Kinetic Community Spotlight

Ben Alvarez | @benalvarez_

Ben is a boxer, breakfast enthusiast, and a determined go- getter. His strong passion for boxing, undeniable grit, and heavy hands have earned him the belt of a powerhouse in the YEG boxing circuit.

How did you get into boxing?

“I got into boxing in grade 8 after getting beat up a few times in school. I wanted to learn how to defend myself and be able to fight back if it ever came down to it.”

Did you play any other sports growing up? Do you feel any of those sports helped you fine tune your boxing skills?

“I played a lot of soccer growing up back in Chile. I don’t think soccer had an impact in my performance in boxing, it was more so the rough environment I grew up in that helped me be successful.”

Do you include any other sports into cross training? Or what does a typical training week look like for you?

“I don’t do any other sports other than boxing. I try to keep my training very sport specific. I run between 3–5 times a week early in the morning, strength and conditioning 3 times a week (circuit work), 4 times a week heavy bag work and technique tuning(shadow boxing, footwork). 3 times a week sparring.”

Who is an inspirational athlete that you look up to and why?

“I look up to athletes that started from nothing and have climbed the ladder to the top, through hard work and dedication. I admire success and I admire people who went up against all odds to achieve it. It’s what motivates me to create my own and climb the ladder myself. One of my favourite athletes right now out there is Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, a Mexican boxer.”

How does Chiropractic assist you to be able to get into the ring on a daily / weekly / monthly basis?

“Before I started seeing Dr.Kara I used to deal with injuries myself. When I say “deal” I mean not do anything about it, and just work through it and pretend is not there. Dr.Kara has definitely changed my perspective on training and recovery and has made major changes in my body and physical performance. I feel stronger and faster than I ever have, and that plays a lot in my confidence when I get in the ring. I am now able to push my body further to new limits knowing that if anything was to go wrong I have a team that has my back and will fix me up.”

How do you prepare for the mental aspect of an individual sport?

“A lot of the mental preparation I bring with me into the ring comes from my training. Knowing that I worked my ass off in the gym, knowing that I got up every morning and went for a run and I did everything I could to prepare my body physically gives me the peace and the mental strength I need.”

What is your favourite meal of the day and give us an example what you would be eating?

“My favourite meal of the day is breakfast after my morning run. By this time I am super hungry and super excited to eat, I love an omelette with lots of mushrooms and spinach and tomatoes and on a perfect day with a crepe on the side loaded with nutella, bananas and strawberries.”

Whats the biggest misconception of boxing?

“I feel like the biggest misconception in boxing is that people don’t realize how hard this sport is. There is so much preparation for someone to get into the ring — literally blood, sweat and tears and more blood — this is a sport that will test your limits to the extreme both physically and mentally, it will either break you or make you. You will find out new things about yourself that maybe you never thought possible.”

How have you seen your personal growth in boxing change over the years?

“My biggest personal growth in boxing would be my confidence, it has not only made me confident as an athlete but also as a person and yes throughout the years i have gotten stronger and faster and more fearless.”

Are you superstitious in any way like if you are given the red corner over the blue corner does this affect you at all. What are some pre-fight routines you do?

“Not really superstitious. Some routines I follow are… I take a cold shower in the morning or every time after a nap the day of the fight. I drink lots and lots of water, I have 2 spoon full of honey an hour before I get in the ring. Of course I eat very clean throughout the day.”

What are some of your long term goals?

“My long term goal in boxing, is to move away from Edmonton, hopefully to San Diego and turn pro and compete at the highest level possible.”

What phrase do you draw inspiration from?

“Don’t quit, suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion”

Photos captured by Cooper & O’Hara | @cooperandohara