BEHIND THE BOXXER: RACHEL BOWER

As the BoxxMethods newest blog contributor I thought I should take the opportunity to introduce myself and explain how I developed an obsession with boxing to set the scene for my future blog posts.

I was a late comer to competitive boxing starting in my 20’s, but I soon caught the bug and was both competing and coaching within a year. I was a young Police Officer and used my contacts to set up community projects and youth diversion schemes.  I also coached the new boxers on the Police team, for whom I was competing.  I was lucky that my coach was an early advocate for female boxing.  We had the strongest female squad in the country at the time and it was us, not the men, who were bringing the silverware home.

After a short break to concentrate on coaching, I returned to competition for two seasons boxing for a well-established Amateur club. Again, I was fortunate to have a coach invested in female boxing and sparring partners that forced me to up my game.  Healthy competition and an expectation of excellence enabled me to finally achieve my goals, a national title and representing my country.

I retired from competition in 2015 and joined my former coach at a new club where I coach both children and adults twice a week. I still coach fellow Police Officers and play a central role organising shows and community projects with partners such as The Princes Trust.

I am on the National Governing Body’s (England Boxing) Coach Education Subcommittee where I am involved in designing new coaching courses and I’ve been asked to be a panel member on the consultation on Female Boxing.

I still work full time meaning shift work, unsocial hours and compulsory overtime so my life is constant scheduling, juggling and prioritising. One thing I do prioritise is my health and as a former elite athlete who trained every day I miss the buzz intense exercise gave me. I also want to ‘practice what I preach’ and feel a responsibility to eat well and keep fit when I am encouraging others to do the same. This is why I am now a ‘Boxxer’, and those of you who have been with the BoxxMethod from the beginning may remember me from the early workouts, shadow boxing in the background.  As I’ve swapped training for coaching the time I now have to workout has drastically diminished, cue Boxx Method workouts in my living room, stealing twenty minutes in the gym before I start coaching and popping into the occasional boxing related class if it fits around my shifts. My boxing addiction is in full swing as I notice now more than ever the effects of long periods of time without a workout.  For me it’s all about feeling good and nothing beats mastering a new combination or the endorphin rush of a HIIT workout that annihilates the days stress. I’m guessing you are reading this as a ‘Boxxer’ who values similar results and I hope to share my passion for the Sweet Science and its benefits with you through this blog.

If you want to take a look at the videos Rachel is in, you will find them under BoxxHIIT. If you haven't already sign up for your FREE 10 DAY TRIAL here