Summer 2025 Newsletter: Zen & Boxing

Oakland Zen + Boxing Intensive

by Christine Cordero Sensei and Raúl Betancourt Sensei

As part of Chozen-ji offerings in Zen & Boxing, we offered the first ever Zen + Boxing Intensive in Oakland and Alameda, CA in March. With world champion Michele Aboro, 14 returning students from the Bay Area, Hawaii, and East Coast trained three full days, from 5:30am – 10:00pm each day. The schedule consisted of zazen, okyo, strength and conditioning, boxing technique and fundamentals, and recovery and optimization.

In the evenings, in collaboration with Gopa Boxing Club, we introduced zazen and boxing fundamentals with a broader set of community participants, each night building upon the last. 75 participants attended the first night, 35 the second, and 20 the final evening.

Three days was enough time to find physical and mental edges and push beyond self-imposed limitations. However, a longer sesshin would have allowed us to sync up and find the rhythm of the daily schedule. We will offer a full weeklong boxing sesshin in Oakland in Spring 2026.

Zen & Boxing Intensive

By Carl He Sensei

In anticipation of the Boxing Sesshin with Michele Aboro in October 2025, Chozen-ji offered an intensive training week in July for serious boxing students. The mission was to sharpen the mind and harden the body for the expected onslaught (of Boxing Sesshin).

From Monday to Friday, zazen and physical training was held mornings and evenings. A total of 14 students participated over the week. The physical training consisted of two alternating components. First, boxing training focusing on footwork, punching technique and combinations; 

Second, strength and conditioning training focusing on explosive power, kinetic chain, hara connection and cardiovascular fitness. Knees over toes joint bullet-proofing exercises were incorporated to prevent injury.

At the end of the week, the students put everything together and displayed their understanding of boxing Zen in controlled sparring.

The result of the training was satisfactory. All students saw noticeable improvements in skill, conditioning and mental fortitude; and all reached a higher readiness for the upcoming Boxing Sesshin. Seeing the benefits of the intensive training week, more are expected to be held in 2026.