2. I love to box, but I’m such
a novice I still get out of
breath during round one.
That doesn’t stop me from
loving the attempt to pull
together a combination or
two. To that end, I found
myself lured to the new
chain of fitness centers
owned and operated by
former Wall Streeter and
boxing aficionado Steven
Wade. His newest location
in the Costa Verde shopping
center in La Jolla is in the
final stages of build-out, but
already fully functional on
one floor, where I watched
an intense group workout
that took my breath away.
Story by Bree Walker • Photography by Martin Mann
www.NImagazine.com 119
3. What is so attractive
about Steve’s
program is that for
as little as $65 per
month, a member
has unlimited access
to come literally any
time of the day and
find a wide range
of workouts of
varying intensity.
120 Spring/Summer 2005
4. A diverse group of members ranging in age from early
twenties to late fifties were pushed to the limits in a variety
of cardiovascular exercises, including punching heavy
bags, sprinting around the room, jumping rope, medicine
ball tossing, and old fashioned calisthenics, drill sergeant
style. Included in this hour were basic core strengthening
routines, including Pilates and yoga-style stretching and
floor mat work. This was a workout for individuals serious
about fitness, but entrepreneur Wade says that The Boxing
Club training programs are designed for people of all fitness
levels. Customized group workouts occur nearly every hour,
in addition to competitively priced one-on-one training for
clients who want to focus on specific body parts. His state of
the art elliptical machines, treadmills, and stationary bikes are
all hooked up to cable TV, so news junkies like me won’t miss
a minute of infotainment. What is so attractive about Steve’s
program is that for as little as $65 per month, a member has
unlimited access to come literally any time of the
day and find a wide range of workouts of varying
intensity. Upstairs, where this high intensity “boxing
class” was going on, I put on my gloves to work with
Steven in the Boxing Club’s centerpiece, a high-tech
floored boxing ring that showcases anyone willing
to show off his or her sparring technique. It humbled
me.
As Steven and I finished posing, Wade asked me
if I’d ever tried kickboxing. “I took a course in Krav
Maga self-defense a long time ago in Los Angeles,
where I did some kick moves, but no, kickboxing.
I’ve never tried–should I be scared?” Steve laughed,
walked me to the heavy bags, and showed me a few
basic maneuvers like how to rotate my torso and
pivot from my anchored foot to create a powerful
impact from my instep. Getting my knee high enough
to create height for the impact while not losing my
balance, is the first goal in a class for kickboxing.
Again, I was humbled.
The Boxing Club was purchased by Wade when he
was an investor on Wall Street. He came across the
opportunity to buy out the fitness chain, and that was all it took for him
to move his family to the sunny side of a healthier lifestyle. His love
of boxing and helping clients get in
shape is the driving force behind the
goal of expanding The Boxing Club
throughout the country. His San
Diego clubs have a steadily growing
clientele of fitness enthusiasts who
understand their worst enemy is
workout boredom. “What our clientele
already understands when they come
here is that the factory environment
of many workout clubs inevitably
leads to drone-like malaise, and kills
your motivation to go to the club. We
know the difference and we do it in a
competitively-priced way.”
I know I’ll be back, looking for another dose of humility and inspiration.
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FIGHTING FITNESS: THE BOXING CLUB
www.NImagazine.com
