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, former dancers. Being a physical education student with a master’s degree in exercise physiology, I always chuckled when someone told me they were an aerobics instructor. The definition of aerobics means the catabolism of energy substrates with oxygen, so it could mean 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 forte, I decided to incorporate boxing into a group class. The fabulous footwork and strong upper-body movement that develops when hitting combinations catapulted my 60-minute sweat box to the top of the charts. My class was featured 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 beginner class, and if I can do this, anyone can.

Give each class a five-minute orientation on proper stance, footwork, and striking. Train your class with music around 135 to 150 beats per minute. You don’t have to stick to an 8 count because boxing is too fast, but it’s wise to hit the beat or use double time. Shake them to loosen up and warm up by moving, throwing punches and stretching your whole 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 lively, with a frequency between 150 and 175 beats per minute. Start with footwork and lead by example. All rooms have full mirrors so you can keep an eye on the participants. Move them in and out, sideways and as if surrounding an opponent. After five minutes (one song) start with basic beats. Have students throw punches from both sides to maintain muscular balance. Remember, most are there to exercise and not to become boxers. Taking a look at my face might derail those thinking of a wrestling career, but I teach defensive maneuvers (slide, weave, parry, and roll with a punch) to prevent anyone from looking like me.

The beauty of this class is learning a skill you’ll be able to use for the rest of your life (self-defense) while receiving top-notch exercise. All student hands are wrapped before class because each one will have the opportunity to train with me while I operate the focus gloves. (Wear gloves on my hands that can punch in my direction. I will put the class in a work mode eg left and right hook and crouch) while personally training with a student. I keep changing boxing modes until I have practiced with all the students and we have covered at least six combinations. We have a sprint session where the entire class moves to one side of a room with their backs to the other wall. With their hands on the mirror, each member furiously pumps their legs until I say sprint. We all turn and run the other way and pump our legs until my next command. This is fantastic for anaerobic training.

From here, we’ll start winding down with more footwork, punching, and defense before finishing with mat floor work, including 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 inspires you to start your personal program. Set the example and keep punching. Greetings from you, “The Fighting Fireman”.