Brawl for a Cause, also known as Buckhead Brawl, is fast approaching. Matt Thomas, the mastermind behind the event, invited me out for my first ever boxing class where I trained alongside regular people, some actual fighters in the upcoming charity-boxing event on November 25, 2015.
Seasoned vets are scheduled to fight, but the ones swinging and sweating beside me were regular guys honing their skills in preparation for the upcoming Brawl for a Cause event. I commend them for putting themselves in the ring for a philanthropy they personally care about.
Not only contenders attended the class but a diverse group of millennials. Cute girls are always a plus and ladies, I promise you don’t have to be a Ronda-Rousey-wanna-be to hang. The ones in my class were total knockouts and by the end of class, could land knockouts.
Matt’s session offers a great full body workout and you learn what it really takes to throw a punch. After light cardio – running up flights of stairs to access the rooftop, jump roping, and a cool down stretch – Matt demonstrates different punching combinations to practice. Boxing requires coordination, moving your hands and feet while exerting energy from your base through your core. Stepping with each punch feels a bit weird at first, but with practice, you’ll find your rhythm.
The last portion of the class was my favorite because we got to actually target real punches. Matt put on his punch mitts, circled us around him, and one by one we entered his realm, throwing combination punches at our target. He managed to instruct everyone else around the circle to do other exercises while coaching whichever daring individual stood in front of him. It was a great atmosphere, high energy, and everyone pushed each other.
This particular class is free but exclusive. Probably for the amazing rooftop view in the heart of Buckhead. Matt also coaches one on one sessions by appointment and weekend classes for $10. To learn more, shoot him an email at Matt@brawlforacause.com and check out www.brawlforacause.com to learn more about the charity-boxing event, Buckhead Brawl on November 25th!
