Historically, the high-contact sports of boxing and kickboxing were popular among predominantly male demographics. Yet, increasingly, the practice is becoming well known as a sport that not only offers a plethora of combo moves, but a plethora of benefits for women as well.
Rare is a sport that encompasses peak athleticism, education, self-defense and empowerment. In boxing and kickboxing, it seems Jen Gearheart discovered them all.
“My journey into kickboxing/boxing began after an assault I survived in my early 20’s,” Jen says. “These sports were crucial in my development as a competitive athlete, but for self-defense as well.”
Jen is a second-degree black belt, certified from the Wingate Institute located in Netanya, Israel. She has taught women’s kickboxing for over seven years and competed in Muay Thai. Currently, she teaches Krav Maga — the IDF’s (Israeli Defense Forces) hand-to-hand combat system — at Trevor Prangley’s American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in Hayden. She has a passion for empowering women and embracing their humanity.
When it comes to boxing and kickboxing, she believes these sports offer strength, stamina, speed and agility in dynamic and fun ways, but also give women valuable tools to defend themselves. They offer a shift in perspective on life and what one’s body is capable of.
“Current boxing/kickboxing stigmas are typically hurdles for women to get involved,” Jen says. “Getting away from relative archetypes is important; realizing that women are the ones who need to be in the gym, learning to fight the most. Stigmas of limitations and expectations tend to hold women back.”
» Getting started
Trevor Prangley, the owner of Trevor Prangley’s AKA and a South African mixed martial artist who’s fought in well-known competitions such as the UFC, Strikeforce and King of the Cage, says boxing and kickboxing is as easy as attending a class.
“If you’re a woman who is interested in boxing/kickboxing in the least, I would just give it a try,” says Prangley. “It’s all about learning to be more confident and comfortable out in the world — learning to really defend yourself.”
And there are the body benefits, which include cardiovascular health, muscle strength and balance.
Here are a few tips from the experts for women interested in trying out the sport:
1. Make steps toward squashing your fears — don’t worry about the unknown. Do some research on beginner classes and what to expect. Reach out to local gyms, ask for female instructors and contact information.
2. Surrender the outcome. Don’t worry about finesse — or even having an ounce of technique. In the fight world, the more disheveled you look, the harder you’ve worked.
3. Be kind to yourself. It’s hard work, both physically and mentally. Rest, stretch, hydrate. Journal, meditate, communicate. Talk to instructors, take care of yourself, fuel yourself correctly. N
By Chelsea Thomas
Photography By Joel Riner