It all started at the gym. Shocker! Those of you how know me, are not surprised to learn that I am at the gym every day doing something whether running, taking a class or lifting. 
But it got to the point where I felt like I was just going through the motions and not very inspired. I needed a change but I wasn’t sure what kind of change. While going through my regular workout regimen, I was approached by a boxing trainer who noticed that I had strong shoulders (I was doing my 100 push-up sets at that time). He suggested that I try boxing. I had never boxed before in my life and thought it was just for men. I’m 4’11” and the trainer was a very large guy who stood at least 6’5” tall and over 300 pounds. I asked him if there was any point in me learning to box since I would have no shot at defending myself against someone like him in real life. What he told me changed my whole perspective. He said it’s not the size that matters but when you strike, where you strike, how quickly you strike that makes all the difference.
Basically, technique is key, and even someone petite like me can pose danger to someone huge like him if I know what I’m doing. Well, that peeked my interest and I started training with him on a regular basis. I found that I really enjoyed this particular contact sport. There’s a release of energy as you punch the bag or pads that is extremely helpful when you are stressed about something (and we are always stressed about something!). Boxing techniques are many and it can take years to get really good. I even thought of competing at one point but decided I didn’t want to get my face smashed in.
These days I still continue to box at the Title Boxing gym since it’s an amazing total body workout. I find that I want to run more so I can have better endurance for boxing, and lift weights more so that I could punch with more power. And let’s not forget that boxing is also a great self-defence skill that is important to possess especially for women. So, I would encourage anyone who is stuck in a workout rut or someone who is interested in learning a great self-defence technique to give boxing a shot. You might be surprised how much you will like it.