Membership

Membership at HEX Boxing Club is by invitation, open to women and non-binary people looking for a supportive, intentional place to train. We believe growth emerges through relationships, not transactions. Members co-create a respectful, nurturing community. If you’re interested but aren’t sure if you know a member, you can fill our Prospective Member form.

HEX Boxing Club is a USA Boxing registered gym. We teach Olympic-style technique to all members so everyone can experience the full benefit of the martial art. Our holistic approach to coaching is grounded in Vanessa’s extensive training background, years of learning from seasoned professional trainers, ongoing education through USA Boxing, and a commitment to continually refining technique. We also bring in visiting coaches whose experience and perspectives deepen the collective skill and knowledge of the club.

In addition to boxing, HEX offers meditation, creative arts, and herbalism workshops. Our approach to herbalism is rooted in local plants and ecological well‑being. At HEX, we emphasize what many herbalists call “people’s medicine”—working with abundant, resilient plants such as dandelion, nettles, and burdock that have long histories of use and thrive in our region. Centering local plant medicine helps us build intimacy with our ecosystem and deepen our awareness of the land that holds us. This kind of attention is also foundational to martial arts; awareness of one’s environment is a critical aspect of boxing and of moving through the world with presence.

Membership offers access to our meditation room, co-work and gathering spaces, reading areas and clubhouse kitchen. Members can enjoy organic coffee, tea, and healthy snacks while they read quietly or gather, and attend community events. Every element in the space is intentionally sourced, from meditation cushions and seating to the boxing ring, heavy bags, and the coffee and tea we serve, prioritizing organic and local options to support our wider community. We hope members come to see the HEX clubhouse as a supportive third space where personal, collective, and ecological resilience are nurtured.

Membership Basics

Invitation-only PMA

Our invitation‑only PMA model keeps HEX intentional and community‑centered. Membership happens through relationship rather than drop‑ins, helping us maintain a supportive culture. If you’re interested but aren’t sure if you know a member, you can fill out our Prospective Member form.

Pathway to Membership

Membership begins with a guest visit so people can get a feel for the space. If it’s a good fit, guests can enter the Prospect phase, where they train, meet members, and complete a few simple steps before becoming eligible for full membership. This approach gives people time to enter the community naturally and helps ensure the space continues to feel good for all who train here.

Member Experience

Full members are trusted with a key fob that provides access to the clubhouse during open hours. Members can use the boxing gym, showers, co‑work areas, shared kitchen, herbal apothecary, meditation room, and gathering spaces. They’re invited to participate in events and co‑create our sanctuary.

FAQs

  • Holistic means we train the body, but we also support awareness, connection, creativity, and resilience.

    While boxing is our centerpiece, our training and offerings extend far beyond the ring. We integrate pro‑level boxing skills, strength and conditioning, herbalism, meditation and Earth‑based healing arts. Creative expression is also offered as vital aspect of healing. We share writing and visual arts workshops, relevant author talks, and more. Everything is designed to strengthen the whole person.

  • In too many typical gym settings, women are objectified, underestimated, met with unwanted advances, or patronizing unsolicited advice — dynamics that make it difficult to train at a high level while feeling safe and supported. And in a sport like boxing, traditionally associated with men, women often have to work harder to prove themselves and be taken seriously.

    By centering women at HEX, we offer an environment where members are respected as athletes and able to focus on real progression. Gender‑expansive people seeking a respectful, intentional space to learn and grow through boxing are equally welcome.

  • Founder, Vanessa Chakour guides the boxing programs along with visiting pro-trainers and HEX assistant coaches. Herbalism training, meditation, and creative arts workshops are led by experienced teachers, by invitation.

  • This may not be the space for you. Every member participates in training. Boxing is the core of HEX because it supports the full, embodied experience. You don’t need prior experience, and you don’t need to spar. Non-contact training is the norm.

  • Absolutely not. Sparring is optional and only available to members who train consistently and demonstrate defensive and offensive readiness. For those who have a strong desire to spar, we offer structured pathways via USA Boxing rules and regulations to support safe progression.

  • Absolutely. We teach pro‑level boxing skills to all members, regardless of experience. We also expose our members to holistic practices of herbalism, meditation, creative arts, and community building.

  • No. HEX is a private membership association. Membership is by invitation, extended by the founder or by current members. If you’re interested but aren’t sure if you know a member, you can fill our Prospective Member form.

    Only members and their guests have access to the clubhouse. This keeps the space intentional and community‑centered.

  • HEX is meant to be a healthy vice, not an expensive one. Membership is a monthly commitment, and the total simply matches what many people already spend each day on a morning latte or similar daily treats. Here, that same daily amount goes toward building strength and community — and members enjoy organic, fair‑trade coffee and herbal tea on us.

  • HEX Boxing Club is in Northampton, Massachusetts. Our 3000 square-foot space is in a repurposed mill buidling, housing many art studios and creative businesses.

  • No. Our purpose is to get people offline to be present in their bodies and with each other. Everything we offer happens in person within our private membership community.

  • Thank you for this generous question. If you’re in a position to contribute financially, you can contribute to our Stewardship Circle Fund or support a boxer directly through this link. Just as meaningful to us is keeping our mission in mind and sharing it with others. We’re deeply grateful for any support.