The smell of sweat-covered boxers couldn’t mask the high levels of intensity and enthusiasm circulating throughout the gym. The passionate and extreme coaching only added to the energy in the room.

Located at 2319 Russellville Rd., the BGKY Boxing gym is a local business started by Chadrick Wigle, a life performance coach out of Los Angeles.

The business opened its doors in January of this year, and has since grown to hold the WKU Boxing Team along with fitness and boxing classes. The team competes this March in Lexington, Virginia, in the 2017 United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association Championships.

BGKY Boxing and the idea of a boxing gym, is new in Bowling Green. It is open to everyone from all ages and all skill levels.

“Classes are small so the focus remains on you and why you are here. From first time haymaker to the hard rockin’ puncher, all skill levels are welcome,” Wigle said about each of his classes.

There is no commitment needed to train, Wigle added. Anyone can drop in and train whenever he or she feels like it as well as become a member.

Wigle has formally coached for the University of California, Los Angeles and assistant coached for the University of Michigan boxing teams. “I love the college league, so college students are especially welcome,” he said.

Taylor Counter, a senior from Scottsbluff, Nebraska, said her experience was welcoming and worth coming back to.

“I went and loved it!” Counter says about her first experience. Counter was on WKU’s swimming and diving team, and while she loves swimming, boxing offers something new and exciting.

“I’ve been swimming for over 15 years, which is always good, but there’s not a lot of variety in it. Boxing is something new and challenging. I’m a member now and go 4-5 times a week,” Counter said.

Counter also said the coach is another reason she is returning.

“Coach Chad provides an incredibly welcoming feel to the class while striving to make you a better athlete and person,” Counter continued. “I told Coach Chad from day one that I don’t know anything about boxing and he has been great about teaching everything from square one.”

Counter also added, “he is patient but also challenges you to be the best you can be that day.”

BGKY Boxing also offers fight classes and fitness classes. Wigle said being a fighter is necessary to do the fight classes, anyone can come learn the skills. The fight classes are set up like the three rounds in boxing.

During the fitness classes, techniques of boxing are integrated into circuit training. It is a high intensity workout made to really challenge the participants. However, Wigle makes it clear that he doesn’t want anyone to push his or herself over the limit.

“This is your workout. You came in here to get whatever you came in for. Sometimes it’s stress release, sometimes it’s just to get out of the books and just to come in and do something awesome.” Wigle said while explaining what his training philosophy is.

“All my job is is to say go and stop, that is my encouragement,” Wigle added. “You let you be more intense than you thought you could be, to do a little more than you thought you can do.”

Wigle also has recently started offering life coaching. In his classes, he sometimes works with his students on meditation, and he would like to continue this in a new environment.

Whether it be on the mat, at the desk or generally in life, Wigle strives to help his participants become their best selves.

Reporter Kylie Carlson can be reached at 270-745-6011 and [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @kentuckylie.