Maintaining good mental and physical health are daily challenges for many people. For some, the solution to both is clear: boxing.

At The Ring in Boston, students and teachers alike enjoy the welcoming and supportive atmosphere. English teacher Nicholas Rothstein, an instructor at the studio, helps students develop a love for the sport while challenging them in this safe environment.

For junior Olivia Brown, boxing first served as a way to get exercise in between sports seasons. However, Brown said that boxing is something she now really enjoys.

“It’s super relieving, and you burn like 900 calories in an hour,” Brown said. “You sweat so much but you don’t feel it, you’re just punching bags.”

Sophomore Natalija Beslic, who was first introduced to The Ring by her older sister, said that boxing there has been an emotional outlet for her.

“It definitely helps me cope with my emotions,” Beslic said.

Maintaining good mental and physical health are daily challenges for many people. For some, the solution to both is clear: boxing.

At The Ring in Boston, students and teachers alike enjoy the welcoming and supportive atmosphere. English teacher Nicholas Rothstein, an instructor at the studio, helps students develop a love for the sport while challenging them in this safe environment.

Sophomore Natalija Beslic, who was first introduced to The Ring by her older sister, said that boxing there has been an emotional outlet for her.

“It definitely helps me cope with my emotions,” Beslic said. “I relieve everything when I get there, so when I get home I don’t yell at everyone.”

Rothstein has been teaching classes at The Ring for 15 years and said that boxing greatly increased his self-confidence.

“I think boxing in general helps me process a lot of other things in life,” Rothstein said. “It’s a test of will–how far you can go physically, emotionally and psychologically.”

Brown said that even though Rothstein teaches the most physically challenging classes at The Ring, the classes are equally friendly and supportive.

“It’s guys and girls so you’re really comfortable with who you’re with, and you meet a lot of very nice people,” Brown said. “He makes the environment very nice. He’s always talking to people during class.”

According to Rothstein, the boxing rings have not always been relaxed.

“Back in the day, you couldn’t even go in a gym if you weren’t looking for fights,” Rothstein said. “Nowadays, it’s the other way around. Most people go to boxing gyms to learn how to get in shape and learn how to fight, but they’re not looking for it to be a career.”

Brown said that the diversity of people in her class makes it even more enjoyable.

“There’s a kid there who I believe is seven or eight, and there’s an 80-year-old woman there. It’s the funniest thing,” Brown said. “It’s any age and any gender, and it’s so fun.”

According to Beslic, although seeing teachers outside of school is usually strange and unnatural, boxing with Rothstein does not feel uncomfortable.

“It’s not weird because he’s not my teacher, and it’s kind of nice because then you know someone there,” Beslic said.

Rothstein said that one stark contrast of teaching at the high school versus at The Ring is the difference in how he communicates with students.

“There’s a lot of ex-pros who are there, a lot of adults, so the type of dialogue that you have with a student is different than at the high school. It’s a little more loose, a little more informal,” Rothstein said. “There’s a lot of barking at people and motivation by forcing people to go beyond what they’re used to, but in English you’re not yelling at each other.”

According to Rothstein, teaching boxing is important to him because he helps young women gain a sense of self-confidence.

“I think it is very important that young women gain their own self confidence, and part of that can come from physical self-awareness and physical reassurance,” Rothstein said. “It’s good for women to be able to feel like they can control their physical safety.”