Main image credit: @britishvogue

Forget gruelling bootcamps that made you feel like you couldn’t go on, now there’s a new fitness trend in town, boxing. Following British boxer Anthony Joshua’s rise to fame, plus a few shoutouts from Victoria’s Secret angels and some A-list celebrities, the sport has taken London by storm and now boutique boxing gyms are cropping up across the capital. Studies show that boxing can be both empowering and anxiety-reducing and so now more than ever everyone wants to try out a round in the ring.

Not only is boxing a great way to take out any excess aggression you may have, it also offers an intense workout too. By combining speed and strength with skill it can help to create a body that is toned but also tough. Upper body muscles and core are worked alongside arms, while footwork and warm-ups that feature jumping jacks and burpees can help with legs. Calories are burned rapidly when boxing and overtime fat will burn too, not to mention the positive effects the sport can have on your heart health.

Both men and women across the city are taking up boxing and it’s not just leaving them fighting fit, they’re having fun too. London gyms and workout studios are cashing in on this new trend by adding elements of fun to boxing routines. Upbeat EDM music, moody lighting and highly-stylized gyms are all helping to bring more bounce into boxing. By making the otherwise very intense sport sociable its has fast surpassed bootcamps and other styles of fitness classes to become one of the city’s most popular workout methods. The creators behind the famous Barry’s Bootcamp have a new venture called Kobox, which combines boxing with a nightclub-style setting. With it’s motto of ‘get fit without getting hit’ it removes any danger from boxing by keeping the workouts fun and punch bag-focused.

Similarly the Rumble classes at 1Rebel studios promise boxing that is solely focused on the bag. They do still teach participants all the essential boxing moves however, including how to stand, jab, cross and of course, punch. If the idea of going into a workout studio or boxing gym leaves you feeling scared rather than excited try The Boxx Method instead. A series of online workshops, they’ll teach you all the boxing techniques from the comfort of your own home.