Search Weight Loss Topics:




May 16

Veterans build fitness and friendships in new Stamford boxing – The Advocate

Fitness Comments Off on Veterans build fitness and friendships in new Stamford boxing – The Advocate

Photo: Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media

Scott Schweitzer, center, works with Chris Munger and Suzanne Parker during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017. Schweitzer founded the club.

Scott Schweitzer, center, works with Chris Munger and Suzanne Parker during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017. Schweitzer founded the club.

Scott Schweitzer, center, works with Chris Munger and Suzanne Parker during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017. Schweitzer founded the club.

Scott Schweitzer, center, works with Chris Munger and Suzanne Parker during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017. Schweitzer founded the club.

Chris Munger, of Stamford, and Suzanne Parker, of Thomaston, work out during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Chris Munger, of Stamford, and Suzanne Parker, of Thomaston, work out during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Scott Schweitzer works with Chris Munger during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017. Schweitzer founded the club.

Scott Schweitzer works with Chris Munger during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017. Schweitzer founded the club.

Chris Munger, of Stamford, and Suzanne Parker of Thomaston, work out during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Chris Munger, of Stamford, and Suzanne Parker of Thomaston, work out during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Suzanne Parker works out with veteran Chris Munger during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Suzanne Parker works out with veteran Chris Munger during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Members of the new Veterans Boxing Club pose for a photo at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Members of the new Veterans Boxing Club pose for a photo at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Josh Hubbard, of Waterbury, and Brendan Cooney, of Danbury, work out during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Josh Hubbard, of Waterbury, and Brendan Cooney, of Danbury, work out during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Scott Schweitzer works with Brendan Cooney during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017. Schweitzer founded the club.

Scott Schweitzer works with Brendan Cooney during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017. Schweitzer founded the club.

Veterans participate in yoga as they warm down from a workout during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Veterans participate in yoga as they warm down from a workout during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Veterans work out during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Veterans work out during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Josh Hubbard works out during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Josh Hubbard works out during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Ahmad Mickens, co-owner of Revolution Training, works with a veteran during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Ahmad Mickens, co-owner of Revolution Training, works with a veteran during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Suzanne Parker works out with Chris Munger during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Suzanne Parker works out with Chris Munger during a class of the new Veterans Boxing Club at Revolution Training in Stamford on May 6, 2017.

Veterans build fitness and friendships in new Stamford boxing club

STAMFORD Scott Schweitzers business started out with a hypothesis about how to bring together fellow military veterans that has quickly been proven correct.

An Air Force veteran and Stamford resident, Schweitzer, 39, last month launched the Veterans Boxing Club at the Revolution Training fitness center on Pacific Street in the South End. He surmised that recreating the solidarity and discipline of the armed services would benefit former troops. Already, the programs classes have grown into an important ritual for the 15 members.

I wanted to focus on the camaraderie that may have been lacking, said Schweitzer, who is chief financial officer at Westport private-equity firm LCR Capital Partners. I feel like thats one of the main causes of veterans that have issues. They have such cohesion in their units and squads.

The club comprises a pilot program meeting for two-hour workouts on eight Saturdays. During the sessions, Pacific Training co-owner Ahmad Mickens and his colleagues train the veterans on boxing fundamentals including punching techniques, defensive strategies and posture, and lead strength-training exercises.

Schweitzer, who started boxing 10 years ago, recruited Mickens because he has trained with him.

Learn more

For information about the Veterans Boxing Club, visit http://www.veteransboxingclub.org The club is accepting new members.

My father being a veteran, I know the importance of continued support once they leave the different military branches, Mickens said. Ive been using boxing to change my life and change the life of others, whether its personally or physically. I knew that boxing can give these veterans something like that.

The veterans are boxing novices, so they do not spar. But they still quickly break a sweat in the classes. Booming on the speakers, a hip-hop soundtrack featuring the likes of Drake, Kanye West and Lil Wayne pushes them on.

Im a lot older than a lot of these guys, so its good to get back in shape, said Stamford resident Chris Munger, 50, a Marine veteran who served in Desert Storm. Being an old vet, Ive been dealing with some of these younger vets. Theres camaraderie.

After 90 minutes of boxing, each class culminates with a 30-minute yoga session. The yoga provides a cool-down and builds the veterans flexibility.

Members said they also relish the banter they engage in with their fellow veterans, who range in age from 20s to 50s and come from throughout the tri-state area. During breaks, they trade friendly barbs about their military experience, age and fitness.

Theres a common language we speak, said Suzanne Parker, 50, a Navy veteran from Thomaston. Its a connecting tissue.

After completing all eight sessions, the veterans would graduate. The feat would also earn them a rebate of their $50 participation fee. Schweitzer is covering the clubs costs.

You can see the bonds developing, said Schweitzer, who served in the Air Force from 1999 to 2003, including a deployment to Saudi Arabia. Theres just something about going through a challenge together that will make people come together.

Alex Tettey, a 32-year-old Marine veteran from East Hartford, said the club has helped him to regain his social confidence. He is a full-time caregiver for his father, who has cancer.

I take care of him full-time, and I kind of fell into this funk, said Tettey, who served 11 years in the Marines, with deployments to Iraq and eastern Africa. Now Im just trying to get back on my feet. So this is a good start. This is one of my first forays to associate with people. This has been really good for me.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; Twitter: @paulschott

Original post:
Veterans build fitness and friendships in new Stamford boxing - The Advocate

Related Posts

    Your Full Name

    Your Email

    Your Phone Number

    Select your age (30+ only)

    Select Your US State

    Program Choice

    Confirm over 30 years old

    Yes

    Confirm that you resident in USA

    Yes

    This is a Serious Inquiry

    Yes

    Message:



    matomo tracker