Photo By Sgt. Aaron Leblanc | Sgt. Genevieve Capalia, a Shreveport, La., native and logistics non-commissioned...... read more read more
By Spc. Andrea Merritt
1st Sustainment Brigade
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – As cheers grow louder around the ring, two challengers stand face-to-face in the eye of the storm. They are able to drown out the noise from the crowd, but the beats of their hearts and the flutters in their stomachs are as loud as ever.
When the bell rings, the gloves come up and the bout is on. The only thing that matters now is remembering everything they were taught, so they can out-think and out-maneuver their opponent.
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, this is the reality for the residents on Camp Taji who go to learn the fundamentals of boxing at a place know as the Durable House of Pain Boxing Gym.
"I've been boxing for a while now. I know for a fact from practicing boxing in the past that it's a great workout," said Sgt. 1st Class Luis De La Rocha, the maintenance manager for the support operations section of the 1st Sustainment Brigade and the non-commissioned officer in charge of the boxing gym.
"The goal here is not only to provide the Soldiers a different way to work out and get in shape, but also to instill discipline and self-confidence because that's what boxing is all about," added De La Rocha, an El Centro, Calif., native.
A few months ago, a group of Soldiers from the 1st Sustainment Brigade took a vacant building and turned it into a place where people on the camp could get a good workout and learn the fine art of boxing.
Along with finding a place to operate in, the group also built the boxing ring and supplied punching bags, gloves, hand wraps, jump ropes, mitts, and other essential items necessary for training.
"Just about everything you see came from our group. We got together and came up with ideas from our different backgrounds. We were able to put it all together and make the facility what it is today," said Chief Warrant Officer Four Darren Lester, a Kansas City, Mo., native and the boxing facility manager.
Since opening three months ago, attendance at the boxing gym has gone from ten to 40 people.
During the boxing workout, the class goes through a one-hour conditioning drill, which consists of upper and lower body exercises. During the second hour, participants work on their form. They learn how to control their punches, how to control their moves and how to feed off of their opponent.
"Boxing causes you to think a lot. You have to think about what you're going to do to defend yourself from an attack and what you're going to do as an offensive attack to your opponent," said Lester.
"You can definitely get in shape with this program that we have. You are guaranteed to work every bit of your body. With this, you learn discipline and the basic skills of defense. You will get a greater love of the sport," Lester added.
Although most people come for the workout, about ten people – both males and females – actually train to compete. Service members who are not a part of the 1st Sustainment Brigade need approval from their commanders to box.
"People not in the brigade can still come and train, they just can't get in the ring and do contact like sparring until we get a memorandum from their commander stating they are released to do that," De La Rocha said.
Once a month, a boxing smoker is held at the Durable House of Pain Boxing Gym, where competitors can actually put all that they have learned into practice. Before competing, boxers have to complete a physical with the medics at the Easy Red Clinic.
Since opening, the gym has held two boxing smokers; one on, June 20, and another on, July 4.
"It was harder than I thought it was going to be. All of a sudden I got scared and nervous all at the same time," said Sgt. Genevieve Capalia, a Shreveport, La., native, and a logistics NCO for the 165th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, who participated in the boxing smoker, June 20.
"I started questioning my decision, but after the first round, I caught my breath and got a little more into it," said Capalia.
As more people on Camp Taji grow interested in the sport, they can always expect a good workout and to learn more about this particular art of self-defense at the Durable House of Pain.
"I didn't know much about boxing. I still have a lot to learn. I'm just learning the basics and getting it little by little every day," said Pfc. Daniel Lopez, a Stanton, Texas, native, and importer controller with the 25th Infantry Division.
"Some of the stuff I learn here, I will definitely keep it with me. I plan on working on my skills after I leave Camp Taji," Lopez concluded.
| Date Taken: | 08.01.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 08.01.2008 07:17 |
| Story ID: | 22027 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 368 |
| Downloads: | 272 |
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