Boxing may sound intimidating to newbies, but its got more to it than throwing punches. Read on to learn how one WH staffer conquered the ring.
Name: Faye McNulty, age 29
The aim: To win a six-minute match against Amy Andrew (@amyandrewboxing), who recently competed in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in India.
The plan: Four one- to-one boxing sessions per week, plus a HIIT-focused boxercise class
The coach: Ian Streetz (@ianstreetz), former boxer and trainer at Kobox (koboxlondon.com)
The nutrition: A focus on lean protein and green vegetables, with complex carbs for energy. No alcohol, or refined sugars.
My starting point
I’ve never punched anyone in the face before. I’ve never had any desire to. So it was with some trepidation that I took on a challenge to refine my boxing skills. Why did I sign up? Because I knew I wasn’t likely to take this on off my own back, and I wanted to make a real change to my fitness and general health.
Before training began
I’m slim, which many people equate with being healthy, but that wasn’t really the case. I’ve struggled with insomnia throughout my twenties, to the point where sometimes I’d only get three or four hours of sleep each night, and my lifestyle didn’t help. I played a bit of netball now and again, but otherwise my exercise regime was non-existent – I found it impossible to love the gym.
How poor lifestyle choices began affecting my life
My diet wasn’t great either, as I loved overindulging in carbs, and never had the willpower to turn down a sweet treat. After work, I’d spend my evenings in the pub because I felt a drink or two would help me sleep better. Earlier this year, it got to the point where I was so exhausted it affected my mental health. I went to my GP and was diagnosed with anxiety – I was prescribed medication, but I wanted to try changing my lifestyle first. I read countless articles about the positive effects of boxing on mental health, so I hoped it could help me, too.
Boxing challenge: Week one
The day of my first session, I was a bag of nerves. I’d made the mistake of stalking my soon- to-be-coach Ian Streetz, boxing trainer at Kobox London, on Instagram and, in all honesty, he looked intimidating. Not only did he used to be a pro boxer, he’s also trained in mixed martial arts and has even worked as a stuntman in Hong Kong. Knowing who I’d be working with over the next nine weeks, combined with my own dismal fitness levels, meant my confidence was at a nadir.
Boxing challenge: Learning the basics
That first day, Ian handed me a skipping rope, as before I could pull on my gloves and learn the moves, he needed to gauge my fitness levels. Skipping is a great way to do this – it builds agility, speed and endurance, and it’s really hard work. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d skipped and I started jumping around all over the place. Full disclosure: I was so unused to the movement that I ended up peeing myself a little, which made me even more nervous. Who knew what else my body would throw at me?
Boxing challenge: Week two
For the first two weeks, I felt incompetent, uncoordinated and like I couldn’t retain any of the information Ian was giving me. Our sessions were intense – each one kicked off with a HIIT warm-up, which left me gasping before I even got in the ring. Then we moved on to the basics of each punch, working on stance, footwork and defences – pretty much endless jabs and crosses. From there, we worked on the more advanced defences, tactics, fakes and setups. Eventually, I started sparring with Ian, which soon became my favourite part of every session.
Boxing challenge: Overcoming obstacles
I’m a naturally competitive person and, with boxing, you’re measuring yourself up against someone else by either winning or losing a match. But even during my training, when
I wasn’t really up against anyone but myself, I struggled with a lack of confidence.
My default mindset was that I wasn’t progressing fast enough, or well enough. Ian filmed our sessions and, rather than focusing on the skills I was learning and the moves I could perform better like Ian encouraged me to do, I couldn’t help but be self- deprecating.
Boxing challenge: Week three
In week three, I broke down during a session. I was trying to do a press-up and felt so physically exhausted that I just started crying. After the session, Ian was wonderful, telling me how intense this sport is and how learning a new set of skills takes dedication. His support has been amazing.
Boxing challenge: Weeks four onwards
What I’ve come to love about boxing is that there’s so much to think about – the very thing that scared and overwhelmed me in the first place – because it means you’re acutely aware of your body; your stance, the angle of your hips, the position of your arms, where your gaze is focused.
What I learnt from my boxing challenge
- It requires constant thought, which makes it mentally and physically challenging, but it’s what has made a massive difference to my sleep.
- I feel drained at the end of the day, from physical movement and endorphins rather than poor food choices
- My sleep patterns are proof of the difference boxing has made to my mind.
The changes I’ve made to my diet can’t have hurt, either. Ian suggested I cut out sugar – it offers no nutritional benefit and doesn’t do a buzzing mind any favours – and alcohol, too. I focused on lean protein and lots of vegetables, adding complex carbs like brown rice and sweet potato for energy.
While going out with friends for dinner has been hard at times, I haven’t seen it as a compromise, more as part of the process to achieve my goal. It’s made me realise how much social pressure there is around drinking – people assume you won’t have a good time unless you do. But I’ve quite enjoyed being booze-free, and all the money I used to spend on cider has gone towards buying chicken breasts instead.
Increasing confidence, mentally and physically
You’d think going into a boxing ring would be intimidating, but when I step between the ropes, it’s like I’m a different person. That version of me isn’t just more confident, she’s more accepting. It’s taken me a while, but eventually I realised that nothing bad will happen whatever the outcome of the match – it’s all part of the learning process. I’m new to this sport, so of course things will go wrong. But instead of focusing on that, I now look at the things I’m doing right instead.
The physical changes
I can see a physical difference, too – my arm muscles are defined and I’ve got abs now. I’ve never looked at my body with pride before, but the positives are so much more than that. When I began this challenge nine weeks ago, I felt I had no strength – mental or physical.
Now, I feel differently: I’m strong. I genuinely believe in myself and what I can do. In the past, I faked confidence, and it never felt quite right when people would describe me as confident, because I knew it was an act. But now I’ve got to a place where I’m actually happy – happy with myself.
The challenge: Facing the pro
Before my match against pro boxer Amy Andrew, I surprised myself by remaining calm despite my nerves. I think I was more excited than anything else to finally put into practice what I’d learned. The fight passed in a blur but, afterwards, despite a purple lip and a very sore nose, I felt absolutely euphoric. I never thought I’d be able to do something like this, so I’m proud of myself for what I’ve achieved and now can’t wait to start training for another fight.
The best moment of this whole process came just a few weeks ago when a friend messaged me to tell me I was her inspiration to make a change herself. She knew what I was
up against earlier this year – struggling to get out of bed, not wanting to exercise, relying on alcohol to have a good time – and now she can see how I’ve turned it around to the complete opposite. That’s all I wanted to get out of this challenge – I’m so proud that I’ve done it.
What my boxing coach thought
'Boxing is not about just beating people up. It brings together agility, power and speed with the intensity of a sprint and the endurance of a marathon. But it’s a great sport for beginners – you can build yourself up from any level.'
'Faye was so determined and dedicated, and was honest with herself about her weaknesses. That’s important – unless you want your opponent to teach you a painful lesson, you can’t run away from them. Most people would have been intimidated to spar with someone at Amy’s level, but not Faye. That shows the heart of a fighter.'
