When you say "boxing", a powerful torso and arms of Vladimir Klitschko immediately appear before your eyes. Do you think women's boxing is nothing more than marketing? Our columnist, wellness-coach Olga Sukhova will definitely convince you!
There is an opinion that boxing is not best view sports for girls. Nevertheless, more and more women prefer this particular sport - instead of conventional fitness or strength exercises in the hall. The wellness-coach, the founder of BeautyCamp and Founder, told about how boxing affects the physical and emotional state of girls, what fears you need to cope with at the first trainings and why you want to flutter after classes in the ring Women box camp , the author of the fitness program Fizra.com.ua
Boxing is my old love and passion. In this sport, I was bribed by everything: the load on various muscle groups, work in pairs, excellent emotional relaxation and the development of self-confidence. In addition, boxing helps to lose weight pretty quickly and find a dream figure. Whoever tries one day is unlikely to remain indifferent to this sport. Boxing training consists of several elements:
- General physical training... It can include cardio (for example, jumping rope), push-ups,. Its purpose is to warm up muscles, increase endurance and keep the body in the required tone.
- Work in pairs. At this stage, you will practice different punches and combinations, as well as exercises for the development of coordination and technique.
- Work on shells - pears. If, working in pairs, you still spare each other, then on pears it becomes possible to put all the force into the blow, which at first you need to get used to. But over time, just by training with a projectile, you will receive maximum emotional relief.
Sparring is not present in all sections and types, however, this is one of the most interesting elements of training, because it is here that you can demonstrate all your skills: agility, coordination, attentiveness and power of blow, as well as technique. I want to believe that in everyday life you will not have to use boxing skills for self-defense. However, it is during sparring that they are honed and perfected.
Boxing through the eyes of a girl
I have never been scared to practice boxing, but many people doubt this sport. Many girls are afraid to box because they hear about the risks of injury, especially to the face. Of personal experience I can say that the devil is not so terrible as he is painted. Punches to the face can happen if you are distracted, but remember that when you train as a pair, no one hits full force. In addition, there is special equipment that can protect our bright heads from injury and damage.
Another bias is the difficulty level. For many girls from the outside, boxing training does not seem difficult. But this is only at first glance. Energy is actually wasted a lot. The next day, sore throat will definitely remind you of how the previous evening went. But this is a great alternative to fitness for those who want to lose weight.
The most difficult exercises for me are coordination exercises. Simultaneously monitoring the work of arms, legs and at the same time interacting with another person is not an easy task. Despite the fact that girls can easily cope with several tasks at the same time, in fact, everything is not so smooth.
The emotional component of boxing
The emotional component of boxing is perhaps one of its greatest benefits. Boxing is a fight not only with an opponent, but also with yourself in the first place. In each lesson, you have to overcome yourself, cope with pain and fatigue, work out the technique, and develop coordination. Frankly, not everyone succeeds the first time. However, regular exercise can achieve impressive results - both for the body, which will be discussed a little later, and for self-esteem. Exercising in the ring increases self-confidence and relieves stress. You can come to the women's box with a fire-breathing dragon, and leave the hall as an air princess or a fluttering butterfly. Boxing for girls is what you need to relieve stress.
Women's boxing is the key to a beautiful body
Recently, more and more models prefer this sport. And this is not surprising: women's boxing uses almost all the muscles of the body, however top partdefinitely works more. Training provides for high activity, which allows you to quickly lose weight, if you do not indulge yourself with high-calorie food after training.
Back in the early 18th century, women's fights were held, when women entered the ring and beat each other for the amusement of the public. And although at that time no one took them seriously, they were the ones who laid the foundations for women's boxing. In our review, women boxers from the past, whose names are inscribed in the history of this sport.
Elizabeth Wilkinson
Perhaps women boxers existed before her, but it was Elizabeth Wilkinson Stokes, known under the pseudonym "Cockney Champion", who went down in history as the first famous boxer female. She is also considered the first registered fist fight champion, since Martha Jones was officially defeated in a fight in London in 1722.
Pag putting bruises
In the 18th century, female boxers were described as "real devils" who fought mercilessly to the last. One of the witnesses of the women's fights wrote that "the faces of the rivals were completely covered in blood, and their clothes were torn into rags." Margaret Malloy, nicknamed "The Bruising Peg," became famous after a 1768 duel in which she allegedly beat her rival unconscious. A new dress was at stake.
3. Nelly Sanders and Rose Garland
In 1876, the manager of the Harry Hill gambling center in New York, Professor James Campbell decided to hold a women's boxing match to attract visitors. As a prize, he announced a rather impressive amount of $ 200 at that time and a silver medal. Two variety show dancers volunteered to participate in the battle - an Irish woman and an English woman.
The New York Times wrote about the fight like this: “ When the duel began, both women immediately went on the attack. The fight, which took place to the shouts of the assembled crowd, ended in a victory for Sanders. After that, both women were carried off the stage in their arms.».
Bessie and Minnie Gordon
By the end of the 19th century, the only place to see women's boxing was in the vaudeville scene. In 1901, Thomas Edison made a film with a demonstration boxing match between sisters Bessie and Minnie Gordon. They allegedly participated in real battles and were "world champions in women's boxing". In the film, only theatrical staged battle was shown.
Bonus: Unidentified female boxers at the Olympics
During the Summer Olympic Games in St. Louis in 1904, women's boxing was shown as a demonstration of a new sport. But this fight did not interest Olympic Committee, so the next time women took part in a boxing match at the Olympics was only in 2012.
Especially for those who love, a series of impressive photos from boxing rings. However, these pictures will also be liked by those who just love bright photos.
With the recent arrival of women in the UFC, they have begun to attract a lot of attention. The first American woman we know of came to the sport in 1876 in New York. The women's boxing match, which featured Katy ‘Cat’ Davis, was even televised in the 1970s. But it wasn't until the 1990s that women's boxing began to grow, and stars such as Laila Ali, Christy Martin, Deirdre Gogarty and Lucia Ridgker appeared there. Boxing was officially included in the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Today, female boxers are gaining momentum and making a name for themselves all over the world. There are many outstanding women among boxers, but we have selected nine of the best of them.
Known primarily as the daughter of Mohammed Ali, Laila Ali lived under her father's shadow for many years until she entered the ring. At the age of 21, Ali faced off against Fowler and knocked her out in 31 seconds.
Ali's career continued her winning streak, defeating 21 out of 24 opponents. She was named Super Middleweight Champion by the International Boxing Association in 2002 and Super Middleweight Champion by the International Women's Boxing Federation in 2005.
Laila Ali fought Jackie Fraser-Lyde, daughter of Joe Fraser, in her first battle to win to become a famous woman in the sport. She won the fight and went on to claim the 2002 Women's International Light Heavyweight Championship in the Boxing Federation in the following years. Despite her successful victories, Ali has been criticized for avoiding difficult fights and refusing to fight competitive boxers.
Mia St. John's success in boxing began when she was only six years old and started with Taekwondo. With a black belt in Taekwondo, she disappeared in a professional environment in 1997. She knocked out her first opponent in less than a minute, cementing her position in the boxing world. Mia continued to agree to all of Oscar De La Hoya's major fights over the next four years.
Mia St. John fought in 47 professional games before being allowed to face Liz Drew to earn her the IFBA lightweight title. Almost immediately after, Mia fought Donna Biggers and won the IBA Continental Lightweight Title. At the age of 40, she fought in Mexico and won the WBC International Boxing Championship. Finally, at 45, Mia St. John won her match against Christy Martin and won the WBC Super World Championship.
During her career, Mia St. John fought in record number matches - 60. She won 47 competitions, 18 of them by knockout.
Christy Salters Martin made headlines in 2010 when her ex-husband James Martin beat and shot her during a fight at their home. But before her private life grabbed the attention of the media, Martin was one of the most famous female boxers of all time. With a career of 57 fights, Martin has won a total of 49 of them. The most impressive were 31 of 49 wins that ended in knockout.
Christy Martin's first real career break came when she wrestled the 1996 Tyson-Bruno wrestling fiercely against Deirdre Gogarty. Martin is also known for her duels with Mia St. John. Both fights are ranked among some of the biggest matches of all time, although Martin has won only one of the bouts. Martin's last fight was against Dakota Stone on September 2, 2009. Since her husband's arrest, Martin has turned her career into helping women learn self-defense.
Ann Wolf is known primarily for her wrestling style. In fact, her victory over Wanda Ward is considered one of the most important, she even received the title: "The most powerful knockout in the history of women's boxing." Of her 26 fights, Wolf knocked out 16 of her opponents by knockout.
Wolf competed in the 1998 United States National Championships as an amateur. This was before she officially entered the sport on October 17, 1998. After starting her career, Wolf quickly went through the boxing ranks, winning 24 of 26 fights. Her career continued to grow until she retired in 2006 after defeating Lisa Ested. After finishing her boxing career, Ann Wolf became a boxing coach for both women and men.
Widely known as the woman who made boxing the premier women's sport in Europe, Regina Halmich has had a long and successful career. Before she stepped into the ring, Halmich was a lawyer clerk in Germany. She quit her job in 1993 and became a professional boxer. In her debut, a fight won by unanimous decision in 5 rounds. She continued her career with three fights a year and claimed that this was a comfortable pace for her. During her 13 year career, she fought 56 \u200b\u200btimes and won 54 fights. Regina Halmich ended her boxing career on November 30, 2007 to become a television commentator. Halmich was awarded the “Highest Achievement 2007” award in January 2008 by the WBAN.
Rhonda Rosie is not only recognized by the headlines with her brutal fighting style, she has also made a name for herself in Hollywood. The boxer / UFC champion recently starred in Fast and Furious 7 and Handsome. She starred for Sports Illustrated, published a bio, and became the face of Reebok. But apart from her Hollywood fame, Rosie has the potential to impress with her boxing career.
At the age of 28, Rousey became the number one female MMA in the world and the fifth number in the UFC. Before she became a champion, Rhonda Rousey was a judo champion. She won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics. Three years later, she embarked on a career with Strikeforce, beating her first two competitors with a special trick, which she continued to use to win several other fights. Rosie was the first female wrestler to compete in the 2012 Ultimate Fighting Tournament. She is unbeatable in her career and has won 11 of her 11 competitions.
If the career of a female boxer could be summed up in their stardom, then it would be headed by Lucia Ridgecker. She is considered “the most dangerous woman in the World ”, The Lightning Queen”, “Lady Ali”, and “The Dutch Destroyer”, Ridgker is a legendary woman.
Ridjker grew up in Holland, where she began practicing judo at the age of six. And here she also stood out and became the junior champion of the Netherlands. It wasn't until the age of 15 that she began to study kickboxing, a sport in which she became a pro. When she worked her way to the top of kickboxing with a 37-0 record, Lucia Ridgecker entered pro boxing.
During the 1990s, Lucia Ridjker wrestled 19 times. She won all of her bouts with an impressive 14 KOs. She received the WIBF Welterweight Title. Since her 19 wins, Ridgker has not retired from the sport and said she would consider another fight with Lila Ali. She trained Hillary Swank for the movie "Million Dollar Baby" and also starred in the film.
Called the “First Lady” of boxing, Cecilia Carmen Linda Braehus is currently the undisputed world welterweight champion. At the age of 33, she won each of her 27 professional fights, seven of them by knockout.
Braehus's boxing roots began at the age of 14 when she took up kickboxing. By 2005, as an amateur boxer, Braehus won a gold medal at the 2005 European Championships, a silver medal at the 2005 World Championships and won 75 of her 80 matches.
In 2009, when she entered the professional boxing scheme, she immediately began claiming titles. First the WBC World Championship, the WBA Women's Welterweight Title, WBO in 2010 and the World Professional Boxing Federation title after knocking out Mikaela Loren in the 7th round.
Braehus fought some of the toughest female boxers in the world, including Mia St. John in 2013, and defeated her. Continuous boxing success made her the first woman in the world to hold WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO titles at the same time.
Natalya Ragozina was born on April 5, 1976 in the city of Abai, Karaganda region, Kazakh SSR. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a flight attendant and a photo model. But, once on the plane, I realized that she was afraid to fly.
Your way to big sport Natalia started with athletics... She specialized in middle distance running. She graduated from the sports boarding school in the city of Karaganda. She got into boxing by accident, and the very first sparring ended with a bloodied face. With this offensive defeat from the boy, the career of the famous boxer began.
During her boxing career, Natalya Ragozina had 22 fights, in which she won 22 victories. Thirteen fights ended with knockout of rivals. The twenty-third fight, which was to be held on June 18, 2011, was canceled due to the refusal of all applicants.
The content of the article:
Women's boxing is a sport that was banned in most countries for a long time, but at the end of the last century it began to gradually revive. This kind of physical activity was even more developed after 2009, when it was included in the program of the Olympic Games. The specificity of women's boxing is in a sense different from that of men's. First of all, this is increased safety, and secondly, the construction of classes taking into account the characteristics of the organism and the structure of the body of the fairer sex. Every year, an increasing number of girls begin active classes in this type of martial arts. What is the reason for the increase in its popularity - read in this article.
The benefits of boxing for girls
Even now, many people consider boxing for girls unacceptable, because this sport is associated with a high risk of severe injuries, therefore it is rude, which does not suit a fragile female nature at all. However, when determining the benefits of boxing for women, it is worth looking much deeper. There are several reasons why ladies start attending boxing training. Let's describe them in more detail.
Improving your figure in boxing training
Boxing requires a fairly large expenditure of energy. That there are only warm-ups. Many girls note that there is nothing more difficult than this stage in each lesson, which contributes to the active burning of fat. After the first 2-4 weeks, significant weight loss is noted, the waist becomes thinner, a beautiful shoulder line is formed, the legs become more slender, and posture improves.
Body shaping, enhancement muscle tone happens much faster than in fitness or dance classes. Constant attending training sessions allows you to consolidate the effect, i.e. maintain an excellent physical fitness, keep the figure in perfect condition, develop flexibility and improve coordination of movements.
Improving health through boxing
Improving personal endurance is an essential requirement of not only men's boxing, but also women's boxing. Because of this, training involves practicing a large number of different exercises, many of which are carried out with additional stress.
This, in turn, stimulates the blood supply to all cells in the body. In addition, the musculoskeletal system is trained, in the process correct posture, which has a beneficial effect on the spine, muscles.
Getting self-defense skills in boxing training
Without a doubt, the development of endurance, the practice of strikes are the key to successful self-defense in almost any situation. Quite often, fragile women are the subject of street robbery, indecent intimate claims that can end in failure. Criminals choose this category because of potential physical weakness.
However, in most cases, female representatives who are involved in boxing are practically no different from those who are not fond of sports, because focus not on increasing muscle mass, but on the development of strength, agility, stability. This in turn gives them great advantage in front of the attacker, because he is not ready for the fact that a defenseless woman can give a sharp rebuff and even detain an intruder.
The girls attending the boxing section have an increased reaction rate and an increase in pain threshold. In the classroom, students learn to defend themselves, attack, dodge attacks, blows.
Boost self-confidence
Success in one area or another has a beneficial effect on any person. And successes in sports significantly increase self-confidence, because a girl who owns boxing techniques becomes more independent in terms of self-defense, decisive, self-confident, gets rid of many complexes associated with both physical beauty and other spheres of life.
Boxing plays an important role for the psyche, as allows, within reasonable limits, to throw out the accumulated stress. Therefore, the overwhelming majority of boxers and other athletes are calm and reasonable in everyday life. This sport fosters resourcefulness, courage, the ability to immediately assess any situation and find the most correct solution.
What could be better than restraint, the ability to control your emotions and behavior even in stressful situations - all this is possible with boxing.
As practice shows, boxing for girls is not only development physical strength, but also training of spirit, willpower, which will definitely come in handy not only in the ring and for self-defense, but also in any life situation - be it business negotiations or raising a child.
Contraindications for boxing among girls
While boxing is beneficial in many ways, it's worth remembering that benefits and safety are not the same thing. It is contraindicated for some women and men. In order to avoid deteriorating health, it is worth taking this issue seriously, despite all the benefits of this sport.
Absolute contraindications for boxing are:
- Nearsightedness, cataract, glaucoma, astigmatism;
- Neuritis, neurosis;
- Epilepsy, encephalopathy;
- Hypertension, heart disease, myocarditis, ischemia, arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, etc.;
- Previous concussion;
- Tuberculosis, asthma;
- Any acute inflammatory diseases.
Any deviation in the state of health requires prior consultation with a doctor. You should also undergo general examinations at least twice a year.
It is also worth remembering the potential danger of sparring, as a result of which there is a high probability of injury. Not only the face suffers, but also the internal organs, the brain.
Choosing a boxing section for girls
Boxing sections for women exist in almost all cities of the country. The level of a particular school can differ significantly depending on the skill of the coach, the training program developed by him, as well as general organization training process... It should be understood that the success and effectiveness of classes depends on these factors.
What should be taken into account when choosing a club for training in boxing techniques - let's take a short excursion:
- Location... Of course, a club that is close to home can be considered the best option, but this factor should not be put as a priority.
- Visit schedule... A normal workout lasts at least one and a half hours. This should be taken into account when determining the class schedule.
- Inventory... Each self-respecting club equips its halls with a complete set of necessary equipment. One ring and the presence of a punching bag are not enough to conduct correct and effective warm-ups and training.
- Additional premises... Separate changing rooms and showers are an essential requirement for the comfort of women and men. Many give preference to those clubs that are in sports complex, where everyone can visit, for example, a pool or a cafe after boxing.
- Cost of services... The first lesson in prestigious clubs is absolutely free. A subscription for a month of boxing lessons costs from 3 to 5 thousand rubles, subject to group lessons. Individual sessionswhere only a trainer and one student are present - from 8 to 15 thousand rubles a month.
In large groups, the problem of an individual approach is acute, which is very important for any beginner. That is why the main role is played by personal lessons, when the coach is entirely devoted to the development of one particular student. The return on them is much more effective.
There are also mixed groups - the simultaneous employment of men and women. At the same time, a partner for sparring is chosen not by gender, but by the level of physical fitness.
Boxing for beginner girls
It is always interesting, but at the same time and a little scary to start something new, yet unknown. Almost every girl who decides to engage in such a serious sport as boxing experiences similar exciting moments. However, as practice shows, fears and worries pass rather quickly, one has only to delve into the training process a little deeper.
Boxing uniform
The first stage does not provide for a special form. The main thing is sneakers and sportswear... In the future, it is best to purchase boxing shoes, which are distinguished by a thinner sole and fix the legs well. Shoes are very important for any boxer because is one of the factors of stability in the ring.
Before you start practicing blows on the pear, it is recommended to purchase gloves and bandages that help fix your fingers. This is necessary to reduce the risk of injury from impacts. The choice of gloves often has to be treated with additional trepidation, because they are an important "tool" for striking.
By the time of the first sparring, you will have to buy a mouth guard and a helmet. A mouthguard is a device that you put on your teeth to protect them from injury. It is made from flexible plastic. Special chest protectors have also been developed for women.
On average, equipment for girls costs about a thousand rubles.
First trainings in women's boxing
Many girls note that the first 1.5-2 months of training are quite difficult, especially for those who have not previously been involved in any kind of sport, and their physical condition is below average. That's why the best option for the first lessons - this is a group for beginners.
You should not try to join a group in which students have been studying for more than a year, because the load there is much higher. Although there is an additional psychological factor - especially diligent beginners with big ambitions reach for more trained students, admire and are inspired by their success, applying even more energy and time to training.
The first stage of training involves increasing endurance, learning the basics. It is the most secure. Practicing blows takes place on a pear, or it is proposed to conduct "boxing with a shadow". The latter type of training is great for developing the imagination.
Beginners are allowed to participate in sparring 4-6 months after the start of training, when they are not only technically, but also psychologically ready for this kind classes. The training match provides for increased safety - the use of uniforms and the control of the coach.
Common myths about women's boxing
When asked about the attitude towards women's boxing, most people answer negatively. And then phrases "cruel", "traumatic", "this is not a woman's business" appear in my head. During the existence of this sport, some stereotypes have formed, which sometimes make it difficult to adequately perceive boxing as a single combat.
Let's describe a few myths about women's boxing and immediately debunk them:
- Boxer girls look overly masculine... Boxing is a sport in which the emphasis is not on building muscle mass, but on the development of self-control, agility, strength, endurance.
- Increased danger... Statistics show that there are sports that are more traumatic than boxing, such as football. The most dangerous stage in the classroom is fighting in the ring, which very often does not reach, because not every student strives to succeed in fights, many come to the gym to the coach for other well-known reasons described earlier in this article.
- A woman boxer cannot have children... This statement is more than erroneous. After all, training, with the right attitude, only strengthens the body and does not affect fertility.
Boxing for girls is a way of active and very effective body shaping, developing psychological ability and physical self-defense skills, increasing self-confidence and self-control. However, even in such a useful and interesting business, you need to be attentive to your health and listen not only to the recommendations of a professional trainer, but also to the advice of a doctor.
It was first included in the program of the Olympic Games. Today, boxer Natalya Ragozina is a prominent representative of this sport. During her career, the girl has not suffered a single defeat. Moreover, she had 22 fights, in which she won the corresponding number of victories. 13 fights ended with knockout of rivals.
Natalia Ragozina: photo
Natalya Ragozina is a boxing champion nicknamed "Sledgehammer". Her name is entered into the Guinness Book of Records for a reason. Girls from all over the world are equal to Ragozina and dream of being like her.
Natalia Ragozina: biography
Natalia Ragozina was born in the Karaganda region. The girl's first dream as a child was to fly on airplanes and serve passengers in a beautiful stewardess uniform. After the first flight, little Natalya experienced incredible fear. And one dream was replaced by another. The girl, slender and tall by nature, decided to become a model. But it didn't work out here either. Then she went headlong into athletics, and later became the champion in middle distance running.
But in 1993, when she turned 17, the biography of the young athlete changed dramatically. Natalia Ragozina moved to Nizhny Tagil, where she seriously took up kickboxing. Parents said that boxing for girls was not for her, but they did not interfere with this. When the first fight of their daughter was shown on TV, they, on the contrary, began to be proud of her.
Natalia Ragozina - Boxing Champion - Photo
Natalia - boxer
Natalya Ragozina won her first kickboxing victory in 1993. Naturally, the promising girl was invited to Moscow, and she, without hesitation, agreed.
In the capital, Natalia showed great success in kickboxing and after 3 years, in 1998, she was awarded the title of Honored Master of Sports. In those years, Ragozina became the first owner of such a title in our country.
After that, the athlete took up amateur boxing until she was awarded gold at the European Championship. In 2004 Natalia Ragozina moved to professional boxing... Natasha Kuvalda became world champion 2 times, and at the same time managed to win the World Cup. Her portfolio includes victories over such eminent rivals as Laura Ramsey and Iva Weston.
If we take into account that the girl's boxers are engaged in such an "inelegant" sport, Ragozina looks very feminine. Natalia Ragozina is often invited by modeling agencies and even men's glossy publications. For the latter, the girl starred naked, trying to popularize women's boxing in such an unusual way.
World Boxing Champions: Women
Until recently, the phrase "girl boxer" sounded strange, causing confusion and many questions. But with the advent of women in the UFC, the fair sex began to attract the lion's share of attention.
Let's list the most famous women's boxers today:
Fitness box for girls
The essence of fitness boxing is that a girl in boxing gloves works out the movements and punches borrowed from boxing.
Usually, a workout begins with an active warm-up, which lasts 10-15 minutes. And, as a rule, it is running. Then a warm-up begins, aimed at stretching the various muscle groups. Only then are the necessary movements and strikes practiced.
Fitness boxing benefits:
- Movement coordination development;
- Burning calories;
- Improving self-defense skills;
- The minimum likelihood of injury;
- Tightened body shape;
- Improving endurance;
- Uniform development of all muscles in the body
Boxing girls - photo
Women's boxing clothing
Women's boxing equipment consists of comfortable sports shoes, shorts (not shorter than mid-thigh in level), a T-shirt that completely hides the back and chest. If the boxing shorts are identical in color to the shirt, then the belt must be highlighted with a contrasting stripe. This requirement plays an important role, since in women's boxing, blows below the belt are strictly prohibited.
In addition, women's boxing clothing includes a helmet, mouthpiece (mouthguard), and a special safety bandage.
Women's boxing gloves have specific symbols. When the competition is at the beginner level, their color can only be red and blue. Before putting on gloves, the hands are carefully bandaged, this maximally softens the load on fragile joints.
Equipment in a fight and during training plays a huge role, and if there are any violations in the appearance of a boxer, she may not be allowed to fight.
Women's boxing. Photos and pictures
Women's boxing - video
Natalia Rogozina - Russian Sledgehammer in the ring