Junior Class FOCUS – Boxwise with Alex Fryer, 8-15 yr olds
Boxwise is a boxing class for children that incorporates not only the boxing, but also develops coordination skills, strength and all round aerobic fitness. And it’s fun!
Member Neris Johnson brought her daughter Dulcie along to a Boxwise class to try it out.
“My daughter Dulcie is a bit of a girlie girl. She’s 8 and although she is through the pink phase — she has only moved on to purple. So we didn’t think boxing would really be her thing — but in our quest to keep her fit, and to get her to love sport in a way that I never have, we thought we would give the boxing session for kids a try.
Alex the instructor is the epitome of a cheeky chappy - you’d have thought the artful dodger was written for him - and immediately you can tell kids love him. First he gets them running around the room, "You sound like elephants” he shouts before booming out instructions at ever quickening speeds "left hand touch the floor, right hand, jump, jog, change direction.” The children run around trying to keep up before falling into peels of laughter. In fact laughter seems to be one of Alex’s teaching methods and before I know it Dulcie is skipping like she is Rocky Balboa and then has boxing gloves on and she’s knocking the living daylights out of Alex’s gloves all while hysterically laughing! He’s ducking and diving in the proper sense and the kids love it.
Alex, outside the Park Club, works a lot with children with adhd and other attention span difficulties and also with kids with anger issues as well as subdued children and he has had great success. He is passionate about how boxing can help children’s confidence. By the end of the session he’s got the groups sparring and he is full of energy and passion for his sport - “you’re pretty fast’’ he says to Dulcie mid punch. With the older children he is more advanced “uppercut left hook “ he says with his gloves out and waits for the barrage.
By the end of the class they’re all sweating and then they have some more fun before they finish with a game of sharks and minnows. High Fives finish the lesson “cut the pickle-in for the tickle”. It clearly is infectious - Dulcie can’t help but lift up her hands and have a bit of box any time she can — who’d have thought my little girl would be so into it?!”
Boxwise is on 5.15-6.15pm every WEDNESDAY with Alex Fryer.
Have you got some feedback on a junior class that you'd like to share with other members? If so please email jessica@theparkclub.co.uk