Boxing Yoga in Bryanston with Yaela Orelowitz

As a Yoga teacher, wellness coach and fitness trainer, a central part of my approach is keeping abreast of emerging trends while never stopping learning and experimenting with movement. How else could I confidently suggest the right options to my clients? I had been meaning to try Boxing Yoga for a long time, and on Sunday I finally had the opportunity to co-host a Boxing Yoga class at my new studio in Bryanston.

Developed at Total Boxer in London in 2012, Boxing Yoga has steadily become more popular. It was created to support both recreational and competitive fighters, but it offers a fun, demanding workout whatever your fitness level or boxing experience.

Its benefits include enhanced physical strength, stamina and flexibility, injury prevention, optimal performance and well being.

Boxing Yoga has become hugely popular across the UK and Europe, and is now also practised in California and New Zealand.

Boxing Yoga in South Africa

Thanks to Yaela Orelowitz, the South African Boxing Yoga representative, we are able to experience this distinctive practice here.

Many of you will know that I have a solid Martial Arts background, ranging from Kobu Jitsu to Kung Fu, with a little Tai Chi too. From my first meeting with Yaela, I knew I needed to try Boxing Yoga. We chose to collaborate, bringing together our respective areas of expertise.

This is what we chose to create together…..

Our Bryanston Boxing Yoga class

I led a high-intensity 20-minute boxing class. It reminded me how much I have missed this style of training, both as an instructor and as a participant. It is all about that ‘back sweat.’ Air punches, drills, kicks… I love it!

Afterwards, Yaela gave us a brief introduction to the origins, philosophy and benefits of Boxing Yoga. Yaela reminded us to enjoy the unfamiliar movements and not to take ourselves too seriously!

What to expect

The flow of Boxing Yoga is slower than I had anticipated. Its purpose is to help you feel grounded and give you space to concentrate properly. It includes every familiar component of a traditional boxing class-the bobbing, weaving and jabbing-but at a slower pace, blended with Warrior poses and lunges. From the outset, it is clear that significant care and thought have gone into the methodology and foundation poses of Boxing Yoga.

The session also brings in playful arm balances, side planks and energising sequences found in a traditional vinyasa class, all while retaining a strong focus on boxing techniques.

Yaela is an excellent teacher. Her spoken guidance is purposeful and very straightforward to follow, and she truly embodies Boxing Yoga. She demonstrates every movement and explains each progression step by step. Yaela is also brilliant at reading the group class dynamic and identifying ways to connect with each participant individually.

I’m hoping we can repeat our combo class in the near future!

In the meantime, to find out more about classes at my studio in Bryanston, please email me at [email protected].

For further information about Boxing Yoga, contact Yaela at [email protected].