Having done my fair share of 'boxercise' – a spin-off of the real deal sans the broken jaw – I wasn't a complete boxing novice when I signed up to kickboxing-inspired studio(-cum-nightclub), Flykick

I was, however, a newbie to the endurance of 'AMRAP' (as many rounds as possible) high-intensity training and the kickboxing that forms the 'Flykick formula'. Boxing is notorious for its discipline – and two weeks of Flykick's signature 55-minute workout was as much of a mental test as it was physical. 


Josephine, mid-burpee, wears leggings and bra from plant-based activewear brand, Carrot Banana Peach.

Following a brief warm up, the class launches into a mixture of bodyweight moves like burpees, planks and plyometric squats for its AMRAP section of three rounds. Encouraged to empty the tank over the three-minute long sequences, it's a workout in itself to feel proud of; Flykick trainers dub it the "hardest part", which I second for its relentless nature. The mental challenge was in knowing the worst was yet to come.



But the way Flykick have designed their formula is cunning: you're able to catch your breath over a five-minute full body stretch ahead of the bag roundsDeep breathing in pigeon pose is the trick to keeping piping-hot cheeks at bay, while enjoying juicy hip-flexor stretches means you'll prevent any injuries that might ensue from thrashing around on the bag. 

Refreshed and psyched up, eight boxing routines and a core blast are all that stand between you and the finish line. Giving the trainers your full attention as they demonstrate the combinations is key: each round, of two and a half minutes, builds on the former with new moves thrown in – be in an upper hook, a jab or a rear leg kick – so missing the next sequence means you'll be freestyling. If, indeed, you find yourself jabbing and kicking at random, you'll also find the attentive trainers are quick to get you back on track. 


An action shot if we've ever seen one.

It was about three rounds in when I was truly in the zone: focused on letting go with every punch and keeping my guard up, I took down my imaginary opponent with every strike. And I left each class on an endorphin-high with my mind reset. Flykick aided me in getting back on track after an exercise hiatus and it brought greater tone to my body, though much like many intense workouts, muscle soreness was part and parcel with these sessions. But you know what they say: no pain, no gain



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