August 2018 – Ryan Lee

Our member of the month for August, 2018 is Ryan Lee, who is a portfolio analyst for a commercial mortgage lender. We chose him this month due to his humble demeanour and his recent step-up to sparring and more competitive boxing. When Ryan joined Contenders in September of 2017, it was his first time ever boxing.

“Before joining Contenders I had learned some basics from a friend who used to train at Franco’s kickboxing and had messed around with hand pads a couple of times, but I hadn’t trained anywhere before. My sister was doing the 2-week trial and I decided to tag along. She didn’t end up joining but I was hooked after the first couple of classes. The gym is close to my office so it’s convenient and I can sneak out of the office to go train.

Ryan says that the Tuesday beginner sparring drills class in his favourite to attend.

“The classes are a great way of learning new techniques in a controlled environment. Sebastian does a good job of breaking down techniques so they are easy to understand and use, there have been a number of times where I have been taught something during the Tuesday class and have used it/ had it used on me during sparring later on in the week.”

Ryan is currently working on improving his cardio so that he does not gas out as much as sparring. He enjoys competing with other members and seeing everyone’s improvement week to week. In his free time, he enjoys playing volleyball and reading comics.

For anyone who is considering joining Contenders, and to any current member who is considering starting sparring, Ryan says:

“It can be intimidating first walking in the gym, I remember being a bit overwhelmed on my first day, but Contender’s did a great job of making me feel welcome. So, come and train with us, talk to people, and ask questions, you’ll see that Contenders is a great place to train. I started sparring this year, it has been a lot of fun. If you’re interested in sparring I recommend getting your medical done and trying it out!”