Archive for August, 2010
BOXING 101 is here …and so is JAIME!!!
Posted by: | CommentsI love the summer, but by late August I am soo ready for change!! The cool, crisp days of Fall, Harvest Moon nights…I’m ready!! And STRIKING BEAUTIES is making some changes as well. Introducing BOXING 101… our 4 week/8 class program designed to teach you everything you need to know about boxing. Well ok, not everything…but more than you will learn in any class, anywhere! See, after our first year in business, we sat back and reflected on our classes, our members, our mission and our goal. Every day more and more women were walking into SB wanting to box. Most had never been in a boxing gym let alone hit a bad or spar in a ring. But they would try our 30 minute Intro to Basic Boxing, stay for the 60 minute Traditional Boxing class and fall in love with the gloves! As soon as they join, they dive right in and want more, more, more!!! More classes, more info, more knowledge… it’s like they can’t get enough!!
But we wondered…were our newest members, especially those with little or no experience, getting the most they could out of our classes? It was obvious they were loving it–the stress-relief, the empowerment, the toned body and the 800-1000 calories they were burning in every class! But were they really getting the most out of our classes? Did they have a thorough understanding of what they were doing? Did they have a solid enough foundation of the basic elements of boxing? Our classes are awesome but our primary focus in class is giving you the best workout on this planet! Sure we watch and critique and comment and correct, but in a fast-paced, hard-working, non-stop 60 minute class are we really giving our members enough instruction upon which to build? So we wondered, how can we make it even better for our members? How could we best prepare them for our hard-core classes ? We could encourage them to spend a ton of money and sign-up for a dozen private lessons. Obviously private and semi-private lessons will provide the most thorough understanding of boxing but that’s just not practical for most women and their wallets. Sure privates are wonderful, and we have definitely the trainers to transform your body and mind. But SB is not just another private training studio. SB was created to give all women the opportunity to train like a real boxer or become one, without having to spend a fortune. Besides, the best part of SB is the support, encouragement and fun that every woman gives and receives in our classes.
So we created BOXING 101 and require that you successfully complete the program before you can take any of our scheduled boxing classes. (But you can try all of our non-boxing classes while participating in BOXING 101)
We are really excited about BOXING 101 and our new approach to introducing you to boxing’s rigorous yet incredibly addictive workout! BOXING 101 offers a step-by-step approach to learning the fundamentals of boxing. In an intimate setting (we max out the camp with 5 participants per session!) you’ll begin at the very beginning- learning how to properly wrap your hands and jump rope- and progress over the 4 weeks, with each class building upon the previous one. We will teach you proper boxing stance and footwork, how to correctly throw a jab, a right hand and a hook and, most importantly, how to slip, duck and defend.
But the best part of BOXING 101 is that the program includes a pair of boxing gloves, hand wraps, towel and a bag for it all! What better way to embark upon your boxing ambition! Oh, and don’t worry about the workout part. This program is not only designed to methodically teach you how to box, but it will also focus on jump starting your body and getting you physically prepared to engage in our scheduled boxing classes upon your completion. And don’t forget, BOXING 101 also gives you unlimited classes (EXCEPT Boxing) during your 4 week session!
PM SESSION will be MONDAY/WEDNESDAYS at 7:30pm. AM SESSIONS will be TUESDAY/THURSDAYS at 10:30am.
The first PM SESSION begins next WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST & the first AM SESSION commences on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2nd.
SPACE IS LIMITED !!! CALL and RESERVE TODAY!!! (Membership not required).
Next item….join us for our SEPTEMBER OPEN HOUSE. Date to be announced. Any vendors who are interested in setting up are welcome to contact us and leave your information. It’s looking to be fun-filled, music-filled day!!! Stay tuned for details!!
And last, but certainly not least, JAIME IS BACK!!! Although not yet able to physically participate in classes, Jaime’s voice has as much power as her fists and that alone will whip our butts into shape!!! So don’t miss her on Sunday mornings at 8:30am!!
See you at the gym!
It is how we face adversity that defines our character.
Posted by: | CommentsIt was to be the night. Black Eyed Peas were belting out “I Got A Feeling” and we knew it was gonna be the night. Jaime had been training hard for weeks and confidence oozed out of every perfectly sculpted muscle in her toned body. Strutting through the doors of the Hard Rock Casino, “The Hurricane” parted the sea of Holly Holm fans and made her way toward the ring. As the crowd erupted in excitement, the voices of her Rhode Island entourage carried loud and clear out of section B. “JAIME” “JAIME” “JAIME”. Hundreds of native Holm fans surrounded the ring as our girl gracefully stepped between the ropes and claimed the ring as her own. Moments later Holly bounced down the aisle and hopped into the ring. Pacing from corner to corner like a rabid kangaroo , “The Preacher’s Daughter” had seen the light and it was clear that only prayers or a miracle could save her. The opponents met in the center of the ring. Cloaked in self-confidence, Jaime maintained control while Holly’s nervousness kept her skipping like a senile jack rabbit. Moments later, the 1st of a 10 Round fight began. Both athletes moving around the ring, testing, watching and anticipating the other’s next move. As the clock ticked towards the end of the 2 minute round, the boxers continued to circle the ring. The 10 second signal sounded. That’s when it happened. Holm threw a punch. Jaime slipped it as she ducked low. And in the next instant, with a whip of her hip, Holly thrust her lower body forward, colliding with Jaime’s head. Suddenly she heard a pop. Falling to her knees, Jaime felt the pain radiate down her arm and neck, causing her to feel numbness and no more.
At 1:53 of the 1st Round, the fight was over. The crowd was in shock, no one spoke or dared move. Jaime lay there on the canvas, tears running down her face, devastated by the outcome, frightened of the future. The referee ruled it a TKO and Holly was declared the winner. As Jaime lay on the canvas scared, confused and unable to move, Holly celebrated her “victory” with her traditional backflip. As the doctors surrounded Jaime, bandaging her arm/shoulder/neck and eventually helping her to her feet, Holly continued posing for the cameras with her unearned World Title belt. Jaime rested in her dressing room before being transported to the hospital (accompanied by her husband Ryan, trainer Kurt and body guard/private physician Melissa) for several hours of examinations, x-rays and injections of pain medication. Neither Holly nor her representatives came to check on her condition.
Life is so unpredictable. This was the one outcome that was never seriously contemplated. Jaime coming home with her 5th World Title was the likely result. Jaime losing after a 10 round fight was a possibility, albeit a slight one at best. But losing a World Title bout because of a freak injury in the 1st Round—an injury NOT caused by a punch but by a hip-check to the head, an MMA-style move that is rarely if ever seen in boxing—that was heart-breaking, disappointing and enormously tragic. It was certainly one of the worst ways to lose – or win – a title fight.
So what does the future hold? This was to be Jaime’s final fight. After years and years of training, taking off only 12 months to have her beautiful baby girl, Jaime was ready to focus on the next stage of her life. Now what? No one knows. Jaime is improving although the pain and numbness still persist. But what about the fear that ravaged her as she heard her neck snap and went numb? Jaime is no light-weight. She has fought with 2 broken hands. But this was different. The idea of a broken neck, of paralysis, of never being able to run around with her little girl let alone fight again…these are the thoughts that haunt you following this type of injury. Sure, it could happen to anyone and sure, rollerblading or skiing are probably more likely to leave you with broken bones. But Jaime fought for 2 decades without ever experiencing such a frightening injury until what was to be the final fight of her career. So we are left to ponder the million dollar question…will Jaime step back into the ring one last time?
Right now, we don’t know. I don’t think even Jaime knows. But there is one thing that I DO know… An amazing woman with integrity and tenacity, Jaime’s career has forever impacted women in boxing. Moreover, her grace and professionalism during this misfortune have illuminated her character and raised the standards of sportsmanlike conduct. Whether she continues her journey inside the ring or outside the ropes, Jaime will forever influence the future of women’s boxing. Jaime “The Hurricane” Clampitt Hayes is the face of women’s boxing.
Jaime “The Hurricane” Clampitt vs. Holly Holmes
Posted by: | CommentsOnly 3 more days until the fight we have all been waiting for!!! Our own Jaime Hayes will be going for her 5th World Title in New Mexico this Friday, August 6th at the Hard Rock Casino. Watching how hard Jaime has trained over the past weeks, all I can say is WOW! I have never met a more dedicated, hard-working, focused woman in my life!
But Jaime’s unbelievable boxing skills are only one part of what makes her so damn amazing!! Beyond being an awesome boxer, trainer and instructor, Jaime is a wonderful, loving, doting mom, a true friend, a sweet, loyal, honest, genuine woman … and beautiful to top it off!!!
I know I am not alone in my awe and inspiration. So, on behalf of all of our members I want to say Thank You! We are so lucky to have you as our role model, our mentor and our own personal drill Sargent! We are so proud of you Jaime!!
Jaime is already in New Mexico and we leave on Thursday morning. I believe the fight can be seen live on the web, but check for updates and details on our Facebook page.
Classes will still be held at their regular days and times, so get into the gym and work hard!
See you all on Sunday!!!