If you’re one of those people who says that going to the gym is one of your favorite pastimes, then you’re in a small percentage of the population.
But if you’re like me – bored silly by treadmills, intimidated by free weights, and pathologically out of shape despite paying monthly gym dues – yet on the lookout for a dynamic, challenging way to get fit and have a blast in the process, do yourself a favor and check out Redwood’s Boxing Gym in Venice.
Since 1994, Redwood’s in Venice has been using the principles of boxing and kickboxing to whip people into shape. I met the master himself, and he put me through a challenging and dynamic workout that left me both gasping for air and begging for more.
Redwood is a former kickboxer and karate instructor who had to hang up the competitive gloves after having his retina separated by a kick to the head. Born in Jamaica and raised in the Bronx, this is a man who walks the walk.
His early training was in Tae Kwon Do, under Master Kim tutelage. When asked why Tae Kwon Do, he states that “It was first thing available to me “. Little did he know that what started out to be a necessity in survival actually changed the course of his life. This opened the door to a lifestyle of physical, psychological, and spiritual conditioning that included over 20 years of Karate, Judo, Shotokon, Kali Stick-Fighting, and Grappling. After being awarded his 5th degree black belt in American Freestyle Karate, and the frustration of being consistently disqualified for following through with his moves (which was not part of this discipline), he hungered for something more. Muay Thai Kickboxing and Boxing fell right in line with what he was missing.
Why kickboxing? Redwood likened it to a “strategic game of chess, an unlikely comparison, until you look at the principles behind a successful game or bout. You need to be mentally prepared and focused on the game at hand. You need to be able to anticipate your opponent’s next move well before he moves the rook, or throws the combo. To be successful in either requires great discipline, focus, and attention”. These are the core principles that still pervade is his teaching after 20 years of training and four studios.
But don’t expect a drill sergeant. He’s a patient, down-to-earth guy with a genuine desire to see people whipped into shape.
As I walk up to the gym for my session I see him out front having a chat with a woman. He turns as I approach and points right at me, as if to say, “You.” I’ve never met Redwood before. I say, “How did you know it was me?” He says, “When you know, you will know the secret of Redwood.” Beat. Then he breaks into an inviting laugh and we step inside the gym. Inside, there’s a boxing ring that takes up the vast majority of the floor, and there’s also a heavy bag near the door. Sparring equipment is everywhere, and there’s a poster of Muhammad Ali and an original painting of Evander Holyfield on the wall.
We start with some jump rope. It’s been a while since I’ve actually jumped rope, and I’m mildly embarrassed that I have to ask for some guidance. Redwood demonstrates, and I get to it. Now you might not know this, but jumping rope is a lot harder than it looks. I’m not quite sure how much time passes before I’m literally tired of it, but it can’t be too long. It gets to the point where I periodically act like I’m getting tripped up in the rope just to get a breather every now and then. I keep jumping until I hear a buzzing sound. That’s my cue to stop. I ask Redwood how long I’ve been jumping. “Three minutes,” he says. That’s when I know I’m gonna be in for a long workout.
After some brief weight work to get loosened up, Redwood starts wrapping my hands. Now this is what I came for – to punch. Redwood says, “Up until now, we have been friends. Now, we are no longer friends.” The first thing he does is coach me into an acceptable boxing stance. He instructs me to crouch low and raise both hands up, and then assists me in their proper placement. Being a righty, my left hand is held a bit further out, while my right stays back, practically resting on my chin. This is the position that will form the base of all of my movements for the next half hour. No matter what I do from that position, I always return to it. Redwood sees to that.
The first lesson is one of balance and rhythm. Redwood demonstrates a five-step sequence of dodges that require deft footwork and balance. Once this is mastered, he adds four more steps to the routine. It’s almost like a dance step in that there is a rhythmic and ordered procession to the movements. It’s challenging but not impossible, and after a few minutes I’m actually feeling pretty good about myself. Then we move on.
After this sequence, Redwood fits his hands into some training gloves. At last, it’s time to start punching. It’s exactly what I’ve been waiting for. But as the saying goes, I should have been careful what I wished for.
The first series is pretty simple. It’s just a jab, repeated over and over and over. But it’s one thing to get out there and flail your hands about; throwing a well-placed punch is another matter altogether. Redwood instructs me in the finer points of the jab, a crisp strike that you step into from the crouched position and then retract quickly. All the while your right hand stays perched near your chin, and your feet are never out of sync. Redwood steps backward slowly, leading me across the floor as I lunge at the target. He compliments the well-thrown jabs with a “Nice!” and corrects the sloppy ones, the most frequent errors being dropping the right hand or coming too far out of the crouch. I start to feel myself getting winded. But I think of Rocky and press on.
Next up is a combination jab and right cross. Again, you might think you know how to throw a punch, but when you’re getting personal instruction from a former professional, you realize you really don’t know much at all. He shows me the proper way to throw a right cross, which involves a great deal more feet and hips than I had realized. He shows me how to pivot off of my right foot and twist ever so slightly at the waist, and breathe out sharply as the punch leaves my shoulder. He leads me across the floor again, and as I struggle to keep up I realize how difficult it has become to maintain sharp form. It’s hard work keeping the hands up, and the tension in my lower back from remaining in the crouch is really highlighting how weak my core really is. Still, I struggle through it, at least until the four punch combinations. By then, I again have to take a breather, and Redwood patiently waits as I slump and heave meekly. We end the session with some cool down exercises that are the cornerstone of every boxer: classic push-ups and sit-ups.
By the end of the workout, I’m thoroughly exhausted. This doesn’t even compare to the soreness I’ll feel the next day, but at the moment it feels great. After the retching subsides, I sit out on a bench in the cool Venice breeze. Redwood ambles out and hands me a bottled water. At this point, we are friends again. He tells me about his background – his childhood in Jamaica, his coming of age in New York, and his professional kickboxing career. Redwood’s story is a story of re-invention. When his career was derailed by injury, he became an instructor. When that situation became too limiting, he started his own studio.
Nowadays his time is spent keeping his clients in shape, but also on a new objective. He’s about to launch his personal line of fitness and boxing gear. Redwood’s success perfectly illustrates the enduring lesson of the boxer – always keep moving.
Redwood has worked with some of Hollywood ‘s top athletes and actors such as L.L. Cool J, Jalen Rose, basketball player Norm Nixon, Gary Dourdan, actor. CSI, Debbie Allen, actor/producer, Adam Rodriquez, actor, CSI Miami, Cary Elwes, actor Louis Szekey, actor/comedian Don Cheadle, Phil Keoghan, and Dania Ramirez.
Redwood’s
1718 Venice Blvd
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 306-6272
www.redwoods1.com
