Tag Archives: Gleason’s Gym

New beginnings

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New beginnings.

Mondays afford the possibility of new beginnings.  A bit like a new year, Mondays begin the week and hence offer the chance to take a stab at starting over.   This mini-New Year also offers the start of new resolutions such as getting back to the gym, beginning a diet, or waking up an hour earlier to start that novel that keeps beckoning from the keyboard.

The point is that we have that opportunity to take a stab at new things all the time; whether an adventure in cuisine, creative endeavors, physical prowess, or something as simple as drinking one less cup of coffee.

And sure, Thursday can come when cake is the overriding motivation of the day, but you do have Monday or any other day you choose as your start day to look forward to.    That’s the day when you have the opportunity to move yourself along to where ever it is you want to go as a fresh beginning, whether its shadow boxing in the dark as your morning sun salutation or greeting your gym mates at the end of the day having missed their company for a while.

Learning the sweet science

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Learning the sweet science.

The first time I boxed was at a local gym in Brooklyn that offered a six-week “boxercise” class as an adjunct to the usual Yoga, Pilates and Aerobics classes.  The sports facility itself was pretty large, so an area was cordoned off towards the back of the basement floor for the new boxing program.  We had a couple of speed bags, heavy bags, and the smallest ring I’ve ever seen, though at the time it loomed very, very large.  There were about ten people in the class, most of whom had seemingly boxed before and after group calisthenics, we all struggled with wrapping our hands as the lone instructor did pad-work with each of us in turn in the ring.

Having never wrapped my hands before I was rather slow and had to put it charitably one of the more interesting concoctions.  By the time it was my turn to enter the ring, the instructor seemed pretty annoyed by the whole process — and of course since I hadn’t thrown a punch since I was 12, I was not exactly a boxing phenom.   That I went back at all was a testament to my true desire, and having suffered through all six weeks, my gumption remained as in tact as my lack of skills.

All of this is a long way of saying there are right and wrong ways to take up the sweet science, and for those who are interested in learning to box, it’s probably a good idea to shop around for a class.  If you’re in Brooklyn and want to box in a real boxer’s gym, I’m very partial to Gleason’s Gym down on Front Street in Dumbo.  The gym’s been there forever and is filled with a wonderful group of trainers including several fabulous women champions who will guide novices through experienced fighters in a regimen of training individually or in a group setting.  The gym has frequent outreach events, and is very welcoming to new comers — at least that’s how I felt when I walked in with my one truly awful boxing class under my belt back in 1996.

That’s not to say that Gleason’s is the only boxing gym in New York City.  There are several great ones including Manhattan’s Church Street Gym, Mendez Boxing, Kingsway Boxing and the Trinity Boxing Club.  There are all Women’s programs in many of the gyms as well.  One can find terrific training for kids too — my daughter has boxed on and off since she was about seven.  It’s not her main martial sport, but she’s gotten a lot out of it, not to mention the fun of having a bunch of boxers for babysitters as I trained.

The main thing is not to feel intimidated — my trainer, Lennox Blackmore is fond of saying that he just wants to “get me where I want to go.”  For any aspiring boxers out there that can mean a chance to tone-up or go all the way to the Golden Gloves, Master’s tournaments or even the Olympics!  As for boxing gear, there is always plenty around for as long as you need it.  So come on down and enjoy.

[See Blogroll for links to Boxing Gyms mentioned above]

 

No time like now

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No time like now

My emotions are on a hair-trigger these days – sure symptoms of an erratic gym life and I am determined to get in some time today.  When I’m off kilter like that it’s a fine balance between doing too much and killing the muscles, and doing too little which will mean I won’t satisfy the gym itch and more grumpiness on my part.

My plan for the day is to run some, stretch, shadow box, and then do a few rounds each of the heavy bag, double-ended bag, and speed bag, with a fine finish of some abs.  Hmmm.  Nice plan.

As for its execution, there is no time like now.

 

Post Script:  Gleason’s was great!  Not quite to plan, but good enough.

The power of art

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The power of art

My daughter started studying her martial art a few weeks before her 6th birthday.  As a young one on the mat she was an absolute mighty-mite executing perfect forward and backwards rolls that were the envy of the Dojo.  Now entering her 6th year as she turns 11, she has become a mature Aikidoist with a love and appreciation for the art and physical prowess of the sport — and for the confidence, mental discipline and sense of accomplishment it has given her.

As a discipline for young women, Aikido provides a clever alternative for girls to learn an art where size and weight are less an issue that one’s ability to execute well-timed defensive moves that takes advantage of an opponent’s forward momentum to land them on the floor in awkward positions (and the chance to run away from trouble once they’re down on the ground!).  Aikido also offers training in weapons to include the “Jo” (long-stick) and the “Bokken” (modeled after a Japanese sword).  With such moves Aikidoists become skilled in the defensive possibilities of such weapons and of the adaptive possibilities of broom handles and mega-umbrellas.

Whether it’s boxing, aikido, karate, Tai-Chi or any of the other martial arts, a brief course of study for a young women can offer a taste of the possibilities for personal defense and their own physical power.  I know that in my daughter’s case, it has given her a confidence in her physical capabilities that has translated itself into the schoolyard where she can hold her own with the best of them physically and mentally.  That’s not to say that she’s ever been in a physical fight, but the mental toughness of her martial art has given her the confidence to walk away from confrontations and the sense of self necessary to keep the mental taunts of the bullies out of her head which can be just as devastating if not more so.

I’ve also watched as other girls and boys for that matter in her Aikido classes and at places like Gleason’s Gym have transformed into clear thinking young people who are cognoscente of their abilities and mindful of the responsibilities of the unique skills they’ve garnered through the disciplined study of a martial art.  Sure, it’s not for everyone, but offering the opportunity to young girls in particular means raising a generation of women who will grow-up understanding the possibilities of their own physical prowess.