Asbury Park Press Knockout fitness: Members shape up at Gladiator Boxing By BOB VOSSELLER • Staff Writer • July 17, 2008 LACEY &emdash; A local business is offering boxing as a means of getting some summer exercise, as well as a good self-defense method. For the last several weeks, Shawn Darling, owner of Gladiator Boxing in Forked River, has been instructing a boxercise class. The class includes jumping rope for a warmup then stretching. "We then do some calisthenics, plyometrics, medicine ball exercises and heavy bag drills," Darling said. "You get in great shape and learn how to defend yourself at the same time."  Darling is a former Tough Man fighter and fellow instructor, Deroy Beaton, is a 2008 Golden Gloves champion. Both men teach the class, which is held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. "The classes are for men and women from 14 years old to adults. We have some women in their 50s, too. It's the same boxing workout we do in the evening classes with the amateurs," Darling said. There is no actual person-to-person contact involved with the course, he said. The class is predominantly women with a couple of men. "Some of my amateur boxers take it, too, just to get an extra workout," Darling said. "This is the second year for the class. We've had mothers and daughters and husbands and wives." The Gladiator Boxing gym opened in 2005. Monday's class featured 10 students, all women. Several of them said they wanted a more aggressive workout routine, which also offered an element of self-defense. "It's a great workout and I get to take my frustrations out on the bags," Jackie Hinshelwood of Forked River said on Monday. "I originally signed up my daughter, Jaimie, for the workout and self-defense and then I joined, too." Erin Pennell of Bayville agreed that the class is a great workout. "It is a great way to get in shape and have fun. The workouts always change so it doesn't get boring," Pennell said during Monday's class. Darling plans to hold a boxing camp at the gym later in the month, he said, and he also wants to host a boxing show next month to benefit the Lacey Food Bank. "I am looking at having free admission with a food donation. I want to get some other local business to help me out. We'll need a DJ, printers, restaurants and others. I had a friend I used to bring to the local food banks for help, so I know how important they are," Darling said. Darling hasn't hung up his boxing gloves yet. Along with his duties as an instructor, he plans to box next month. "I am boxing in an exhibition on Aug. 25 at the BlueClaws Stadium in Lakewood. It would be held right before the game starts. It is boxing night at the stadium and I was given the opportunity to promote my gym. I am going to dust off my gloves and mix it up in front of 7,000 people. I hope I don't get KO'd," Darling said.