A woman who overcame mental illness launches women’s boxing program in Cardiff. Can boxing empower women with strength and confidence?
Punch after punch, the gloves collided with the hand target, making a clear sound. Inside the boxing room, women are fighting in pairs. These ladies are ready in their sportswear, smiling and full of energy.
Leanne Kamanda, 41 , a female boxing teacher, also a mother of two children. “I did boxing all the way up until one week before I give birth. l went twice a week, and I didn’t miss any session,” says Leanne.
But even with such positive attitude, Leanne has gone through some terrible times, during which she once felt confused and lost.
“I got diagnosed with mental health issues at the age of 20. Medication helped me control my depressions. But it’s a state of numbness, it’s like you have no feelings, no flaws,” says Leanne.
“I also have experienced some bad relationships before. I realized that I should be my own emotional stabilizer,” says Leanne, “Doing boxing can let me out and push myself. I like to do things as an activity to get with people. ” This is why Leanne started helping other women with sports.
“Raise your front hand high and punch directly,” Leanne is standing at the forefront of the room, demonstrating how to hit the target quickly, “Maintaining your center of gravity and never let your hand down.”
“Maybe someone have never thrown a punch in their life, believe this session, they will know how to punch and how to do maneuvers,” Leanne expresses the sense of fulfillment she gets when she teaches someone a new routine and consequently they feel good afterwards.
“I have different personal trainers, I also trained with boys. The harder the opponent hits, the more excited I feel,” says Leanne. She always remembers the exciting feeling during that fight. That kind of pleasure comes from the feeling of proving that she is a strong opponent.
According to faculty of medicine in University of Toronto, boxing not only exercises muscles but also has benefits for mental health. Boxing can release stress, improve mood, attention, and self-esteem.
Dia Taylor-Naylor, 29, says that these classes have helped her to overcome her own issues with anxiety. “As a young woman with a background of mental health issues, I have found it hard to access health and fitness support. The boxing class is a perfect time in my recovery to work on my wellbeing, and I feel confident enough to come regularly and work on my fitness.”
In Leanne’s class, women in different ages gather here, they have different body shapes, fitness levels, but they can do boxing together to get fit and have confidence.
“Being with likeminded women means feeling empowered and I’m so grateful,” says Taylor.
The impact of social media on women’s anxiety is becoming increasingly evident recently. By showcasing constantly perfect appearance, life, and success, women have intensified the pressure on their own figure and life.
“Women are strong, they can be independent, whether mothers, sisters,” says Leanne, “I think we should make man aware that women are strong and powerful.”
“Nothing that a woman cannot do in this day and age,” says Leanne, talking about how women discover their ability, how to use the strength and resilience to support lives, rather than defined by social media’s beauty standards.
Boxing is a practice that can overcome fear quickly. All social identities can be discarded when doing boxing. It just only needs to focus on how to attack quickly and dodge punches from opponent.
“I was in low spirits for a long time. We have the same experience,” says Danielle John, 43, another participant of this session, also a leader of charity program, “When I am doing boxing, it’s like a patchwork, is actually releases the drama.”
Due to the apparent combative nature of boxing, it’s often viewed as a masculine sport. But in recent decades, women’s boxing has emerged as a powerful force. Especially with women’s boxing included as an Olympic event at the 2012 London Olympics, it showcased the skills and athletic abilities of female boxers to a global audience, inspiring countless women to engage in this sport.
As these ladies embrace the sport, they not only transform their bodies but also cultivate mental toughness and a sense of community, proving that they are far more powerful than they may have ever believed.
“Do things, maybe change how you see things. Try and be more open minded,” says Leanne. She encourages women to go out of comfort zone.
Leanne wants to give more women a chance to showcase the role they have never played before. She plans to branch out into other communities, offers more volunteer sessions which involve more women in.
“I feel anything that gets thrown at me, I can overcome,” says Leanne.