& Co: Kick Boxing in Hamilton

As an active member of a Kickboxing club for over 2 years in his youth, Jeff Myles was somebody who came to mind to find out more about the person behind the gloves of a kickboxer.

Jeff grew up in Hamilton and throughout his life has been involved in multiple sports including Sailing, Gymnastics, Squash and Rugby. With a father who competed in the Empire Games and a mother who played Cricket for Auckland it was only natural for him to have a general knack for sports.

Kickboxing was a sport that Jeff started participating in because he “Wanted to be able to be able to protect [himself] if he had to,”

as he got further into the training, he found the sense of camaraderie and team aspect of the club was appealing.

The training would consist of technique-based drills, fitness, and sparring against other people. As a very versatile sport, Jeff found that he didn’t have a need to do other exercise as he was getting strength and cardio training as a byproduct of his self-defence learning. The mental side of the training was important as well. Being caught out with a kick to the side of the head after being told “You need to stop dropping your right hand,” was a “highlight” of Jeff’s progress and highlights the constant concentration required.

Aside from sparring during training there was only one opportunity to step into the ring to compete during his 2-year journey. He recalls that after three gruelling, three-minute rounds he came out victorious. Without the desire to pursue the competitive side of Kickboxing because of the risk of head injury Jeff slowly started to feel as if he had learnt and achieved what he had aimed to do at the beginning and that was enough for him. 

As he sat relaxed with a drink in hand Jeff emphasized that during his time involved in kickboxing, he not only developed physical strength but also a sense of confidence and composure in his day-to-day activities.

This has followed Jeff even after walking away from the sport. He says that he still feels like “he has the ability to assess a situation and react, based on it”. He also noted that the priority would be to talk or walk away from a bad interaction before it came to getting physical.

Overall, Jeff reflects on his time as a Kickboxer fondly and feels as though the physical and mental benefits he experienced allowed him to develop more as a person.

Interested in kickboxing check out First Place Fitness