Every year at university brings with it the opportunity to try something new – and one of those things is joining a university affiliated sports club. But with so many on offer, how should you know which one to choose?

Luckily, you’ve come to the right place. In this post you’ll find out why joining the University Boxing Club will be one of the best decisions you make during your time in Stirling.

The various perks of becoming a member range from getting fit and learning new skills, to meeting lifelong friends and maybe even representing the university in competitions. Oh, and of course, the socials every Wednesday aren’t bad either!

Don’t be scared – we are an inclusive club, and it’s non-contact! Unless you don’t want it to be…

It’s normal to feel a bit shy before coming along to your first session, but we welcome all levels from total beginners to people with years of experience and operate a fully inclusive and friendly atmosphere.

One of your first thoughts was probably something along the lines of: ‘I don’t want to get punched in the face!’ – and the good news is, that’s not going to happen – if you don’t want it to!  

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of our members come to our sessions purely to get fit and learn how to box – and these classes are totally non-contact. These involve bodyweight circuits, pad work with coaches, working on the punch bags, technique drills and other fun team games.

However, a small number of people decide that they want to work towards competing for the university – and we cater for those people too by running separate contact/sparring sessions. That’s totally up to you, most students come to get fit and have fun in a friendly environment – but the option is there to take it to the next level too!

But why boxing, and not another form of exercise?

One of the main benefits of joining the boxing club, is the fact that you’ll start your journey to becoming fitter, happier and healthier. Regardless of where you’re at now, whether you can run a mile or a metre – you’ll see your fitness improve with each session, and build your self-esteem as a result.

So, here’s why lacing up the gloves with us is a better option than your typical workout…

1. Stress relief. Essays, group work, exams and the dreaded dissertation – we know that university life can be stressful, and boxing is a proven way of providing stress relief in a safe environment. The sensation of hitting the pads and punch bags helps you exert your frustrations and releases endorphins in your brain, making you feel a whole lot better afterwards.
2. Fat loss. Boxing burns more calories than any other sport – 800 an hour to be exact. That means that the same time spent in one of our boxing sessions will have you losing a lot more weight than hours in the gym!
3. Improved confidence & self-esteem. Whether you choose to train for fun, or to compete at some stage, you’ll learn how to box – and learning any kind of self-defence is proven to boost your confidence. Becoming fitter and healthier is also proven to improve your mental wellbeing, meaning that as you progress each week you’ll continue to feel better and better.
4. It’s a full-body workout. Boxing uses every muscle in your body, meaning that you’re getting a complete workout and will develop a proportionate physique – there’s no need to do any training outside of class to get good results!

Don’t believe us? You can read more about the health and fitness benefits of boxing in this article from online health & fitness magazine, LiveStrong.

It’s more than just the training sessions…

Of course, joining a university sports club brings with it much more than just the training sessions – and the boxing club is no different. We run socials every Wednesday where you get the chance to go into town with the whole group and the coaches to sample some of Stirling’s nightlife – giving you the chance to let your hair down and make friends with everyone from the club. Oh, and with the help of some beer of course!

Overall, we run the boxing club like a family, so if you’re looking to meet new friends, become a part of something and also get fitter, happier and healthier – we’d love to hear from you! Below you will find all of our contact details and also our training timetable. Your first session is free, enabling you to try it before committing fully, after that a full membership is £40.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Contact: njh00005@students.stir.ac.uk – alternatively, you can contact us via our Facebook page.

Training times:

Monday: 19:30 – 22:00. Studio 1.

Tuesday: 20:00 – 22:00. Alangrange.

Wednesday: 20:00 – 21:00. Studio 1.

Thursday: 19:00 – 22:00. Studio 1.

Friday: 20:00 – 22:00. Studio 1.