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Boxers in the Hot Box
A few nights ago a 20-something boxer was in the sauna. He was wearing a pair of cotton sweat pants and white high-top shoes.
If this wasn’t a live giveaway, his shirt was off to reveal supple musculature rather than bulky, stuff sinews.
And if that wasn’t enough information for the comatose, the fact that we was standing instead of sitting, and was throwing shadow jabs, uppercuts and hooks, ought to be enough.
Ah, the memories this boxer brought to the forefront.
I recall the days when I shadow wrestled in the hot box. I recall pedaling a stationary cycle with cotton and plastic sweats on, as well as a stocking cap to lock in the heat.
I recall the agony of pedaling for 15 minutes to break a sweat in order to make weight and how it taught me to avoid pizza, pasta, bread and grains, which hold onto water weight and don’t allow the sweat to flow.
I also recall being punished with a “game” of push-up poker after skipping an evening study hall while at University of Iowa.
After nearly running me and another wrestler to near extinction, I thought I was getting a breather when Coach Lanny took us into the sauna with two decks of playing cards.
Lanny would flip a card and vocalize how many push-ups we would have to do. Number cards were easy. Face cards counted for 15.
And I will always remember Lanny exclaiming, “Uh-oh. Jokers are WILD! 25 push-ups.”
Those were definitely not the good ole “daze.”
It’s so much easier to sit quietly while observing others, but it’s still not easy.
Yet, the benefits of the sauna kick so much ass they are worthy of my time.
Weight loss, reduced blood pressure, better skin, increased growth hormone and elevated mood are some of the many benefits.
I’ve used the sauna since I was in high school. I’ve used it in ways that are almost unimaginable and not recommended.
If you want to shadow box or shadow wrestle in the sauna, no problem. If you want to exercise a bit, that’s fine, too.
Just don’t attempt to go 15 rounds. Practice in slow motion and keep the intensity light. Let the heat do most of the work.
Matt Furey
By the way, another system of exercises I recommend in the sauna are the tendon postures found in my new course, available at PowerPostures.com
Once again, keep it light. One or two minutes in a posture is enough when you begin. Make haste slowly.
