Boxing / Boot Camp
I am a big fan of boxing, having picked it up in the last year. For me, it is a killer workout, always something different and a lot of fun. So, similar to how I try to find somewhere to go horseback riding whenever I travel, I thought I would try to find a place to do a little boxing while on the road.
After searching a bit on the Web, I found Spartan Fitness, a company started by a local guy named Simon Dalton. He offers 10-week boxing bootcamp courses that meet two times per week and include boxing, high intensity interval training and conditioning. Based on the type of classes I take at home, I thought this would be a great fit and he let me pay for a drop in! Unfortunately the day I went was a purely conditioning (no boxing) day because the group had done boxing the past few sessions. But seeing my disappointment, Simon gave me a mini training session for about 15 minutes as the rest of the class rolled in. We did a few rounds of mitts and it felt great to know what I was doing and not feel like I forgot what I’ve learned! Simon is excellent on the mitts and highly recommended for anyone who wants to train while in Dublin! The class itself was fun, although those 15 minutes were more intense of a workout than the entire 60-minute class for me.
After searching a bit on the Web, I found Spartan Fitness, a company started by a local guy named Simon Dalton. He offers 10-week boxing bootcamp courses that meet two times per week and include boxing, high intensity interval training and conditioning. Based on the type of classes I take at home, I thought this would be a great fit and he let me pay for a drop in! Unfortunately the day I went was a purely conditioning (no boxing) day because the group had done boxing the past few sessions. But seeing my disappointment, Simon gave me a mini training session for about 15 minutes as the rest of the class rolled in. We did a few rounds of mitts and it felt great to know what I was doing and not feel like I forgot what I’ve learned! Simon is excellent on the mitts and highly recommended for anyone who wants to train while in Dublin! The class itself was fun, although those 15 minutes were more intense of a workout than the entire 60-minute class for me.
Sporting Goods Store
If you weren’t planning on working out, or you forgot your spandex, head over to Elverys Sports, a sporting goods chain that has a great selection and decent prices. It was also interesting to walk through the store and check out equipment for sports that are completely foreign to me like hurling and rugby.
Running / Jogging
There are quite a few parks and green spaces in Dublin, but for me there is one that is rather small but quiet and beautiful and perfect for a light jog. Merrion Square Park is located in the south side of the Dublin city center, and I’d compare it to Madison Square Park in NYC in terms of size and green space. It’s a bit more private though, and you can easily find a nook to do some push ups and dips on a park bench after jogging around.
Play Local Sports
Photo cred: gaa.ie
I am pretty bummed that I wasn’t able to fit this into my trip as it was very high on my list, but I’m still hoping to get here one day. I’m talking about “Experience Gaelic Games”, a company that teaches foreigners the history and rules of traditional Irish sports (hurling and Gaelic football – both still played today in Ireland) and then gets you out on the pitch (or field) to play! There is also an option to have lunch included and make a day of it. To me, this is the perfect way to take in the local culture while being active.
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