The author recounts their experience training at boxing gyms in Accra, Ghana, where they participated in intense workouts that included running, bag work, pad work, and learning intricate combinations. Despite the physical challenges of the workouts, the author found the experience to be enjoyable and invigorating, attributing this to the hospitality of the gyms and the passion for boxing that was palpable among the trainers and athletes. Additionally, the author appreciated the opportunity to train in a gym filled with people who looked like them, as they often feel isolated as a Black woman in fitness studios in Manhattan.
The training sessions at Attoh Quarshie Boxing Club and Sea View Boxing Gym involved increasingly complex combinations of punches and footwork, challenging the author both physically and mentally. Despite the grueling workouts, the author found the experience to be energizing and rewarding, in contrast to the sense of drudgery they often feel during workouts in the United States. The atmosphere of camaraderie and shared passion for the sport among the trainers and athletes in Accra made the training sessions more enjoyable and fulfilling.
The most challenging workout of the week for the author was a session that involved running laps on the sand, running up and down a steep staircase, and performing high knees and jumping jacks. Despite the difficulty of the workout, the author found it to be empowering and invigorating, pushing their physical limits and leaving them feeling accomplished and energized. The experience of training alongside Ghana’s national boxing team, the Black Bombers, further added to the sense of camaraderie and shared passion for the sport.
The author reflects on the differences between their experience training in Ghana and their usual workouts in Manhattan, noting that the hospitality and sense of community in the Ghanaian gyms made the experience more enjoyable and fulfilling. Working out in a gym full of people who looked like them was a rare and empowering experience for the author, who is often one of the few women of color in fitness studios in Manhattan. The trainers and athletes in Accra were welcoming and generous with their time and skill, creating a supportive and inclusive environment for the author to train in.
Each training session in Accra ended with a communal activity such as singing, dancing, or prayer, which added a sense of grounding and joy to the experience. The author felt a surge of endorphins and slept deeply each night, feeling physically and mentally revitalized by the workouts. The overall experience of training in Accra was one of empowerment, connection, and rejuvenation, leaving the author with a newfound appreciation for the sport of boxing and the community of athletes and trainers they encountered.
