I don’t know what to say, I really hate exercise and dieting. If it was up to me, I would never have to do any of it, but my body and mind protest otherwise. If I don’t exercise, I don’t feel myself at all. I feel exhausted, I feel anxious, and I even feel that I get sick easier. The Covid Pandemic really taught me this about myself, as I pretty much stopped exercising, and within 3 months, I could feel myself completely falling apart.
Going to the gym is great, but there is nothing like taking up a sport that you can do every day. I tried tennis, running, and weightlifting, but I could never really get into anything where I could get a great workout while having a great time doing it. And then, on a whim, I randomly called up Gotham Boxing in Bridgehampton. I wanted to try boxing, and Gotham is close to where I work. I’m really glad I did.
First of all, Tom Pontecorvo, the manager of the gym, is an awesome guy. I instantly felt welcome at the gym, which is intimidating when you first see it. I was expecting it to be wildly expensive and out of my price range (it wasn’t) and I was expecting the people who were there to be way too intense for me (they aren’t). The whole place is awesome. There is an actual boxing ring in the gym, and there is everything you could ever possibly need if you are looking to get into boxing as a sport, including a speed bag, heavy bags, treadmills, jump ropes, weight equipment and knowledgeable trainers.
Gotham is a New York City brand with an arm in the Hamptons, but their operation in the Hamptons fits in with the area. They have classes that are included with your membership, free of charge every day at 9:00 am for one hour. This is a group class where you pair up with another person and do mitt work, which basically means one of you is punching while the other holds the mitts, and then you alternate.
All of this is orchestrated by Tom or one of the other trainers that work at the gym and it’s a ton of fun. No, you don’t have to worry about getting punched in the face and you don’t have to worry about not knowing what you’re doing. This is for the physical benefit of boxing, which is amazing. Boxing work every muscle in the body and is a great way to relieve stress. Anybody can do it!
I’m a big fan of this gym and am a full member and try to get there every day. Tom is incredibly knowledgeable of the sport and teaches you combos and stances while at the same time putting you at ease. “We’re open here year-round and do a lot of our business in the summertime, but it’s nice to have those year-round locals who want to get into the sport,” Tom tells me.
It’s an absolute blast boxing in a real ring and training like a fighter, even if you aren’t, and it’s an unbelievably fun workout. I highly recommend this place.
