By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Photos by and © CAROLINE YANG (website: www.carolineyang.com)
Element
Boxing and Fitness at 655 Fairview is a fitness center for everyone,
including those who want to box professionally and those who simply
desire a place to workout.
One of the biggest benefits of boxing is discipline. “It’s only the disciplined individuals that pull through and achieve success,” observed owner and professional boxer Dalton Outlaw.
He knows from personal experience.
Boxing as his outlet
Outlaw grew up in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood. At age 8, he started boxing at a neighborhood boxing gym within walking distance from his home.
“Boxing quickly became my outlet as I grow up in an economically challenged community that didn’t offer much guidance or many positive male role models,” said Outlaw. “The local gym kept me busy and out of trouble. This time spent as a youth in the boxing gym eventually le d me to other sports such as football, where I eventually received a scholarship to Concordia Saint Paul.”
After earning his degree, Outlaw was hired full-time by a corporation, but quickly realized he wasn’t going to find fulfillment in a career selling and servicing products he didn’t believe in.
He decided to go into business for himself.
As
he closely watched the local boxing gyms he was involved in, Outlaw
knew there was a need for a boxing gym, but he also knew he needed to do
something different than they had in order to survive. And so he opened
a gym in 2011 where people focus on exercise and health along with
boxing.
Although the gym initially opened in a 1,200-square-foot basement on Prior Ave., it quickly grew into a state-of-the-art facility, one that breaks the stereotype of boxing gyms being in smelly basements with leaking pipes.
The move to 655 Fairview Ave. in 2013 provided the business with 8,500 square feet of open space, making it the largest boxing gym in St. Paul.
Delivery and respect
Element Boxing has over 1,400 square feet of field turf, a full competition boxing ring, and 22 heavy bags for punching and kicking, as well as professional strength training equipment for all levels.
“I think that our delivery and respect for the art of boxing sets us apart from not just other boxing gyms, but other health and sports clubs everywhere,” remarked Outlaw.
“We teach our classes and programs as certified experienced professionals. We have a large open space and clean atmosphere with lots of professional training equipment.”
Outlaw pointed out that roughly 90 percent of students come for the workouts, not because they want to be professional boxers.
Classes are structured and entertaining. Some members drive from outside of the Metro to experience classes, and a group of St. Paul police officers regularly train there.
The physical benefits of boxing are becoming healthier, stronger, and faster and achieving weight loss.
“We finish all workouts by yelling as loud as we can, at the top of our lungs, ‘hard work dedication,’” said Outlaw.
Outlaw partners with multiple independent trainers who use the space for their own fitness businesses, helping others achieve their dream of owning their own businesses.
“From that day I came over here, I have continued to pursue and promote more businesses and organizations that have similar missions to join me and the others here,” said Outlaw. “My role at 655 Fairview has been to continue promoting and developing this millennial community center with collaborative organizations that offer a variety of disciplines to help adults and children achieve developmental goals.”
Partnering with at-risk youth
Element works to be accessible to local families, in part thanks to the foundation he started, The Exercise and Health Foundation, that offers free and reduced programs and scholarships to qualifying youth.
The
foundation works with the St. Paul Police Department and Ramsey County
to offer programs that help troubled youth develop into productive young
adults.
One teenager sticks out to Outlaw.
He was at-risk youth from a low-income family who joined the program through a referral program with the Ramsey County juvenile justice system.
“Through some resources and partnerships, I was able to get this kid into my gym and allow him the chance to have boxing be a part of and something he can call his own,” said Outlaw. “After a month in the gym and life away from the streets, he came up to me and said, ‘If I wasn’t at this gym, there’s only other one other place I could imagine I would be and that in jail.’
“This kid is still at my gym, has since joined my competitive boxing time and is developing more and more every day.”
Outlaw encourages people to stop by and visit the gym. “This is a community facility that is fit for everyone,” he said.
This story appeared in the November edition of the Monitor.
Photos by and © CAROLINE YANG (website: www.carolineyang.com)
Element
Boxing and Fitness at 655 Fairview is a fitness center for everyone,
including those who want to box professionally and those who simply
desire a place to workout.One of the biggest benefits of boxing is discipline. “It’s only the disciplined individuals that pull through and achieve success,” observed owner and professional boxer Dalton Outlaw.
He knows from personal experience.
Boxing as his outlet
Outlaw grew up in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood. At age 8, he started boxing at a neighborhood boxing gym within walking distance from his home.
“Boxing quickly became my outlet as I grow up in an economically challenged community that didn’t offer much guidance or many positive male role models,” said Outlaw. “The local gym kept me busy and out of trouble. This time spent as a youth in the boxing gym eventually le d me to other sports such as football, where I eventually received a scholarship to Concordia Saint Paul.”
After earning his degree, Outlaw was hired full-time by a corporation, but quickly realized he wasn’t going to find fulfillment in a career selling and servicing products he didn’t believe in.
He decided to go into business for himself.
As
he closely watched the local boxing gyms he was involved in, Outlaw
knew there was a need for a boxing gym, but he also knew he needed to do
something different than they had in order to survive. And so he opened
a gym in 2011 where people focus on exercise and health along with
boxing.Although the gym initially opened in a 1,200-square-foot basement on Prior Ave., it quickly grew into a state-of-the-art facility, one that breaks the stereotype of boxing gyms being in smelly basements with leaking pipes.
The move to 655 Fairview Ave. in 2013 provided the business with 8,500 square feet of open space, making it the largest boxing gym in St. Paul.
Delivery and respect
Element Boxing has over 1,400 square feet of field turf, a full competition boxing ring, and 22 heavy bags for punching and kicking, as well as professional strength training equipment for all levels.
“I think that our delivery and respect for the art of boxing sets us apart from not just other boxing gyms, but other health and sports clubs everywhere,” remarked Outlaw.
“We teach our classes and programs as certified experienced professionals. We have a large open space and clean atmosphere with lots of professional training equipment.”
Outlaw pointed out that roughly 90 percent of students come for the workouts, not because they want to be professional boxers.
Classes are structured and entertaining. Some members drive from outside of the Metro to experience classes, and a group of St. Paul police officers regularly train there.
The physical benefits of boxing are becoming healthier, stronger, and faster and achieving weight loss.
“We finish all workouts by yelling as loud as we can, at the top of our lungs, ‘hard work dedication,’” said Outlaw.
Outlaw partners with multiple independent trainers who use the space for their own fitness businesses, helping others achieve their dream of owning their own businesses.
“From that day I came over here, I have continued to pursue and promote more businesses and organizations that have similar missions to join me and the others here,” said Outlaw. “My role at 655 Fairview has been to continue promoting and developing this millennial community center with collaborative organizations that offer a variety of disciplines to help adults and children achieve developmental goals.”
Partnering with at-risk youth
Element works to be accessible to local families, in part thanks to the foundation he started, The Exercise and Health Foundation, that offers free and reduced programs and scholarships to qualifying youth.
The
foundation works with the St. Paul Police Department and Ramsey County
to offer programs that help troubled youth develop into productive young
adults.One teenager sticks out to Outlaw.
He was at-risk youth from a low-income family who joined the program through a referral program with the Ramsey County juvenile justice system.
“Through some resources and partnerships, I was able to get this kid into my gym and allow him the chance to have boxing be a part of and something he can call his own,” said Outlaw. “After a month in the gym and life away from the streets, he came up to me and said, ‘If I wasn’t at this gym, there’s only other one other place I could imagine I would be and that in jail.’
“This kid is still at my gym, has since joined my competitive boxing time and is developing more and more every day.”
Outlaw encourages people to stop by and visit the gym. “This is a community facility that is fit for everyone,” he said.
This story appeared in the November edition of the Monitor.
No comments:
Post a Comment