Beats, Boxing and Burpees: The Full Body Workout That Will Kick Your Butt

We tried the new boxing-based cardio class at LIGHTS//OUT Boxing Club in Fortress Hill. Here’s how we got on…

District: Fortress Hill
How much: Trial class: $150; single class: $275; package of 5: $1,350; package of 10:$2,600; package of 20: $5,000, package of 30: $7,200
Best for: Quick and explosive workouts that pack a punch (pun intended).

When you think of boxing, do you envisage burly men battling it out for a brass belt? Boxing has evolved from being a sport you watch on TV to popular workouts that both fitness fanatics and those starting out are scheduling in to their hectic schedules. Hong Kong is no stranger to marital arts, but breathing new life into the scene is LIGHTS//OUT Boxing Club, a unique, high-intensity boxing and fitness studio that designs its workouts in a party-style atmosphere, complete with immersive lighting and some serious beats.

The first boxing club of its kind in the 852, and inspired by emerging trends in both America and UK, LIGHTS//OUT combines cardio-based boxing workouts with weight and HIIT-style circuit exercises that will make you sweat and burn some serious calories. Each class is 45-minutes, promising eight rounds of alternating boxing on specially designed Aqua Bags and floor circuits, which gradually increase in intensity. It leaves you feeling sore in all the right places. Visual cues are projected on to the walls to keep you focussed and each trainer is dedicated to creating a unique atmosphere that encourages you to leave all of your fears and stress at the door (shout out to Sunny Sydney!). Essentially, founder, Billy Tam wanted to introduce Hong Kongers to “an exciting new way of working out that incorporates not just boxing but also elements of Strength and Conditioning, HIIT, and AMRAPS, in an environment where your senses are totally immersed in the experience and you can let go and have fun while pushing yourself to the limit.” Intrigued? So were we! Read on to find out how we got on when the lights went out…

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Name: Mansha, Partnerships Manager
Experience Level: So, which foot forward when throwing a punch?!
Favourite Exercise: Uppercut
During the class, I felt… In the zone, great music combined with equal parts of cardio, weights and boxing made the workout so much fun. The 45-minutes flew by!
Afterward, I felt… Like I had had a total body workout! My arms were a good kinda sore. I felt strong and there is something extremely empowering about learning how to punch properly!
In an Emoji: 💪

Name: Surmayee, Partnerships Manager
Experience Level: I’ve dabbled in boxing based workouts before, but am more into weightlifting.
Favourite Exercise: The freestyle rounds on the punching bags – I got to let my body’s instincts take over and combined the basic moves I learned with my natural movement patterns.
During the class, I felt… super pumped! It’s impossible not to, with the club-like lights, upbeat music and, of course, Sandy, our experienced trainer who encouraged us to give the workout our all, but also have fun doing it (dance break, anyone?).
Afterward, I felt… Ready to kickstart my day and power through my to-do list!
In an Emoji: 👊

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Name: Bea Hug, Designer
Experience Level: Muay Thai + Mai Tai’s more my boxing speed.
Favourite Exercise: Freestyle Boxing! I loved being able to unleash whatever I wanted to the beat of the music.
During the class, I felt… In awe. This totally unique space had me gawking all around. From the high-tech wall projections to keep track of your workouts to the jewel-toned lights and colours, LIGHTS//OUT is worth a look.
Afterward, I felt… Like it went by so quick! Four rounds of HIIT and four rounds of boxing sounds like my personal nightmare but the vibe, music and energetic instructor made it speed on by.
In an Emoji: 🚀

Read more: This is Why You Should Sign up for an MMA Class

Name: Tania, Associate Editor
Experience Level: I used to dabble in a bit of Muay Thai but I had never experienced a more general boxing-based workout. This made me want to put my gloves back on!
Favourite Exercise: Boxing combinations – going from jabs to hooks to upper cuts work your body and completely silence the mind. It’s very therapeutic.
During the class, I felt… energised. The pounding music, flashing lights and enthusiastic instructor, Sandy, made the class resemble more of a club than a gym. There was even a salsa break moment in the warmup.
Afterward, I felt… starving! 20 minutes of boxing and 20 minutes of HIIT later – all I could think about was getting some fuel into me. The Barebell Caramel Cashew Protein Bar has got me through a good amount of morning workouts.
In an Emoji: 💃

Read more: 8 Workouts for People Who Hate to Work Out

Name: Elle, Partnerships Manager
Experience Level: I’ve tried a few boxing style classes, but it was my first time at a boxing studio
Favourite Exercise: Freestyle boxing on the punch bag, you can totally get into this in the dark room with the music pumping!
During the class, I felt… Excited to be trying out a boxing class that feels fun and isn’t intimidating at all. The class was a fantastic workout, mixing cardio HIIT and boxing exercises. The energetic instructors went through the moves slowly and gave variations depending on how hard you wanted to push yourself.
Afterward, I felt… Hungry! You’ll definitely burn some calories in this class.
In an Emoji: 🔥

Read more: 5 Ways To Transform Your Body Into Wonder Woman’s

Name: Lexi Davey, Editor
Experience Level: Last year I had a lapse in better judgement and signed up for an 11-week MMA programme, but by no means would I consider myself ‘experienced’.
Favourite Exercise: It’s no surprise everybody loved the freestyle round, it was without doubt, a great stress-reliever and the perfect start to a tiring Tuesday morning. I’ve never been a huge fan of HIIT-style and circuit based workouts (burpees? No thank you), so I appreciate that the class kept it interesting with rounds of boxing combos. And a quick dance break in between sets was only polite.
During the class, I felt… ready to rock it. Normally I’m gasping for air and keen to throw in the towel pretty quickly (wine over workouts any day of the week), but LIGHTS//OUT has only reaffirmed by love for boxing-based fitness, and for that, I’m thankful!
Afterward, I felt… it in my shoulders. OUCH!
In an Emoji: 💯

SASSY PERK: To spread the love and keep the party going, LIGHTS//OUT is giving Sassy readers the chance to snap up a *FREE trial class (normally $150) until Saturday, 30 June 2018. To redeem, send an email to [email protected] with reservation details and mention “LIGHTS//OUT loves Sassy” in the subject line!

* Not valid for existing members or people who have joined LIGHTS//OUT before
* In the case of any dispute, LIGHTS//OUT reserves the right of final decision on all matters

LIGHTS//OUT Boxing Club, 3/F, Block C, Seaview Estate, 8 Watson Road, Causeway Bay (Fortress Hill MTR Exit A), Hong Kong, Email: [email protected], Tel: 2512 2262, www.lightsouthk.com,  www.instagram.com/lightsouthk

Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 7.00am – 8.30 pm, Saturday – Sunday: 9.30am – 1.30pm