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5 brilliant boxing classes to try in Shanghai

Kick-block-punch your way into being the next Rocky Balboa at these studios

By Christopher House Posted: Wednesday January 22 2020

With its many fitness centres and crazy cheap workout spots, Shanghai's a great place to get fit. It's also good for learning a new skill or taking up a new sport, and boxing is no exception. Whether you're a total beginner who doesn't know a jab from a cross or a seasoned professional looking to improve your craft, here we've rounded up just a few of the city's great boxing classes for you to check out.

TriFit x Panda Gym

TriFit is run by Ricky Leung and Jared Foster, who have over 20 years of combined experienced in professional boxing coaching. The gym recently moved to a new location and partnered with Panda Gym and, while admittedly quite small in terms of space, the superb quality of its classes more than makes up for it. It’s a great choice for beginners or sticklers for technique. Its other classes include general fitness and strength classes, TRX and HIIT personal training. Prices range from 350RMB to 800RMB per class. Follow WeChat ID ‘PandaGym’ for more information on pricing and scheduling.

575 Yuyao Lu

Ringside Boxing

Ringside’s Nanjing Xi Lu branch – one of three in Shanghai – is enormous, taking up most of the third floor of Zhongyi Mansion. The spacious gym is decked out with top-notch equipment and impressive facilities, including a bistro and literal spa. As for boxing, group classes hover around a dozen or more students. Beginner classes take you through the basics of jabs, crosses and so on, while more advanced classes include sparring in the gym’s boxing ring. Each one-hour class is 200RMB, or you can purchase an annual membership from 5,888RMB (currently on special for 5,000RMB until Saturday 1 February). Aside from boxing, Ringside has a wide array of classes ranging from Muay Thai and yoga to aerostretching to hip hop dance.

580 Nanjing Xi Lu

Strike Muay Thai

Muay Thai – literally 'Thai boxing' – shares similar moves with ‘regular’ boxing like jabs, crosses and hooks, but it also includes other parts of the body like elbows and knees in its attacks. Strike’s classes are an intense workout with plenty of cardio and other exercises worked into the Muay Thai routine. Despite modest class sizes, some previous experience with the martial art may do you some good, as the fast-paced nature of the classes leaves little room for mulling over the details for each and every move. Classes are 200RMB each or 8,000RMB for an annual membership (currently on special for 7,200RMB until Wednesday 5 February). Follow WeChat ID ‘ozbodyfit_gym’ for more information on pricing and scheduling.

420 Yuyao Lu

DEFGROUP

Located next to Specters on Yuyuan Lu (one of three locations), DEFGROUP is legit. It’s so legit that it requires you to sign a waiver before participating in its classes, though you’ve got nothing to worry about – its trainers are friendly and professional. Its boxing classes are fairly small, which means you’ll get plenty of personal attention on correcting your form. Classes start from 200RMB; one-year memberships are from 9,800RMB and the studio offers packages starting from 1,700RMB for ten classes. Other classes DEF offers include Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai. Follow WeChat ID ‘defgroup’ for more information or to book a class.

753 Yuyuan Lu

Aboro Academy

The Aboro Academy is run by the legendary seven-time World Boxing and Kickboxing Champion Michele Aboro. It comes as no surprise then that its equipment and classes are top notch. The staff are passionate about their trade, and it shows – they really know their stuff. The fast-paced nature of its one-hour kickboxing class means you’ll be learning a lot in a short amount of time. Single sessions start from 280RMB per person, and there are a number of package deals to choose from starting at ten classes for 6,500RMB. Other classes include boxing and yoga. Follow WeChat ID ‘Aboro’ for more information.

667 Changhua Lu