone can.
Provide each class with a five-minute orientation to proper stance, footwork, and punching. Warm up your class with music of approximately 135-150 beats per minute. You don’t have to stick with a count of 8 because boxing is too fast, but it is wise to hit the beat or use double the time. Shake them loose and warm by moving, punching, and stretching your entire body. The key is to incorporate as many functional boxing moves as possible into your warm-up. The music you use for the body of the class should be fresh and upbeat at around 150-175 beats per minute. Start with footwork and lead by example. All rooms have mirrors so you can keep an eye on the participants. Move them in and out, laterally and as if surrounding an opponent. After five minutes (one song) start with basic beats. Have students throw punches from both sides to maintain muscle balance. Remember, most are there to exercise and not to become boxers. Glancing at my face may derail those who think of a fighting career, but I do teach defensive maneuvers (slip, zigzag, stop, and roll with a punch) to prevent someone from looking like me.
The beauty of this class is learning a skill that you will be able to use for the rest of your life (self defense) while receiving a world-class workout. All students’ hands are wrapped before class because everyone will have the opportunity to train with me while I operate the focus gloves. (Wearing gloves on my hands may hit my direction. I will put the class in a working mode, eg hook and crouch from left to right) while I personally train with a student. I keep changing the boxing modes until I have trained with all the students and we have covered at least six combinations. We have a speed session in which the whole class moves to one side of a room with their backs to the other wall. With their hands on the mirror, each member moves their legs furiously until I say run. We all turn and run the other way and pump our legs until my next command. This is great for anaerobic training.
From here, we’ll begin to cool down with more footwork, punching, and defense before finishing with floor work on the mat that includes push-ups, barbell work, and abdominal progressions, topped off with a five-minute stretch. If you don’t like this class, I’ll clean your house for a week. In twenty years I haven’t had to pick up a broom. I hope this gives you the inspiration to start your personal program. Lead by example and keep punching. Yours in health, “The Fighting Fireman.”