拳击运动有着悠久的历史。近年来，在英国，拳击成为了一项受大众喜爱的运动。许多人开始通过拳击来强身健体，不过除此之外，拳击还有其它好处吗？本文列举练习拳击的好处。

词汇：exercise 体育锻炼

Boxing has been practised for centuries – it was even one of the sports in the original Olympic Games in ancient Greece. More recently, boxing has become mainstream in the UK, with hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life participating in the sport every week. But why? The answer lies in the physical , mental and even social benefits boxing can bring.

拳击已经有几百年的历史了，它甚至是古希腊奥运会最初的比赛项目之一。最近，拳击在英国已经成为主流，每周都有成千上万来自各行各业的人参加这项运动。但是为什么呢?答案在于拳击能给身体、精神甚至社会带来的好处。

Its physical benefits are clear. Whether it’s practising with a punching bag , sparring with a partner or facing an opponent in the ring , boxing can be an intense form of exercise and give a full-body workout . It can improve muscular strength , and it can also increase anaerobic fitness – allowing someone to work out harder, for longer. These can, in turn, have a positive impact on other aspects of physical well-being , like heart health and weight management.

它对身体的好处显而易见。无论是拿着沙袋练习，还是和搭档对打，抑或是在擂台上面对对手，拳击都可以是一种激烈的锻炼形式，可以锻炼全身。它可以提高肌肉力量，也可以增加无氧健身——让人锻炼得更努力，更持久。反过来，这些可以对身体健康的其他方面产生积极的影响，如心脏健康和体重管理。

But the high physical demands of the sport aren’t just good for the body – boxing can also have a positive impact on someone’s mental well-being. Dr Jessica Pinchbeck, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Fitness at the Open University, says that boxing ‘can alleviate some of the symptoms of anxiety and depression’. Exercising regularly is already widely known to be good for mental health, but boxing can also bring a sense of discipline and focus .

但这项运动对身体的高要求不仅对身体有好处，还可以对一个人的精神健康产生积极的影响。开放大学体育与健身高级讲师杰西卡·平切贝克博士说，拳击“可以缓解焦虑和抑郁的一些症状”。众所周知，经常锻炼对心理健康有益，但拳击也能带来纪律性和专注力。

And there is a third benefit to putting on the boxing gloves. Practising punches can be done alone, of course, but boxing is not just an individual activity – it also involves working with others to train and stay safe. Dr Gavin Williams, Senior Lecturer in Education at the Open University, says that this cooperation and teamwork can ‘create a sense of identity … and belonging ’. So, no matter what the reason that attracts someone to boxing, the interactive elements of the sport, mean it can also have profound social benefits.

戴上拳击手套还有第三个好处。练习拳击当然可以单独进行，但拳击不只是一项个人活动——它还需要与他人一起训练并保持安全。开放大学教育学高级讲师加文·威廉姆斯博士说，这种合作和团队合作可以“创造一种认同感……和归属感”。所以，无论什么原因吸引人们参加拳击运动，这项运动的互动元素意味着它也可以产生深远的社会效益。

Good for body, mind and social interactions? It’s not surprising that more and more people are stepping into the ring.

对身体、思想和社会交往有好处吗?越来越多的人加入这个圈子，这并不奇怪。

词汇表

practise 练习mainstream 主流的from all walks of life 来自各行各业physical 身体的mental 思想上的，精神的punching bag 练习拳击用的吊袋spar with 与…练拳击face an opponent 面对一名对手in the ring 在拳击台内full-body workout 全身锻炼muscular strength 肌肉力量anaerobic fitness 无氧适能well-being 健康high physical demands of …对身体素质的高要求have a positive impact on 有积极的影响alleviate 减轻，缓和symptom 症状discipline 纪律，约束focus 专注力sense of identity 认同感sense of belonging 归属感

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. What kind of people do boxing in the UK?

2. True or False? Boxing is a workout only for the arms.

3. What impact can boxing have on the symptoms of anxiety and depression?

4. Why is boxing not just an individual sport?

5. What social benefits can cooperation and teamwork in boxing have?

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. They’re a really interesting band! Their music is quite unusual, they’re not _______ at all.

from all walks of life profound mainstream in the ring

2. My younger brother and I have always _______ each other, but we’re close.

had a positive impact on alleviated faced an opponent sparred with

3. Jumping rope can increase _______. It is a short but intense form of exercise.

full-body workout benefit anaerobic fitness symptom

4. A continuous cough and a high temperature are two _______ of Covid-19.

symptoms benefits disciplines focuses

5. My first teacher in primary school had a very _______ effect on me.

profound mainstream full-body physical

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. What kind of people do boxing in the UK? There is not one particular group of people that does boxing. People from all walks of life participate.

2. True or False? Boxing is a workout only for the arms. False. Boxing is a full-body workout.

3. What impact can boxing have on the symptoms of anxiety and depression? Boxing can alleviate them, make them less severe.

4. Why is boxing not just an individual sport? Boxing also involves cooperation with others and teamwork.

5. What social benefits can cooperation and teamwork in boxing have? Cooperation and teamwork can create a sense of identity and belonging.

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. They’re a really interesting band! Their music is quite unusual, they’re not mainstream at all.

2. My younger brother and I have always sparred with each other, but we’re close.

3. Jumping rope can increase anaerobic fitness . It is a short but intense form of exercise.

4. A continuous cough and a high temperature are two symptoms of Covid-19.

5. My first teacher in primary school had a very profound effect on me.