Boxing classes in Retiro (in English) with Madrid for Refugees
Want to get sweaty and learn how to hit people?
Or get fit in the great outdoors?
Come to fitness and boxing classes in Retiro!
That’s right…
A couple of friends who are helping out the refugees here in Madrid have set up some fitness and boxing classes in Parque Retiro on Saturday mornings at 11:30.
The teacher is from Gambia, and he’s working as a trainer to get back on his feet after arriving in Spain – the classes are about half fitness and half boxing, and it’s a lot of fun.
Like I said, it’s Saturday mornings, and it costs 6 euros. If you want the exact details, drop me a line and I’ll see you there.
The location is a bit hard to describe, but basically it’s right outside Metro Retiro. Here’s a map: bit.ly/jabcrossboxing
The classes are in English, but I’m sure that even if you don’t speak too much English, you’ll enjoy it. It’s more visceral than linguistic – all you have to do is follow along..
I’ve been going almost every Saturday since it started in February 2016, and it’s great!
Anyway, I’m a big fan of fitness, and of martial arts in general…
Fitness and boxing classes in Retiro Park – Saturdays!
Ready to feel the burn?
You know you’re getting a good workout when just the warmup seems like you couldn’t possibly do more, but then… you actually start exercising. My abs still hurt two days later.
What I really like about martial arts is that it puts “hard” back in perspective.
You think studying for some exam is hard?
Really?
Come to Retiro and work out with us. We’ll show you hard.
(Check out my article about The Comfort Crisis for more about that.)
Anyway, like I said, contact me for details if you want to come. And if you’re interested in helping out the refugees, head over to the Madrid for Refugees Facebook group and see what you can do. (I donated half the contents of my closet to them last year.)
Here are some of the other participants. Representing the USA, India, and the Philippines, as well as Gambia.
The people change week to week, but there are always plenty of different nationalities – we have “regulars” from the USA, the UK, Ireland, Australia, the Philippines, India and more.
You should come… The more the merrier!
Questions about fitness and boxing classes in Madrid
Some of the questions I get frequently:
Q: Do I need gloves?
A: Eventually, but not the first time. We have some extras.
Q: Are the classes female friendly?
A: Of course! We have plenty of women coming to our classes.
Q: Am I going to get punched in the face?
A: Not unless you want to be. For the most part we do a bodyweight fitness workout and then hit the pads for a while.
Q: What should I bring?
A: Water! And maybe a mat or towel to do abs on. If you have boxing stuff – hand wraps, gloves, a jumprope – bring them too.
Q: Do I need to reserve a spot, or do I just show up?
A: Better to contact me in some way or another. But we’re there basically every Saturday, unless it’s raining or something – and sometimes even if it is.
That’s about it. Let me know if you have any more questions, and I’ll answer them here.
Keep it real, y’all.
Mr. Chorizo.
P.S. I have an article over here about learning Spanish by dating Spaniards… And don’t forget the classic 7 things you should know before dating a Spanish girl. All of this begs the question… Which is more painful: getting punched in the face, or dating someone from a different culture? Hit me up in the comments!
P.P.S. I wrote this more than a year ago, but it’s still on: boxing classes in Retiro park, every Saturday. We have our own Facebook page now: Jab Cross Training.
P.P.P.S. Our trainer, Gibril, is available for personal training during the week as well. Get in touch with him on Instagram and see what he does.
