This is my boxing trainer Marcelo. I started training with him at Gold's Gym in Venice at the beginning of October. Since I've never boxed before I wasn't sure what to expect but I decided to make a three month commitment and see how I was feeling at the end. This new year marked the end of my trial period and the beginning of something that I'm now really grooving on. Besides keeping me in shape (so I can carry heavy equipment and big lenses), it's a mental challenge.
I have learned that working this hard on a regular basis (two days a week) would never happen if I didn't have a trainer. And I happen to have a great trainer. He's a stickler for good technique and punishes me with ten pushups if I don't get the combinations he calls out right. He punches me when I'm working on my situps to make sure I'm tensing my abs. But it's effective. My abs are tighter, I lost my gut (or at least most of it) and my brain is happy.
In the end, I like the abuse. I meet interesting people. I feel more connected to my neighborhood. It's become a ritual from which I receive empowerment and a chocolate protein drink. How it affects my photography may take some time to evaluate but it gives me a fresh outlook on whatever I focus my attention on next.
