Joining the Club: Title Boxing Club

by Amy Daniels

Finding the time to go to the gym, eat healthy and still handle real life is a challenge for a lot of people. TITLE Boxing Club owner and mother of three, Carissa Chappell recognizes that there plenty of legitimate reasons why people struggle to achieve and maintain optimal health and a regular fitness routine.

“I get it. I’m a busy mom. I’ve got three kids. I own businesses. I am a wife. I have a social life. I coach volleyball. I have a lot of things that I do and I don’t have time to mess around. When I go somewhere to workout, I need it to give me that high, give me that stress relief, and burn calories for the rest of the day.”

Chappell, a former volleyball player at ECU, worked in private mental health for more than 10 years. After the birth of her third daughter in 2017, Chappell spent the next year as a stay-at-home mom, until she realized how much she missed working.

“I missed being a part of something, building something, being in the community. I just missed that whole thing. As much as I love my children and loved being at home with them, I needed to do something else.”

With experience as a health coach, Chappell returned to work by reviving her coaching business and developing challenge groups with friends and family across the nation. 

“I was doing nutrition. I was doing fitness for them.  It was about accountability. And in the meantime, I was leading my own journey because I had gained weight, again, from a third pregnancy, so I was trying to lose that and get my hormones situated. I actually battled some postpartum depression, so I had a lot of things that I was working on personally.

It was around that time, in March of 2018, when Chappell and her husband, former ECU wide receiver Lamont Chappell, learned that the former owners of TITLE Boxing Club were planning to sell their close franchise location if they were unable to find someone to buy it. After a lot of urging from friends, some fear, denial, thought, and prayer, Chappell decided to take the leap and purchased the business.

“The first nine months were humbling,” admits Chappell. “I know a lot about fitness. I know a lot about health. I know a lot about wellness. But the actual running of a facility was way more than I thought it was going to be.”

Chappell gives the staff of TITLE Boxing Club a lot of the credit for keeping things running smoothly during the ownership transition, as well as for the overall energy and vibe of the Club.

“The staff have been amazing. They are just one thing that I love about this place. I’m really serious about hiring people who are super authentic. I tell my staff, ‘It has to start with you. You have to be authentic to who you are, because if you pretend like you’re somebody that you’re not, people are going to see right through that.’ The staff, the love that they have for this place and the love that they have for members is really the foundation of this business and one of the reasons we continue to grow. I’ve seen staff shed tears over members before, and that’s a big deal.”

Welcome to the Club

For Chappell, whose passion and goals revolve around changing lives, it is paramount to break the misconceptions about what the “boxing club” is all about, especially for those starting a workout program for the first time in years, or ever. TITLE Boxing Club supports men and women of all ages and abilities. Classes are designed to benefit participants of all fitness levels and boxing experience—most new members have no previous boxing experience, Chappell assures. Members can attend trainer-led classes, enroll in personal training sessions, or come into the gym and workout on their own.

“We see folks who have not worked out in years, have gained some weight, who just had a baby who are so worried about working out for whatever reason, they keep waiting and waiting and waiting. When those folks come to TITLE, our goal is to make it the most positive, uplifting and empowering experience ever.  A huge thing for us is pushing people past the limiting beliefs that they set for themselves, until they start realizing, ‘I can do this. I’m capable of so much more than I actually thought’. We’re so diverse and so welcoming. And that’s for members, that’s for staff, that’s for this community. Our biggest goal is changing lives—as many as we can, all the time, every day, with every interaction. Whether that means weight loss, strength, self-esteem, coping skills, whatever it is that they need, our biggest goal is to empower people with knowledge so they can see their lives change for the better.”  

TITLE Boxing Club is unlike other fitness locations, the differences apparent upon walking in the door.

“I want people to walk into it and feel like the red carpet was rolled out for them,” Chappell says. “We try to know everybody on a different level—their name, what’s happing in their family, where they work, when they’ve got new gloves or new shoes. When you walk in, you feel like there’s nothing you can’t do and that you are exactly where you belong.”

The TITLE Boxing Club method for success is based on five tiers of results for whole-person health: fitness, nutrition, accountability, personal development, and proper use of supplements. The five-tier approach, Chappell explains, creates wellness sustainability. Sustainability is about breaking the cycle of allowing real life to side-track your well-intentioned goals by giving you the tools, knowledge, and support to keep yourself on track.

“Our members do personal development all the time. They’re reading a book, listening to an audio book, a podcast, taking a webinar course—learning more about whatever the thing is in their lives that typically falls apart and offsets their nutrition and health goals.”

TITLE Boxing Club promises a challenging workout every time. It’s not a men’s only boxing ring or a Billy Blanks style Tae Bo cardio workout, Chappell explains.

“Expect an amazing workout every single time,” Chappell says. “The workouts are different every single time. It’s going to challenge you every single time. From the second that bell rings, until the bell rings at the end, you’re pushing. You don’t have to know anything. Just follow the trainer. All you have to do is keep going and keep pushing further than you think you can. And that’s it. By the end of it, you’re going to have hit that amazing heart rate spot where you are burning between 600 to 1200 calories per class. It’s a cathartic workout. I tell everyone that boxing and kickboxing that heavy bag is like 90lbs of leather therapy!”

Absolutely no boxing experience is needed prior to joining a class.

“90% or more of people who walk in our doors have never boxed before, never touched any kind of glove or of bag,” says Chappell. “You don’t have to know anything. The trainer is going to give modifications and meet them where they’re at. We do not believe in injuries. We do not believe in people being run into the ground. That is not empowering. Our workout is going to meet you exactly where you are, whether you’re a veteran or brand new.”

Private training sessions are available for those who prefer one-on-one coaching. Private sessions can target specifics skills like boxing technique but can also focus on other fitness goals such as strength training, sports performance, or trouble zone workouts.

Challenge Groups

Inspired by the success of her former coaching clients, Chappell offers short term challenge groups through TITLE Boxing Club.

“It’s a social thing. It’s a stress relief thing. It’s a knowledge thing. I encourage people to find a group of people that normalize what you’re going for, because if you’re on a health journey, whatever the situation is, and you’re surrounded by a bunch of people and nobody else is dealing with whatever it is you’re dealing with, you’re always going to feel like the odd person out. If you can find a group of people or tribe that normalizes the process, it changes the game.” 

The challenge groups, which boast an 87% success rate, regularly see participants lose 20 to 30 pounds during the 6-week sessions. Using the five-tier approach to wellness, participants learn to find a sustainable approach to their health without a crash-dieting or go-until-you-drop fitness intensity.

Personal interaction, accountability, and the right mindset are the major catalysts for the high success rate of TITLE members meeting health and fitness goals.

“We’re all doing the same thing, supporting each other and pushing limits. The results are going to go through the roof because of it,” says Chappell.

Chappell recommends focusing on how you will feel once you have achieved your goal—when go down a pants size, don’t get winded climbing the stairs—rather than a specific weight-based goal or an unspecific goal such as “getting skinny.” What most people don’t realize is that the physical/scale related goals aren’t enough motivation to keep going or sustain results, but the incredible FEELING of being healthy is!

Nutrition Plans & Supplements

A large factor of wellness is nutrition. Chappell advocates for a sustainable nutrition plan rather than crash dieting.

“We believe in sustainability,” Chappell reiterates. “I can take your money and make you eat greens every day for six weeks. Yes, you’ll lose 20 pounds, but you will absolutely gain that back. And that would be insanity.” 

Learning more about nutrition makes a big difference in maintaining good practices without the continuous professional guidance. For some people, weight gain may be the result of over, but it may also be a sign that someone is not eating enough, or not eating the right balance of foods. Knowing how the body uses different types of foods means that you can lose weight meet your wellness goals without giving up all of the foods you love.

While nutrients derived from eating the right foods are most effective in the body, certain goals or food preferences may require the use of supplements to ensure that the body gets all of the nutrients needed for optimum health.

“We’re a no junk facility. I don’t believe in chemicals, in filling yourself with stuff that’s going to mess up your metabolism and your hormones, like a magic pill for weight loss,” explains Chappell. “I don’t want people going to a supplement store, spending hundreds of dollars on crap that they don’t need. We help people hone in on what they actually need, so they get the results that they want. Supplements are amazing, but they’ve got to be used the right way.”

Rock Steady 

A program beloved by the staff is Rock Steady Boxing, a class for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali was diagnosed with the degenerative neurological disorder which causes, among other symptoms, tremors, muscle stiffness, impaired balance, and slowed muscular movements.

“The high intensity, the contact, the repetition, have been showing statistically to really help with symptoms,” Chappell explains. “They are the most inspiring group of people I’ve ever met in my life.”

Memberships 

TITLE Boxing Club offers flexible membership levels based on individual needs. Memberships options include month-to-month with unlimited classes and discounted personal training, as well as memberships for 4 or 8 workouts per month. A new service launching in September 2019 is focused on health and fitness coaching, independent of a TITLE membership.

“We are taking our private training to another level of accountability.” Chappell explains that the weekly one-on-one coaching sessions are designed for busy people who struggle to get to any gym on a regular basis to find wellness success. “If we can do that, oh my gosh, we can change people’s lives on another level, because we’re fitting it into what works for them. The reality with health and wellness is that fitness is one part of it, but at the end of the day, nutrition and accountability are the biggest parts of it. If you don’t have those you’re going to struggle.”

Rather than see people give up on their health goals due to their current life circumstances and perceived limitations, Chappell wants to help everyone find a sustainable wellness plan. 

“Maybe it’s 20 minutes of walking in your neighborhood five times a week. Maybe it’s going to a different gym. But let us do the do the coaching part. We will tell you how to work out and when to workout. We will get you on a nutrition plan that’s sustainable. We will be your accountability partner to make sure that you’re doing it and we’ll check in and keep you on track.”

Chappell invites anyone curious about TITLE or who is ready to take their wellness to the next level to stop by the club.

“The biggest step is just walking in the door,” Chappell advises. “Your first class is free so you have literally nothing to lose. The second you walk in the door you’re going to be sold. You’re going to love this place. You’re going to want to be a part of it. Not only is it the most incredible workout, the most incredible accountability, but it’s just fun. You have a great time in here. It’s like a party all day long. You’re sweating, you’re feeling amazing, you’re laughing, and you’re making some crazy friends.”

Want to check it out? TITLE Boxing Club is located at 3700-B Charles Boulevard in Greenville. Call 252.689.6262 or visit
www.titleboxingclub.com/greenville-nc to learn more. Schedule your FREE first class with us and we’ll show you all the ropes! Follow TITLE Boxing Club Greenville on Facebook and Instagram.