My late younger sister's oldest daughter asked me what I wanted for Christmas. "How about Marlen Esparza's Power Boxing Workout?" I said. It arrived in the mail today. Normally, I watch an exercise DVD in its entirety first before attempting to do the workout. This time, I decided to follow along and keep up the best I can.
I knew I was in for something when the warm-up proved to be a challenge. I had become used to warm-ups that involved gentle stretching and deep breathing. Ms. Esparza and the two women with her were doing crunches, push-ups, and Superman stretches. It's been a long time since I've done crunches or push-ups. Even with making modifications, I couldn't finish the set, and the Superman stretches weren't easy, either.
The lower body exercises involved squats and lunges. My knees acted as if they wanted to give up several times, but overall, those exercises went well. I can see myself getting better at them as I do them more.
Ms. Esparza explained orthodox and southpaw stances very well, and she kept reminding viewers how they went throughout the workout. She also did a very good job explaining the punches ("the lead hand is in front, and the power punches come from the hand in the back"). I also learned another way to throw overhand rights that involved turning over the arm and turning the body into the punch. Another tip: escape from the line of fire by moving to the side of where one's last punch came from. For example, after throwing a double jab, followed up by right cross, step over to the right.
She went through a series of combinations that combined the hand movements along with body movements she showed earlier. Her hands are fast, and I kept missing the order of the punches. I thought, "This girl is 24 years old and she can do this easily."
In the words of the late Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel, I give this workout a thumbs up. It's tough, but effective. Ms. Esparza keeps the viewer moving.
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