More than “Just” Boxing

As Capricorns, we aim for perfection and one thing I can tell you about myself is, when I want something, I don’t stop till I get it.

I believe that trying new things is what life is all about. The more you experiment the more you learn about yourself and what makes you happy. I have been told that everything in life comes with hard work and patience; and we won’t understand the true meaning of this statement until we achieve our goals, one at a time.

I grew up listening to the phrase “Practice makes Perfect”… My mom and brother continuously told me this phrase as a motivation for me to practice piano more, however I never took it seriously. As I grew older, I started to value this phrase and use it as a push for me to keep moving forward and achieve higher in whatever I was doing.

I was never attracted to any type of sport such as basketball, football, or volleyball… I always found myself on the complete extreme, the arts. I did ballet for about 9 years and I have been dancing salsa and ballroom dance for about 5 years. However, my relationship with other sports such as running has and continues to be a struggle (I’ll tell you about that soon. :D)

I lost most of my flexibility soon after stopping ballet, devastating isn’t it? However, as I started working out, doing yoga every once in a while, and now boxing, my body is slowly regaining some of the lost flexibility.

I have recently started boxing, and although it’s only been a short 3 months, I never imagined myself developing a passion towards it.

The first few sessions of boxing classes were a bit boring and dull and it is the beginner phase that is the hardest. Most people tend to be impatient and stop since they do not see improvements or results. Usually, I am one of those impatient people, however I believed in myself and in the idea of wanting to learn boxing. Once I have that conviction, no one can stop me from working for what I want. I was doing movements that felt weird and my body did not quite understand what was going on.Now, I anxiously look forward to every boxing session. I am actually learning Chinese boxing, which not only includes pure boxing but also footwork and lots of kicks. Every class is a challenge to me; even if I do not learn a new move, I learn something new about myself, my body,my strength. I have found a beauty in repetition, and am enjoying every step as I grasp the technique behind the moves better. It is through experiences like these that I have come to learn the true meaning of persistence, patience, and perseverance.

Follow me on Instagram Beirut Fitness, where I share videos tracking my progress.

Photos taken by my dear friend and talented photographer Patrick Sawaya