Rumble Wants to Totally Change How You Think About Boxing Workouts

Reasons to consider adding boxing to your workout routine?

"It's fun, therapeutic, and effective," said Noah Neiman, as he prepared to demo punches during opening week at Rumble in New York City, crowds of people swarming around him in a scene that felt like the debut of a buzzy nightclub.

Neiman, a former Barry's Bootcamp trainer and star of Work Out New York, co-founded Rumble with a team of hospitality world and business pros. The first studio in the Flatiron District will quickly be followed by the opening of two more locations in NYC, and the company just announced it brought on Rocky himself—AKA Sylvester Stallone—as an investor.

It's the latest example of how throwing jabs and hooks is still the biggest current trend in boutique fitness. (Think Shadowbox's recent expansion, The DogPound, Gotham G-Box, Overthrow, the many models who swear by their gloved trainers, and so on.)

Rumble is different, in that classgoers switch between rounds of punching on a bag and strength-training circuits with weights and a bench. Want to find out more about what sets it apart?

Check out these three boxing workout myths Neiman is trying to knock out at Rumble.

1. Boxing workouts have to be high-impact

Like running, boxing is all about repetition—and Rumble is taking a more low-impact approach for that reason. "You really have to throw the same punches over and over until you get those motor patterns down, so when you do that, you have repetitive stress," Neiman explains. Rumble solves for that by using teardrop-shaped bags filled with water instead of the heavy bags you're used to seeing (which are traditionally filled with sand or a mix of fibers)."The water-filled bag helps dissipate the energy of the punch, as opposed to a regular bag where the punch reverberates back through your body, so it’s much safer," he says.

I felt the difference immediately. My wrists and knuckles always ache after a tough boxing class, and they didn't at all after Rumble. The lack of intense impact also may make you punch harder, if pain sometimes causes you to pull back on a regular bag.

2. Boxing is all about cardio

It's so much more than that, Neiman says. "You can build a lot of core strength. It teaches you muscular coordination," and, maybe most importantly, "its ability to relieve stress is unbelievable. Some people go for a run and that’s a little therapeutic, but there’s nothing more therapeutic than punching your fist into that bag." If you're the kind of person who gets anxiety from meditation (me!), this may be the right outlet for shedding the day's stress.

3. Boxing is aggressive and gritty

The sport, yes. But the workout as it's presented? Not anymore. Real boxers don't belong in places like Rumble (and they don't need them because they've got their own serious spots). But if you're at all intimidated by boxing as a workout, know that Neiman is pointing out the artwork on the walls, the "experience," which includes cushioned benches for hanging out, swanky locker rooms, and absolutely no getting-punched-in-the-face.

Rumble, 146 West 23rd St., New York, NY, 10011, (212) 804-7918, rumble-boxing.com

Here's where to take more boxing classes in New York City, and here's what you need to know about common mistakes made in boxing class. Star student status: assured.