\: fitness special

In at the deepend

Boxing fit

Baring/"i! at Edinburgh's Marco's is not so much an exercise class. as a way of life. Not only can you buy the T—shirt. vest top. shorts. jogging bottotns. sweat shirt and bandanna. but holidays abroad are also on the agenda (lbiza ‘95 ‘The Rumble‘ being the class‘s latest escapade). Brother and sister team \‘icki and Chris McCann (British Natural Body Building Champion and (i/utlt'uzm' contestant. and Scottish Youth Boxing Champion respectively) lead you through a punishing 90-minute workout which leaves you feeling like yott really have gone the proverbial

ten rounds with .\like 'l'yson.

For those tmlamiliar with the term. boxercise is boxing minus the split lips and spit buckets. and keep fit minus nothing. .-\ftcr a capacity class of 30 (50/50 men and women) filed into the room in varying levels of attire. from ordinary shorts and T-shirts to the fttll garb (bandaged hands and all).

we were ready for the off. Ding ding.

Round One: Aerobics. Twenty minutes of medium to high impact aerobics got everyone going. \v'icki (complete with headphone mic) shouted encouragement over the lottd pumping dance music (admittedly the only bit I caught was

‘Can you feel it'." l could). 'l‘hc boxing-style jab

movements really gave it bite. and the feeling of exhilaration you get from any simultaneous group activity seemed intensified as the stresses of the

day were punched away into thin air.

Next up Round Two: The Circuit. Out came the gloves. punch bags. hand pads and skipping ropes. with five minutes allowed on each. plus a couple of rounds of shadow boxing in front of the mirror. Rest pauses were allowed. and both instructors

directory

Ready to jigg e that flesh, shake those buns and get all hot-under-the-lycra‘? Catriona Smith knows just the place to go and it’s all perfectly legal.

GLASGOW

Public facilities

I Passport to recreation Those on benefits and over-(30s get a hefty discount to use sports facilities with this card (ie sauna £2.75 full. £1.40 conc. sunbeds £2.55—£3.50 full. £ l .75»-£l.30 conc). Valid before 3.30pm weekdays only unless otherwise stated. The card is £1 with photo and proof of status.

I Alexandra Sports Hall Alexandra Parade. Cumbernauld Road. 556 1695. ()pen Mon—Fri l0am—- l0pm; Sm/Sun 10am—5pm. Football. basketball and badminton. Stmbeds £2.55 (£135). Aerobics £1.95.

I Barlia Drive Sports Centre Bat-1m Drive. ()34 5474. ()pen Mon -Fri l0am—l0pm; Sat/Sun l0am-—5pm. Tennis courts. full size synthetic football/hockey pitch. Five-a-side £10 before 3.30pm. £21 after.

I Bellahouston Leisure Centre Bellahouston Drive. 427 5454. Open Mon—Fri 9am--10pm; Sat 9am— (ipm. Step. cardiofunk. aerobics. yoga and

20 The List 26 Jan-8 Feb 1996 l

boxercise classes. Fitness room £3 (£1.15). Women only: Tue evenings and Mon am. Creche: all day Mon—Fri.

I Burnhill Sports Centre 60 Toryglen Rd. R utherglen. 643 ()327. Open daily l()am—l().3()pm. Step. boxercise. kickboxing. aerobics. circuit training. karate. aikido and tang soo do. Weights room £l.85 (65p).

I Castlemillt Pool Castlemilk Drive 634 8254. ()pen Mon-Fri l0am—10pm; Sat/Sun l0am—5.30pm. Swim £l.l5 (35p). Step classes. Women only: Wed evening.

I Castlemilk Sports Centre Dougrie Road. 634 8187. ()pen Mon—Fri l0am~l0pm; Sat/Sun l()am-—5.30pm. Football. badminton. basketball and volleyball. weights rootn £ l .85 (60p) sunbeds £2.55 (£1.40). Classes including aerobics and step around £2.15 l .95). I Crownpoint Sports Park Crownpoint Road. 554 8274. Open Mon—Fri 10am—l0pm: Sat/Sun 10am—5pm. ()utdoor floodlit athletics track £1.35 (65p) football pitch £l9 (£1 1). Plus badminton. basketball and classes such as step. tae kwon do and karate.

I Drumchapel Pool Drumry Road liast. 944 5812. Open Mon. Wed—Fri 9.30am—9pm; Tue 9.30am—8pm: Sat/Sun l0am—4pm. Women only: Thurs 5pm onwards. Classes include step. body conditioning. aerobics. boxercise and canoeing. Swim £1.15 (35p). gym £1.85 (65p) sauna and sunbeds.

I Eastbank Sports Complex 22 Academy Street. 763 0134. Open

and fellow class members were more than willing to impart technique details to the uninitiated. Then we were into the borne stretch. Round Three: Abdominals. A chance to lie down at last. as the main lights went down. the disco lights came up. and strains of Survivor‘s ‘Eye Of The Tiger' came from the stereo. A fierce bout of stomach crunches caused more pain than any boxing glove could. still. no pain no gain (as the

Mon—Fri 5.30—1030pm: Sat/Sun 9atn—5.3()pm. Games hall. football and hockey pitches. Classes (eg keep fit. gymnastics. jui jitsu arid karate)

60p —£ 1.95.

I Easterhouse Sports Complex Auchinlea Road. 771 1963. ()pen Mon—Fri 10am -l0pm; Sat/Sun 10am—5pm. Body toning and aerobics

classes. Weights room £1.85 (65p).

Creche: Mon Thurs l0am--noon. Women only: Thurs evenings. I Golf courses liighicen holes at Lei/)um/ii/l, llogganfield Loch. Cumbernauld Road. 770622011111) l’ttrk. Sitnshill Road. ()37 5871. [Jule/till.

Ron SMITH

BoxingFlt: Instructor Vicki McCann (left) puts a beginner through her paces

llat tummics around me testified).

And then it was all over. and everyone left not just fitter. but with a touch more polish on their jab. hook and uppercut. (Kelly McMenamin) Bari/refit. )l/Iurm’s Iz'ttmlmwl. 146 .S'lalefm‘d Rom]. lz‘rlilihttlgelz. ()13/ 443’ 221/. Classes are (m 7i!(’.\‘(/(I_\'.\'. 6.15pm; 'I‘littrstluys. 8. /5pm and .S'um/uys. 5pm (£3.50 mm-meml)er.r/£3’ members). M embers/t [p [/0 per year.

Auchnairn Road. 772 l9l(i or Rue/rill. Brassey Street. 946 8793 £3.70 (£l.3()). Nine holes at xllet‘ttnt/m. .»\lexandra l’arade. 556 I294 King ii l’urk, (.‘armunnock Parade. ()34 4745 and Knig/tIstt-mul. Chaplet Avenue. 959 2l3l. £185 (60p).

I Covan Fun Pool I liarthill Street. 445 l899. ()pen 9.30am—8.30pm. Women only: Mon and Wed evenings with aquaerobics both nights. Creche: Mon-Thurs mornings. Swim £l.l5

I Covanhill Pool 99 Calder Street 423 0233. Open Mon/Thurs 9.30am--9pm‘. m—(ipm; Wed 8am—9pm; Fri

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