What do you do when your friend tells you they're organising a charity white collar boxing event?
As a 31-year-old, size 14 (recently 16), un-sporty, office-bound ecommerce operations manager I've signed myself (and my skinny hedge fund analyst friend Lora) up to a white collar boxing event in November this year.
Neither of us have ever boxed before - or in fact done any sport of any note since school. We're the only girls on the team of 16 office workers who are taking on the challenge of training for 4 months to get into the ring. This is our boxing diary
Boxing for Buhinga: The Fight Club Diaries. Week 3
This week Lora and I are determined that we don't look like the idiot girls in the corner. We decide to get to the gym early so we can do our own hand wraps (the last two weeks we've needed help and it's so embarrassing) - we managed it just about, with a little help from some fellow gym-goers. We're a bit shocked to realise some of the lads play football before our Tuesday sessions and therefore our puffing and huffing at the warm up is probably evidence we're totally unfit.
Warm up is beyond hideous - trying to do a plank on our elbows and get onto our hands in one smooth movement (while wearing boxing gloves!) - of course the boys can do it, I just can't. Ditto crouching between skips (there is no need to do this movement EVER when you sit at a desk all day,) I'm now convinced my basic fitness is dire.
We're floundering a bit this week - the combinations come thick and fast and we forget the numbers. I also think as we missed the first four weeks we probably missed the basics of stance, defending etc - and we don't want to hold the group up by being so far behind. We decide it's time to add some one on one sessions to catch up.
On the plus side we manage some sweat- proof we are now officially in the club I think.
The trustees are asking for potential fighters for the night to sign up now (as some of the group are just training or are planned reserves). I sign Lora and I up - I figure if we're going to do this, we're going to do it. We don't have to commit to definitely fighting, just being potentials, so I think it's fine. I think....
On Friday a "loosely" suggested training and nutrition schedule arrived in my inbox - I'm less scared by the training as by the food! Replace vegetable soup with a can of tuna in it (I think that's tuna soup? Which is gross sounding- I dread to imagine how it tastes) with office bake off cakes and a-popular-Portuguese-style-South-African-chicken-chain and you're closer to what Lora and I have been scoffing. Oops.
Saturday morning gym session is a good one - Simon the Merciless seems to think I'm getting a little bit fitter and a little bit stronger. Though I swear those mirrors are the most unflattering in South West London and throwing the VIPR (or log with handles as I described it as the other day) around beats me - co-ordination was never my strongpoint.
Started getting a 1.5 litre bottle of water to keep on my desk - which really helps my water consumption. Boyfriend looks at carton of egg whites with massive suspicion when I bring them home with Saturday morning's shopping and is disturbed to catch me researching protein powder - I've heard the bad ones taste really vile so online reviews are very necessary.
I've lost a pound! Woop! Well I did before I had friends over at the weekend and obviously HAD to take them out to dinner in Richmond and there was only one veggie option which was a mountain of cheese. Is cheese on the nutrition list? What's that you say? No? Sorry I can't hear you.......
About Boxing for Buhinga & Universal Chance
The Boxing for Buhinga event will be held on the 24 November at the Grange St Pauls hotel in London. For tickets and enquiries go to http://universalchance.org/tickets/. You can read profiles of all the fighters at http://universalchance.org.
Universal Chance is a charitable trust set up by a group of friends who share a common desire to use the skills that we have developed through our careers to do what we can to help communities that have not been granted the same chances that we have whilst inspiring others to do the same.
We are dedicated to implementing tangible projects that will help less privileged communities and individuals reach their potential . This could be anything from improving education facilities to providing medical facilities or giving access to clean water. To find out more check out our site http://universalchance.org/ or follow us on twitter at @universalchance.