Pretty much anywhere else they would blend into the crowd, but here at the 2 Rivers Boxing Club Janice Reynolds and Tammy Steinbach stick out among the younger and mostly male club members.
Reynolds and Steinbach are in their forties, old enough to be grandmothers, but young at heart and eager to try new things.
Reynolds, 48, was looking for something different to satisfy her exercise requirements during the winter months.
A passing comment from a friend who had boxed in Kitimat, a memory of a story in the newspaper 2 Rivers Boxing Club was up and running and Reynolds was at the Native Friendship Centre, money in hand, ready to join the club.
“She [Reynold’s friend] said it was great exercise and lots of fun so I thought I would give it a try,” Reynolds said, but admitted she had a few reservations.
One of those reservations, is her age, Reynolds said, adding that at 48 years old she could be the grandmother of several of the younger club members.
Reynolds quickly added she never felt unwelcomed by the other club members, it was more something she had to work through.
Although she had a few reservations about joining the club, Reynolds said she is glad she did.
“It’s been incredibly inspiring,” she said.
“Not only for the exercise, but to see all of these young people and how fit they are,” Reynolds added as she waved her hand to acknowledge the younger boxers preparing for the evening’s training.
“These kids could be somewhere else on a Friday night doing a lot of less healthy things, but they’re here.
“I think that’s awesome.”
Part of that inspiration, Reynolds said, was reserved for 2 Rivers Boxing Club owner Wally Doern.
“He’s awesome,” she said with a tone of admiration.
“He’s just the greatest, kindest guy.”
Steinbach joined after a year of watching her son take part in the thrice-weekly training sessions.
“It looked like a lot of fun so I decided to join too,” Steinbach said.
“It looked like a great stress reliever.”
Since joining the club earlier this year, Steinbach said she carries less stress with her and credits the workouts at the club, especially the heavy bag.
To her surprise, besides being a stress-buster, the workouts, especially working the heavy bag, have improved her cardiovascular fitness, Steinbach said.
“I was surprised at how hard it was to work the heavy bag,” she said.
“It’s really good for your cardio.”
Another benefit of joining the boxing club, Steinbach explained, was the thrice-weekly sessions, something that is scheduled, as opposed to something she has to make time for.
Reynolds agreed.
“My upper body strength and my core strength have really, really improved,” she said, adding she would urge other women to consider joining the boxing club.
“The training is good for all-around fitness,” she said.
“It’s good for your balance, which is important as you get older.”
In addition to training, some members at the boxing club are competitive boxing and part of their training includes sparring, which Steinbach admitted she would like to try for the experience and for the exercise.
“I’m learning something new,” she said.
“And I want to learn more and to learn more I think I need to spar.
“But I’m not ready yet.”
Although she is enjoying the benefits of the boxing training, Reynolds, unlike Steinbach, said she has no desire to try her hand at sparring.
“I value my nose too much,” she said with a chuckle.