Raj Nagra’s Bartender Boxing Organization is coming to Australia this year, with the big final fight taking place on Sunday night on the 15th of September during Sydney Bar Week. This is just one of more than 30 events we’ve got planned for Bar Week, from the 14th to the 18th of September. For more information, check out Raj’s story below and sign up for updates at bartenderboxing.com.
Story by Raj Nagra
Let’s face it, when people talk about bartenders the word athlete doesn’t typically pop up in the same sentence. This is why we created the most intense and effective health and wellness program for bartenders on the planet. As a long-term global brand ambassador, I’ve seen my fair share of late and wild nights over a 25-year career in our industry. To keep a balance, I’ve always played sports and always needed something that required real discipline and commitment, and it had to be intense because I didn’t have a lot of down time between my insane travel schedule. I didn’t realise that my lifelong passion for boxing would provide the same answer and benefits for so many people I knew. And so, after a lot of time, effort, red tape, and money, the Bartender Boxing Organization was born.
You can’t just walk into boxing, it’s like boot camp in the sense that you need to completely rewire and adjust your thinking. The commitment is as much physical, as it is mental, and it is really addictive. It’s not about aggression and hitting people, it’s about solving a puzzle, and pushing yourself further than you have ever likely been pushed. It’s not long before the endorphins are pumping, and you just can’t get enough. Three months isn’t a long time to train but having worked with well over a hundred bartenders in the US and Canada over the last two years, the long-term impact is real. This isn’t Tai-Bo or boxercise, this is a personal paradigm shift.
Being an Aussie, I floated the word to some mates, and it looks like the right time to bring the Bartender Boxing Organization to Oz! We are looking forward to setting up shop but don’t expect to just be able to walk in. This program isn’t cheap to run, so we have an extremely rigorous application process to make sure you’re not wasting your time. The training program is three months, with three supervised training sessions each week with professional boxing coaches under Bartender Boxing direction. For most of our boxers, this means no drinking, no smoking, a meal plan, and weekly weight goals. Every boxer is paired up with a counterpart as we adhere to strict boxing regulations. Most boxers will have an official Boxing Australia Amateur bout on their records by the end of the program over three, two-minute rounds.
The point of the program isn’t exclusively about the show at the end, which is a consequence, but rather the journey of transformation. Imagine training and sacrificing for three months, amongst a team who are now your besties. Then having friends, family and peers watching you give it everything you have! It’s real and life changing.
Our organization is strictly nonprofit in the US. This means that all proceeds from events, merchandise, and promotions go directly to our charity. A similar approach will be taken to Australia in supporting a local industry cause. We rely heavily on sponsors, but we provide great value considering we also coach our boxers to diligently document their journey on social media. Check out our social channels @bartenderboxing, and #bartenderboxing.
If you think you have what it takes, then please sign up on our website bartenderboxing.com to learn more about the Australian launch.
If you represent a brand with a commitment to our industry that aligns with Bartender Boxing values, then please do reach out to us at: info@bartenderboxing.com to learn more on supporting our mission of reshaping the health of our incredible industry.