Thanks guys!
You're both true ambassadors for your sports. Your accounts are really inspiring and highlight the values and benefits of the different types of boxing. To conclude, I'll leave you with this very relevant comment by Anthony:
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This article doesn't aim to prove which style of boxing is better.It simply aims to give you an overview of the benefits of Boxing and Savate as seen by practitioners of each discipline. One thing is for sure, reading Julien and Anthony's passionate accounts will give you an itch to get boxing!
Julien, outshock product manager: boxing enthusiast
Julien, how did you get into boxing?
I got into boxing through a friend who suggested I take a trial lesson at his club, and I was immediately hooked! At the beginning boxing was a side line, something I did alongside my swimming, but I was looking for an alternative sport.
How has it helped you?
Boxing allowed me to combine a muscle workout and a cardio workout and still enjoy myself. All the exercises are fun and educational, and make training really fun!
For me, boxing is extremely strategic: the noble art! It's really interesting to see the strategies of the great boxing champions! It's a real game of chess, you need to hit without taking a hit! This style of boxing involves more moving around and really works on your physical condition.
For me, boxing is a very good way to manage my emotions and channel my energy. You always need to keep a cool head when it comes to boxing! Strength of mind is really important and serves me really well all the time!
Do you have a special message for anyone who hasn't tried boxing before?
I've been boxing for 10 years now and I really love to promote the sport, which unfortunately still suffers from some prejudices. The atmosphere and training sessions are very friendly and helping one another is a shared value among boxers.
So don't hold back, give it a try, whether just for an hour or for life, to release stress or get back into sport, I'd recommend that everyone out there get themselves to a boxing club and discover the many benefits of this sport!
Anthony, quechua social media manager: savate enthusiast
So Anthony, how did you get into Savate?
I tried out a number of different sports when I was a kid (circus school, rugby, climbing, etc.), then later I went with a secondary school friend to their Savate training sessions. To be honest, at the time I was a bit put off by the violence I associated with the sport and the bloody-faced images of the fighters on films and televised fights. I soon discovered that it was a much more elegant and gentler sport than I'd thought. Elegant in the sense that the simultaneous footwork and punches requires a lot of control and promises very smooth, airy, full-on exchanges. Gentle because I quickly learnt to contradict the stereotypes, mainly by discovering the difference between the assault (points awarded for touches and technique) and combat (full strikes) categories.
How has it helped you?
I quickly fell in love with it, particularly the very complete workout the sport gives you: it combines the upper and lower body, the muscles, cardio, speed, flexibility and mental abilities. Even today I still feel that I've got a good cardio foundation in the other sports I do (mainly running) because of it.
Another important thing: I've always found great respect both from my colleagues at the club as well as from my opponents. No matter the outcome of the fight, to me the salute has always seemed an important way of separating the combat phase of the sport from the return to real life. Of course, because we all need to start somewhere, supporting, teaching, learning, and helping one another are always important for progressing in a very technical sport.
Do you have a special message for anyone who hasn't tried Savate before?
Something which also really surprised me was that I expected to be training in a very masculine environment. But at the three clubs I attended (in the North of Francs, in Paris and in the Alps), there was always a very challenging female presence! Admittedly, flexibility isn't usually a male preserve...
While I slowed down my training after my studies, Savate remains a sport that I love and would highly recommend! The first step is always the hardest, and you need to be able to let go of prejudices to make the most of this highly technical and noble sport. Apart from the official clothing - I must say that a unitard... well...
Andrew
ANDREW, PRIVILEGED INTERVIEWER AND COMBAT SPORTS ENTHUSIAST
