Attending your first boxing class will require you to invest most of your mental capacity and willpower. That’s because you don’t know what to expect; what should you wear? What will you do? And what can you do to learn and progress faster?
This article will briefly cover everything you need to know about your first boxing class. That includes what you’ll need to wear, what you’ll do, and how you can learn faster.
There’s plenty of room for you to impact how your training will look. Reading this guide will be critical for your short and long-term progression.
The last thing you want to do is wear unsuitable clothing to your boxing session. If you do, you’ll be uncomfortable and, thus, not enjoy training as much as you could have if you wore proper clothes.
Before we dive in, however, you’ll also enjoy reading about the complete beginner’s guide to boxing If you’re interested in this article. I’ll go over all the basics you should know before attending your first boxing class.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in.
What to expect in your first boxing class
While I can’t know what your specific boxing gym will make you go through in your first boxing class, I can assume what you’ll go through and how you’ll feel afterward. That should be enough for you to feel more comfortable before the session.
Expect an intense full-body workout from your first boxing class. Likewise, expect to learn the basic stance and punches. These include the jab, cross, hook, and uppercut. Moreover, you can expect to go over basic footwork movements, such as the step + punch and sometimes even the pivot.
Here’s what you should expect to do in your first boxing class: (in order)
- Warm-up (10-15 minutes)
- Learn the basic fighting stance
- Work on your jab
- Learn how to perform the cross
- Work on your footwork
- Learn the hook
- Practice your uppercut
- Sweat a lot
- Avoid hits
- Block punches
Although knowing that you’re about to go through an intense full-body workout isn’t comforting, it can be what you need to know to have the courage and the willpower to attend the class.
I know how difficult it is to step from your comfort zone and dive into deep waters. I know because I’ve been there multiple times in my life.
However, the scariest things always reap the most rewards, and it never seems to disappoint. For instance, I can’t imagine my life without this website. But starting it—was the most challenging thing I went through, more than starting my boxing journey or even asking a pretty girl to go out.
So, the next time you face a challenge or discomfort, don’t run away. Instead, acknowledge it and smile because you know this will give beneficial results.
Concluding, you can expect to learn how to punch, how to stand, and how to move in your first boxing class. In addition, you’ll learn how to perform the jab, uppercut, hook, and cross. Also, be ready to be sore the day after, as it’s an intense full-body workout!
Everything you’ll do in your first boxing session
I just finished writing a complete beginner’s guide on how to box, and I’ve divided it into parts. The 4 first parts go over the basics of the basics of boxing. That’s also what you’ll learn in your first session. So let’s see what these 4 parts are.
You’ll learn to punch, stand, move, avoid, and block hits in your first boxing class. You’ll start slowly at first and amp up the pace with time. First, you’ll warm up. Then, you’ll learn how to stand correctly. Following that, you’ll learn how to throw solid punches, such as the jab, work on your footwork, and avoid hits.
Here’s how you get into a boxing fighting stance correctly:
To start, stand up. Then, stand with both your fists in front of your face. Your weak hand should be slightly more forward than your dominant one. Likewise, your weak foot should be further away from your body.
Your knees should be tucked in, and your feet in about shoulder distance. Play around with your feet to see what’s most comfortable for you. Your dominant feet also need to have a slight angle.
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Once your fighting stance is solid, your punches are fierce, and your movement is quick—you can call yourself a boxer. You’ll learn how you can do all that in your first boxing class.
Of course, most people won’t become boxers post their first session. Instead, they’ll learn the basics but won’t be proficient. However, you’ll begin to hone your basic techniques in the upcoming boxing classes.
For your information, some boxing gyms even incorporate strength exercises, such as push-ups, pull-ups, and weight lifting. However, you’ll unlikely perform them in your first boxing class.
What to wear to your first boxing session
Wearing proper clothes—is critical to maximizing your enjoyment of boxing. Some people don’t know there’s a difference between what you wear to Muay Thai, Jiu-Jitsu, MMA, and boxing. But there is.
You should wear athletic clothing to boxing, including sports or boxing shoes (if you own a pair), shorts or other types of sweatpants, and a comfortable and flexible shirt you can sweat in. These will provide you with the best boxing experience.
The primary guideline is to be as comfortable and flexible as possible in your boxing class. For example, you won’t enjoy the training experience as much if you wear uncomfortable clothes, such as a tight, unbreathable shirt.
Likewise, avoid wearing anything that won’t be comfortable once you begin to sweat. And trust me, you will sweat a lot.
You can expect to enjoy training and be eager to attend the following boxing class if you’re comfortable while training. If you’re not, however, you’ll regret the moment you have decided to learn boxing.
The last topic I’d like to discuss is boxing shoes. While you don’t have to buy them when you’re still inexperienced, they can be a suitable purchase later in your journey, as they’ll help you stay more stable inside the ring. Here are the best boxing shoes you should buy; follow the link to see the list.
Tips for your first boxing session
Knowing how to learn to box faster—might be what you need right now. This information is obtainable through years of experience.
But you can save yourself from the agony of constantly trying out new things. Of course, I’m not suggesting you stop altogether. However, you can implement the tips I’ll list in the upcoming section to boost your progression rate and save precious time.
These tips will also help you remain consistent and dedicated to your training. You’ll notice many benefits flowing your way if you stay consistent in your boxing journey.
So, let’s dive into the first tip.
Tip #1 – Find your purpose
The first tip is finding your purpose.
Well, it was easier to write than to explain. So now, let’s see how you can do that.
Think about what you want to achieve from learning to box. Imagine yourself a year from now, and you stayed consistent with your training. What changes do you expect to happen in your life? Are you a different person? If so, how? Are you more confident? Have higher self-esteem? Do you know how to fight?
Choose a single goal you want to achieve the most. For me, it was learning to fight properly.
I wanted to know how to use my fists as a weapon. So, I would remind myself of this goal before every boxing session. And, let me tell you something, it made going out to training much easier than what I hear many boxers experience.
Tip #2 – Be coachable
Being coachable takes courage. It means putting your ego aside and hearing what someone more experienced than you has to say. If you can do that, you’ll learn much faster than your partners.
Do you think you can change your mindset to one of a lifelong student?
I’ve been lifting weights for 7 years now. I still try to learn new things and read studies every single week. That keeps me up to date with the latest findings while expanding my already established knowledge in this area.
I progress faster than my peers because I’m always on the prey of new information. You’ll progress faster if you’ll be coachable, too.
Tip #3 – Focus on what you love
Boxing will get tedious after a while. You won’t enjoy the 3rd or 4th class as much as the 102nd. That’s why you must focus more on what you love when you’re feeling demotivated.
And trust me, times when you’ll feel demotivated will inevitably come. The best thing you can do to prepare for these times is to find your passion, what you love, from boxing.
Tip #4 – Work on your weaknesses
As much as I appreciate focusing on what you love to motivate yourself to stay consistent with your boxing routine, the other side also applies.
Working on your weaknesses is as important as strengthening what you’re already good at.
Your left hook, for example, might lack in technique. You can choose two options: the first is to ignore the weak point and focus on your right hook.
However, the better choice is to focus on your left hook’s technique. You’ll notice how your desire to work on your weaknesses lights up once your left hook betters.
Tip #5 – Form friendships with your training partners
Social connections are critical. A good relationship with your boxing partner will help you be more eager to train and learn more.
As a result, forming friendships with the people in your boxing gym—should be your priority.
This will also help you learn and progress faster because you’ll have more people to learn from. You’ll also feel more comfortable asking questions and giving answers; as such, you’ll have more knowledge available to pick up and share.
Follow the link if you want to read more tips on how to progress faster in your boxing journey.
How long will it take to see results in boxing
Seeing results in boxing is something you can expect to happen inevitably. Unfortunately, many boxers seem to quit before reaching their first batch of benefits. If you think you might be one of them, this section is for you. Let’s see how long it’ll take until the first batch of results comes.
While learning the basics of boxing can take as little as 4 classes, noticing results and experiencing the mental and physical benefits—might take more than a month. For instance, some people won’t notice they have lost body fat until 8 weeks have passed. However, some people might see results after a single class.
How you measure the results themselves—is key to answering this question. If you’re already in shape and want to lose body fat, you’ll notice results later than the overweight person who just started working out.
But you can expect to experience a change in yourself, whether mentally or physically, after 4-5 classes. This is even more accurate if you box more than once a week.
Follow the link if you want to learn how long it’ll take to get in proper shape from boxing.
Final words
Attending your first boxing class can be an intimidating thing. However, knowing what you’ll learn, do, and what you’ll need to wear—can make the experience more accessible than it currently is.
I know how diving into deep waters feels. It can feel scarier than it is. Our minds seem to imagine the worst-case scenario. However, that’s often not the case.
The difficult things in life are usually the most worthwhile ones. If you’re interested in seeing more results in your life, be sure to stay consistent with your boxing training.
You’ll also enjoy reading about the best gifts for boxers. If you are interested in this article, follow the link to see the complete list.