No Holds Barred: Chris Baldwin on Training in the Pandemic, All Black Lives Matter, and Athlete Activism

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Chris Baldwin AKA the Fight Goddess.

We spoke with her by phone Thursday.

With the coronavirus pandemic still raging and cases of Covid-19 continuing to surge in many places in the U.S., including in Southern California, she has had to change how she conducts personal training.

"I had a mobile training business for the last 12 years here in Los Angeles, and that business came to a screeching halt once the lockdown order came from my Governer Newsom," she said, a lockdown, by the way, which she supports. She thus has had to shift gears and focus more on her Skullz punching bag product.  

"Now I've had to do more virtual training," mainly outside, she said.

"It's taken a toll. It's definitely mentally, physically, emotionally, it's definitely taken a toll."

While the pandemic has yet to subside, and there are still a record number of new cases in the U.S. almost every day now, the fight against racism, white supremacy, and police murders and brutality has mushroomed to all parts of the U.S. and around the world. One of the largest and most important of these marches and rallies took place on June 14 under the slogan "All Black Lives Matter," which she attended. The march focused on both the Black Lives Matter movement as well as the fight for LGBTQ rights.

The "All Black Lives Matter" slogan was chosen for an "emphasis even not on LGB, but on the T. So our transgender family members are being murdered, our brothers and sisters are being murdered every single day at an astronomical rate."

While some in this growing Black Lives Matter movement exclude transgender people or even are offensive to them, she opposes such a stance.
 
"We can't have that," she said. "Your values, our values need to be aligned with unity."

We also discussed the call by unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua for athletes to form a union to fight racism; the recent formation of the Players Alliance by over 100 Black current and former pro baseball players to fight racism and white supremacy inside and outside of baseball; how viable are sports without fans present; the controversy around a proposed Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua fight being arranged by accused gangster Daniel Kinahan; and much, much more.

(Photo by Marna Deitch.)

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No Holds Barred is sponsored by:

LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.

Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.

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Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com

I've never seen anywhere about Chris leading a workout. Maybe I would also do home training if I had more motivation in me.

Just wanted to chime in on this post and show some support for Chris Baldwin and all the personal trainers out there adapting during these tough times. It's crazy how much our world has changed in just a year. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to shift from in-person training to virtual, especially with the added stress of the pandemic. But, props to Chris for making the best of the situation and still putting in work. I've personally been relying on my punching bag for small spaces to stay in shape, but I can definitely see how punching bag would be a game-changer.

I also have never seen Chris anywhere. At one time he is one the peak of his career. Now almost everybody is against him.

I wanted to contribute to this post and express my backing for Chris Baldwin and all the fitness professionals who are adjusting in the face of these challenging times. It's truly astonishing how our world has transformed in just a span of a year. I can only fathom the challenges involved in transitioning from in-person training to the virtual realm, especially with the additional pressures of the ongoing pandemic. Nevertheless, kudos to Chris for embracing the circumstances and continuing to put forth dedicated effort. On a personal note, I've been relying on a compact leather punching bag to maintain my fitness within limited spaces. It's clear how such a punching bag could truly revolutionize one's fitness routine.