While some students like to get a workout playing on a Staples sports team or spinning at the gym, others opt for a different approach.

Gyms in Westport and surrounding towns; such as TITLE Boxing Club, The Edge, Westport Boxing & MMA, offer kickboxing classes that many students take both to break a sweat and even learn some self defense skills.

Kickboxing is a popular workout for students who have extracurriculars outside of sports. Maya Namasivayam ’18 plays viola in Norwalk Youth Symphony as well as Staples Chamber orchestra, but she finds the time to kickbox at TITLE Boxing Club in Norwalk about three to four times a week.

Namasivayam prefers kickboxing to other workouts because “it’s just so much more fun, and [it’s] such a great stress reliever,” she said.

Alison Partner ’18 is on the Staples track and cross country teams, but she finds herself at TITLE Boxing Club about twice a week for kickboxing classes.

“It’s an individual sport where you only compete against yourself,” Partner said, “which I personally prefer more than being compared to others.”

Although she originally started in order to get a good workout, Namasivayam also recognized the real-world applicability of kickboxing.

“I didn’t start it because I wanted to defend myself,” she said. “But it’s definitely a good skill that [kickboxing] teaches you.”

This mix between exercise and real-world skills was also what attracted Megan Hines ’17 to the sport.

“I’ve used these skills in the past to defend myself,” Hines said. “I think it’s a better method of exercise because not only are you learning an important skill, but it’s a full body workout.”

Partner found confidence in knowing she could defend herself if needed.

“I don’t see myself using the techniques for self defense,” Partner said, “but if I were in a position where it was necessary, I would.”