The sport inspires so much passion that some women adjust their schedules to regularly attend classes. Gina, 30, a salesperson who takes a 1:15pm Monday class, half-jokes, "My clients don't go to lunch on Mondays." Perhaps unsurprisingly, it also provides stress relief for those who use the noncontact fighting to work out their frustrations. Boxing acts as a "big release" from anger and tension, according to Elizabeth, 41, a senior product manager ‑- an assessment that everyone else echoed.

There seems to be universal agreement that anyone with an interest should definitely try boxing at least once ‑ without feeling embarrassed or intimidated. Gina also observes that "these big guys, who think they're so strong even though they've never taken [the class before]," often have a rockier start than women who have better control and coordination, abilities that can be more useful than brute strength.

Enough from the women. How do the guys in their lives respond? Lisa's and Gina's boyfriends have a positive reaction to it. "It's fun [for them] to think that we have this other side," explained Lisa. Elizabeth, in the process of getting divorced, has a different take on the relationship between boxing and the men in her life. "I just imagine [my ex-husband's] head on that bag when I'm hitting, and it makes me feel better." For Chris, 55, who works in accounting and payroll, there's not much her husband could say about it. "After 30 years, he knows better than to question what I want to do," she shrugs.