Boxing coach offering lessons to knockout sedentary lifestyles

By Alexandra Noad - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on September 20, 2024.

Herald photo by Alexandra Noad Christopher Campbell demonstrates boxing technique during a class earlier this week at the Sik-Ooh-Kotoki Friendship Society.

A Lethbridge man is offering affordable boxing classes to anyone aged 12 and up.

Christopher Campbell has been coaching boxing for the last decade, with eight of those years being under former Olympic boxer Rick Duff.

Campbell’s goal is to help make active lifestyles more accessible in a day and age where many people aren’t active due to their jobs.

“It’s a stressful time to be alive and more and more technology keeps us away from moving out there,” said Campbell.

Exercise is a scientifically proven mood booster decreasing symptoms of both depression and anxiety, according to an article by Shawna Charles on the website of Walden University.

Likewise, Campbell who also runs the Dopamine Boxing for people suffering Parkinson’s disease, has seen the effects exercise can have on one’s mental wellbeing.

“When we see someone with clinical depression engage in physical activity at minimum twice a week for half an hour to 45 minutes, within a few weeks we see pretty remarkable improvements in reports of mood, we see a greater engagement with the world and enjoyment in things they used to report enjoying,” said Campbell.

Campbell runs boxing classes out of Sik-Ooh-Kotoki Friendship Society, a not-for-profit establishment which helps Indigenous people find belonging in an urban environment.

While the boxing classes run out of Sik-Ooh-Kotoki, everyone is welcome to attend the classes.

“It’s a 90-minute class that focuses very heavily on learning basic skills and then utilizing them in a high intensity way, so that you’re getting that feeling that you’ve worked out,” said Campbell.

Campbell added it’s more than the fitness aspect the participants will come away with, they will also understand the sport of boxing.

The boxing classes run three-times a week every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7:30-9 p.m.

The cost for the classes is $70 per month, with women and girls being free to attend. Campbell hopes by making it free for women and girls to attend, it will help end the stigma of women and girls in sports.

“What I’ve seen is (women) believe they’re not able to move their body’s as effectively men and that’s simply not true,” said Campbell.

While the classes are free for women and girls, there is a $20 annual fee to make sure they are insured. For those who are interested in sparing, the insurance is $90 annually to cover the participant in case anything happens.

Campbell encourages anyone who is interested to come try boxing with no charge for the first two weeks.

“Come down and try out for two weeks, that’s six classes, and if you love it, we’ll sign you up and get you going with all the registration. If you decide it’s not for you, you didn’t waste any money and at least you tried something new,” said Campbell.

The Friendship Society is the longest standing Indigenous organization in Lethbridge. Campbell urges everyone to check out the Friendship Society and see what they’re up to.

“If you’ve been to the Friendship Society in the past, I encourage you to come down again and see what our new face looks like, what our new friends are doing and all the different things we’re starting to offer now,” said Campbell.

More information on Sik-Ooh-Kotoki Boxing can be found on their Facebook page Sik-Ooh-Kotoki Friendship Society Boxing Club.