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Archive for July, 2012
Women’s Boxing to Make its Debut in Summer Olympics
Tuesday, July 17th, 2012
Women’s Boxing to Make its Debut in Summer Olympics
Finally, female boxers are getting the chance to fight for a medal in the Olympic games. The Summer Olympics, with the opening ceremony July 27, will feature women in boxing for the first time, with three ladies on the U.S. team.
Representing the U.S. will be Claressa Shields, Marlen Esparza, and Quanitta “Queen” Underwood. As the first female boxers to compete in the Olympics, they’ve already made history. The ladies will join 33 (a small number compared to the 250 men competing) other fighters, in three separate weight classes (the men’s competition has 10), all competing for the coveted medals.
While boxing joined the Olympics in 1904, it was the only Summer sport without females until now. The entire US boxing team has 12 members, making it the largest at the London games. The women’s tournament begins on the second Sunday of the games (August 5 and 6), and will last five days, with semifinals on August 8 and the gold-medal matches on August 9.
Meet the U.S. Women’s Team:
- Claressa Shields: Flint, Michigan, 17, competing as a middleweight (165lbs)
- Marlen Esparza: Houston, Texas, 22, competing as a featherweight (112 lbs)
- Quanitta “Queen” Underwwod: Seattle, Washington, 28, competing as a lightweight (132lbs)
Related articles:
The Detroit News: Flint boxer Claressa Shields helping to make Olympic history
Yahoo Sports: Women boxers get long-awaited Olympic chance
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/women-boxers-long-awaited-olympic-140512595–oly.html
The New York Times: U.S. Has Its First Female Olympic Boxer
Yahoo Sports: Women’s USA Olympic Boxing Team
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/womens-usa-olympic-boxing-team-fan-overview-222300187–oly.html
Tampa Bay Times: New Clearwater gym features boxing workouts and a lot more
Thursday, July 12th, 2012
By Theodora Aggeles, Times correspondent<
In Print: Thursday, July 12, 2012
 [Photos by WILL VRAGOVIC | Times]
Leon Brooks, 29, of Clearwater hangs from his punching bag after a high-intensity punching drill during a boxing class.
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Link to original story
CLEARWATER
Step inside the door of LA Boxing and the feel isn’t what you might imagine. It’s bright and airy, a cheerful-looking gym. All of the machines and padding are painted in reds, whites and blues.
The new place on U.S. 19 offers workouts based on boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts. It’s the first Pinellas location for the chain, which also operates in Orlando and Miami.
“We’ve been open three weeks, and this is the first of many locations we’re planning for the Tampa Bay area. We’re not coming in with one and run,” said Pete Guzman, partner and general manager. “LA Boxing is celebrating 20 years as a gym right now, and this is the 76th one to open.”
Besides classes, the gym has cardio equipment, free weights, strength building machines and personal trainers. Of course there’s a boxing ring and a bag cage with dozens of 150-pound punching bags.
“As society becomes more sedentary and people grow older, they have to seek out something to get into great shape,” said Guzman, 41. “The LA Boxing Workout burns between 800 and 1,000 calories, and a trainer takes you through it every time. You get muscular development, cardiovascular conditioning, flexibility, you learn something new and have fun.”
Proper punching and kicking techniques are taught along with basic fighting techniques, with an emphasis on mind, body and emotional well-being.
Guzman knows all three are important.
A New Yorker, he had been to Tarpon Springs several times visiting his wife’s family in her hometown. Then he lost his business and the family lost their home.
“We went through what a lot of America has been going through,” said Guzman. “About a year ago, our family down here took us in. We started from zero, but I’m ready to rock and roll. With the business model from LA Boxing and the discipline I’ve learned from martial arts, we won’t fail.”
Guzman believes LA Boxing will continue to grow. In New York, he says, he helped one martial arts business go from eight to 50 gyms.
After he was introduced to his business partner, Scott Wafer, who owns an LA Boxing gym in New York, Guzman became enamored with the business model and Wafer’s business expertise.
“I watched that business for about a year and thought, ‘This is it,’ ” said Guzman.
The gym has several different membership packages with costs ranging from $44 to $84 a month, the latter of which includes unlimited classes and full use of all of the gym’s equipment.
A gym to get in shape
Guzman is dedicated to the techniques taught at LA Boxing. The workout includes three-minute rounds with a one-minute break and incorporates music, jumping rope, boxing gloves, the heavy bag and lots of positive reinforcement.
“There is nobody in better condition than a mixed martial artist,” said Guzman. “People have the ability to do the workout of authentic boxers, kickboxers and mixed martial artists without the lumps and bruises. The sparring and contact is not necessarily a part of most people’s workout, but for those who want to take it to that level, the facility is set up for it and we will offer that too.”
Norine Troupe, the business’ assistant general manager, starting working on fitness in gyms about 14 years ago, seven of those in martial arts. Now she teaches boxing and kickboxing as a personal trainer and instructor.
“Personally, there is no good excuse (for not getting fit),” said Troupe. “Everybody has a reason: I hurt my knee, my back, World War whatever, I can’t get out of bed, I have no time, too much work, my husband this, my daughter that, I can’t sleep. Everybody has to start somewhere.”
Helping children feel self-confident will be the crux of a bullying prevention program that Guzman intends to have running within the next six weeks.
Phillip Jacobs, LA Boxing’s director of franchise development, said successful franchise owners are people who have fitness-oriented lifestyles.
“They love the fitness environment, the sweating, the testosterone, people setting and achieving goals,” he said. “It becomes a labor of love.”
One other thing: This is the first year the Olympics will feature female boxing. Jacobs believes that women everywhere will have a light bulb go on and realize they can get in shape by taking these classes.
Guzman is in Clearwater to help make that happen.
“Even though LA Boxing is a huge franchise, we are a local gym,” said Guzman. “We plan to have local charity events and want very much to be a part of this community.”
Correspondent Theodora Aggeles can be reached at cotheo@tampabay.rr.com
LA Boxing
Location: 28784 U.S. 19, at Hodusa Plaza
Information: Call (727) 265-2269 or view www.laboxing.com/Clearwater
LA Boxing® Inks Partnership Agreement with Costco
Wednesday, July 11th, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Select California Costco Locations Will Offer LA Boxing Membership Packages to Customers
SANTA ANA, Calif. [JULY 10, 2012] – LA Boxing®, the world’s largest boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) fitness franchise, announced today an exclusive agreement with wholesale retailer Costco to sell memberships in-store at select California locations, starting July 2012. Featured in the form of activation cards, the three month memberships also include two private-training sessions with LA Boxing trainers.
The initial Costco locations that will carry the memberships include: Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Lakewood, San Juan Capistrano, Signal Hill, Torrance, Yorba Linda and two locations in both Laguna Niguel and Tustin.
“Partnering with a retail giant like Costco gives us tremendous exposure and the ability to offer our memberships to a customer base that has very similar demographics to our own,” said Philip Jacobs, LA Boxing Director of Franchise Development. “Costco benefits by offering its members a unique alternative to the typical gym membership, while also identifying itself as a believer in health and wellness – it’s a win-win for both companies.”
LA Boxing focuses on fun, efficient and effective group boxing workouts and intense one-on-one personal training in a clean, welcoming and friendly environment, taught by instructors with actual fighting experience. Unlike individual workouts at most gyms, LA Boxing’s group classes are filled with a mix of all fitness levels and, although intense in nature, members are encouraged to workout at their own pace. While gaining intangible growth in self-confidence and determination, members have the ability to burn up to 1,000 calories in hour-long classes.
The bright colors, clean environment, and well-organized layout break down the conventional image of a boxing gym. Each LA Boxing is outfitted with a designated area for rows of heavy punching bags, speed bags, a boxing ring, an MMA area, and cardio and strength equipment.
“This partnership in California is part of an initial test to gauge the Costco customer response,” Jacobs said. “We hope to eventually roll this program out nationwide.”
For more information on LA Boxing or franchise opportunities, visit http://laboxing.com/franchising/ or contact Philip Jacobs at: (714) 668-0911 or philip@laboxing.com.
About LA Boxing
LA Boxing® is the world’s largest boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts fitness franchise with nearly 75 locations open nationwide and another 50 in various stages of development. The LA Boxing Workout™—aimed at suburban men, women, and children—which burns 800-1,000 calories per hour, is taught by professionally-trained boxers, kickboxers and mixed martial arts fighters. For more information about LA Boxing, visit http://laboxing.com/.
