4 Boxing Moves You Should Know Before Taking A Class

Of all the intimidating boutique workout classes out there, boxing has got to be the scariest, because you're literally walking into a ring and punching someone (or, at the very least, something). But the good news is that, even though boxing seems hardcore, there are tons of classes that are perfect for those of us who are more like a butterfly than a bee, so to speak. And the trainers are typically very nice and helpful, even if they can throw some serious punches.

We asked one of those friendly boxing coaches, Lielen De Guzman, a trainer at Rumble Boxing in New York City, to walk us through some of the basic moves that you're likely to learn at a boxing class. The most important one? Boxing stance. Start with your feet hip width apart, with your toes pointing straight ahead. Step your dominant leg back about a foot. Next, "guard up" by placing your knuckles right by your cheekbones, elbows tucked in close to your ribs. Now you're "ready to fight," De Guzman says.

Once you've mastered the rest of the punches and defensive moves, then you can string them together into a three-to-six punch "combo," De Guzman says. "You'll feel like such a stud pulling these off," she says. Ahead, De Guzman explains how to master the basic boxing moves that go into a class.