Leasa Collins

Week 3 – Progress, Punches & Post-Training Coffees

After missing my usual Sunday massage, I kicked off the week with a much-needed Monday massage. From now on, “Massage Mondays” will replace my Monday gym sessions—at least until my legs are strong enough to handle the extra workload. My right calf and quad are still incredibly tight, which has been causing a fair bit of pain in my right knee. But despite the discomfort, I managed to push through and stay on track.

This week began with a quick video update for the socials—then straight into training. Tuesday’s session felt noticeably easier than previous weeks. I think my body is finally starting to adapt to these intense sessions, which is a great feeling. Trainer Gus, our usual warm-up drill sergeant, was away that day. (I think there was a quiet sense of relief in the group!) He’s kind of like Ant Middleton from SAS Australia—if Ant had a strong European accent. But the relief was short-lived, as Lauren (a fighter from last year) stepped in, and she definitely didn’t take it easy on us. Any hopes of a “chill” session were quickly dashed.

The good news: my punches are improving, and I’m finally remembering to protect my face. The challenge: every time I master one thing, I seem to forget another. This week, it was my footwork. Hopefully, next week I’ll be able to tie it all together—punching, posture, footwork, and defence—in one smooth combo. That’s the dream!

Sessions run for about an hour and 40 minutes now, but I no longer feel like collapsing by the end. In fact, I’ve started to genuinely enjoy them.

Saturday brings my favourite session. For the first time during training, I accidentally punched someone in the face. We were just practicing defence moves, and my instincts kicked in a little too well—definitely not intentional! That session ended with a few rounds in the ring. I assumed we’d do one two-minute round… but as soon as I caught my breath, the trainer said, “Let’s go again.” That second round felt endless. Right now, I honestly can’t imagine doing three full rounds on fight night—but it’s still early days, and I know I’ll get there.

We wrapped up with our usual post-session coffee with the girls—plus trainer Chantal, and Jimmy and Patty, two adorable kids who come along with their mum. I definitely think they enjoy these Saturday coffees more than watching us train! We get to relax, eat, and bombard Chantal with questions about previous years' events. It’s become the perfect way to end the week.

My goal for Week 4: to finally sync up punching, posture, footwork, and defending my face—all at the same time. Here’s hoping! Wish me luck.

WEEK TWO: Finding My Rhythm, Feeling the Burn – and Staying the Course

After wrapping up Week One of training, I treated myself to a well-earned massage. With calves and quads tighter than ever—and some discomfort around my right knee—it was clear my body needed some TLC. The intensity of this journey is real, and recovery is just as important as the work I’m putting in.

I’ve started to realise that squeezing in two gym sessions per week on top of our official training schedule might be a bit ambitious. Still, I pushed through and made it to the gym on Monday night, determined to stay committed. From there, it was back into the routine: training Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, followed by my usual Saturday netball game—though I’ve sensibly requested to play only half-games when possible.

A highlight this week was the arrival of my MyZone tracker on Tuesday. It’s been eye-opening to see the data behind the effort. That first night, I spent 3 minutes in the “red zone” (over 90% of my maximum heart rate). By Thursday’s session, I managed 12 minutes in that same high-intensity zone—mainly during the boxing bag drills. The app describes this zone as “maximum effort—borderline passing out”—and honestly, it feels pretty accurate! But it’s also a powerful reminder that my fitness is improving week by week, even if my middle child insists I’m heading for a heart attack.

Coordination is still a work in progress, but every session brings a little more confidence and control. This week, I definitely felt stronger during the workouts, though the recovery afterwards was tougher. Whether that’s a good sign or not, time will tell.

Saturday ended on a high note, not just with training but with a much-needed coffee catch-up with some of the girls and one of our fantastic trainers Chantal. It was an inspiring chance to learn from her experience and to appreciate the incredible support we’re getting—not just in the ring, but around it. The community and camaraderie are as vital as the training itself.

By Sunday, I had to admit defeat—there was no time for another massage, and my body felt it. I’ll likely skip my Monday gym session in favour of some much-needed recovery. With travel for work coming up this week, staying active and focused while on the move (and away from my usual diet) will be its own challenge—but one I’m ready to take on.

On a positive note, I hit my 2-minute plank goal again this week—small but meaningful wins are keeping me going.

And now to the most important part: fundraising.
I’m thrilled to share that I’ve raised over $3,400 toward my $4,000 goal! I'm deeply grateful to everyone who has contributed, whether financially or through words of encouragement. Your support keeps me motivated during the toughest sessions and reminds me why I’m doing this.

If you haven’t yet donated and would like to support a cause that’s empowering, challenging, and truly life-changing—not just for me, but for those we're helping—please consider making a contribution. Every dollar helps and every message lifts me higher.

Until next week—onward, stronger, and (hopefully) slightly more coordinated!

Week 1: Hitting the Ground Running

The first week of Corporate Clash training kicked off with a pre-program session on Sunday. It was an introduction to the fundamentals of boxing—how to properly wrap our hands, adopt the right stance, breathe effectively, and move with intention. We also touched on mindset and footwork, giving us a taste of what’s to come over the next 12 weeks.

Having never set foot in a boxing gym before, the experience was completely new for me. It began with a walkthrough of the training structure, followed immediately by what was described as an “easy” session. If that was easy, I knew I was in for a serious challenge.

The warm-up alone was more intense than my regular gym workouts—which I had only just started a few weeks prior. I’m incredibly grateful to the friends who advised me to begin general fitness training before this program began. Without that small foundation, I’m not sure I would have made it through the first hour. In hindsight, a few more months of preparation would’ve made a big difference. I was just starting to enjoy regular exercise before being thrown into the deep end of boxing training.

From there, the regular Tuesday and Thursday sessions began. After a group warm-up, we split into two groups—one heading to a cardio circuit and the other working the boxing bags—before switching over. Every session concluded with a group cooldown and a two-minute plank. That might sound easy to some, but for me, even 30 seconds felt impossible at first.

I started the week clumsy and out of sync, struggling through exercises and barely holding a plank. This didn’t surprise anyone who knows me—and to be honest, many are following my journey more for laughs than boxing inspiration.

The week wrapped up with our first official weigh-in. I looked at the number on the scale in disbelief. Despite feeling stronger and more active, I was 5kg heavier than expected. My increased appetite from hitting the gym over recent weeks had clearly caught up with me. It was a sobering moment, but it added more motivation to the challenge ahead.

What stood out most in week one, though, was the shift in group dynamics. On day one, the atmosphere was polite but friendly—like a BBQ where everyone naturally split by gender. But by the end of the week, there was a noticeable change. People began sharing tips, encouragement, and laughs. One teammate recommended a heart rate monitor after discovering we were burning upwards of 850 calories in a single session—double my normal gym output. I bought one that week. Another shared her mindset technique for surviving the dreaded plank, which actually helped me complete the full two minutes. Our coach expects us to build to five minutes by the end, which feels ambitious but no longer impossible.

Saturday brought the optional 8 a.m. session, which I attended despite running on little sleep. It turned out to be my favorite of the week—slightly lower intensity, but our first chance to get into the ring. It was smaller than the one we’ll eventually fight in, but it gave a valuable glimpse into what it really feels like inside the ropes.

It was a tough start, but I’m determined to attend every session possible, aside from work travel. I even managed to squeeze in a gym session and a netball game outside of official training—something I couldn’t have imagined a few months ago.

Looking ahead, I know each week will ramp up in intensity, but I’m more excited than intimidated.

On a high note, I’ve already raised just over $2,000—halfway to my fundraising goal of $4,000.

Bring on week 2!