Wang Qiuhui trains with coach Jerson Palaci Estoro. (Photo: Zhang Xinyuan/GT)
Coach Estoro trains another female fighter. (Photo: Zhang Xinyuan/GT)
It's 5 p.m. on a Friday and Wang Qiuhui, 36, quickly kicks off her high heels and undresses before heading to a room in another building. She enters, and loud rhythmical music pulses from the speakers tucked all over the room. She is one of a few women in the space, but she does not mind. Instead, she wraps her hand, slips on a pair of boxing gloves and readies to fight.
A white-collar worker employed at an insurance company in Beijing, Wang has been dabbling in contact sports for about two years. So far, she has tried Muay Thai, mixed martial arts (MMA) and boxing.
Wang is an example of the growing trend among female white-collar workers in China. Like her, many young Chinese women are learning contact sports, particularly those that were previously mainly dominated by men because of the level of violence involved.
As the economic and social status of women in China rises, more female white-collar workers are entering boxing rings, fighting against social stereotypes that say women are the weaker sex and not suitable for combat sports.
According to a report posted on news portal ifeng.com in September 2014, combat sports classes account for up to 80 percent of all the workout classes at gyms in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, and women make up a third of the participants.
Some of the women have even become so good that they have started to compete in amateur boxing contests. In fact, according to the organizer of amateur fighting competition Brawl on the Wall, more Chinese women have been signing up to fight over the last few years.
Jerson Palaci Estoro, head coach at Beijing Fight Republic, a boxing studio in Beijing's Central Business District, has also noticed an increase in female fighters. According to him, the female members at his gym have increased by around 50 percent in recent years.
"Combat sports are mostly favored by men because of the way people think about contact sports. They think that it is designed for men and that women can't do it because it involves hard training," said Estoro who is also one of the coaches helping to prepare the amateur contestants for Brawl on the Wall on April 29.
"But as time passes by, women want to show that they can also handle the training, and most of them do it not only for fitness but also for self-defense."
Punch your troubles away
The busy and sometimes chaotic life of female white-collar workers in big cities makes contact sports a great draw for them because the intense sessions are great for stress relief.
"We all have a lot of troubling thoughts, whether from work or our family, and we need an outlet to escape those thoughts and clear our minds," Wang said.
She said she tried other sports, like running or swimming, but they didn't work. It was not until she tried contact sports that she was able to "completely clear her mind."
"When I do combat sports, I don't think about anything else except boxing. I only focus on how to throw every punch because if I get distracted even for a second, I will get knocked out," Wang said.
"After each class, I am completely relaxed. That's a feeling I have never had before with any other sport or hobby."
Stronger mind, stronger body
The quality of Wang's life has improved since she started attending combat sports sessions. Her health has improved. Her social circle has expanded with new friends from boxing studios, and she is more confident and "brave."
"My attitude at work has changed. I have become more direct and confident when dealing with clients," said Wang.
"In the past, when dealing with unfamiliar clients, I used to feel shy and was afraid to talk to them. Also, when I faced obstacles at work, I tended to shy away."
Wang attributes her change in attitude to her training, which teaches her how to stand up for herself.
"We are trained to face our attackers rather than run away," she said. "So, when I face obstacles now, my first reaction is to face it and solve it."
She said she has also learned to push herself, even when it seems like she has nothing more to give. After all, if she can do it in boxing when her limbs are tired and she is out of breath, she can try outside of the ring.
Wang said most women in her age group tend to doubt themselves when facing new opportunities like a new job, thinking that they can't do it, and it is too late to change.
"They tend to settle with what they have and convince themselves that they should focus on their family," she said.
"But I want to say that we can have it all. We should believe in ourselves and grab those opportunities. I always encourage my friends and colleagues to do just that."
Challenging stereotypes
Despite her achievement in the sport and her new take on life, things are not all smooth sailing for Wang. She also faces obstacles and gets judged unfairly sometimes.
People often think she is not feminine enough because she boxes.
"At the office, my colleagues always ask me to change to big 5-kilogram bottled water," said Wang. "[Also,] when I travel with a girl, her parents would be relieved knowing that she is traveling with me because I am strong like a man."
Thirty-six and single, Wang also has to deal with the negative comments from people who blame her single status on boxing.
"A friend would suggest that I will not find a boyfriend if I keep boxing because men like girls who are weaker than them and feminine," said Wang.
She added that even guys who box have opined that they would not date a woman who boxes.
"I want people to know that women box just as good as men, and women who like boxing have a peaceful and graceful side too," Wang said.
"When I know I am ready, I would consider joining an amateur fighting competition too, to show more people what it is like for a woman to fight!"
