Kefa Ochieng Okoth, a boxing coach, has a bold stance against conventional beginner training, especially for people looking to lose weight. Don’t jump straight into running or lifting weights, he warns.
“Yes, lifting weights can help with weight loss, but when someone is new to exercises, there is so much to consider. When someone is very much on the heavier side [overweight or obese], it means their muscles are extremely weak, so introducing them to weights immediately does not do them any justice in fast-tracking their fitness journey or making it less uncomfortable. In fact, they could be more prone to injury,” he says.
The same caution, he argues, applies to jogging and running.
“When someone is on the heavier side, asking them to start their fitness journey by jogging or running is only hurting them more because their body joints are already dealing with the stress and pressure of the weight. Such high-impact activity can only worsen their joint stress and pain,” he says.
Professional Boxer Kefa Ochieng Okoth practices on a speed ball at the gym during a training session on September 10, 2026.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
Okoth was a professional boxer before an injury ended his career. But even with two fractured ribs, he still throws punches perfectly, thanks to gently conditioning his body. He uses the skills to teach boxing for fitness.
When we meet the 40-year-old for the interview, he throws a crisp combination. A left hook, uppercut, jab, duck, and another set of lower jabs, moving around the 60kg bag with the quick footwork of a seasoned southpaw boxer. His punches land with rhythm and precision, each movement appearing almost effortless.
“Occasionally, I engage with the bag as part of my routine, although I have been advised not to, to avoid further tearing of my ribs. They are separated and need a lot of attention. As you may know, there is no cure for fractured ribs. They are left to heal naturally, while you take medication to manage the pain,” the soft-spoken Okoth tells BDLife.
Professional Boxer Kefa Ochieng Okoth practices on a heavy punching bag at the gym during a training session on September 10, 2026.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
Okoth retired from competitive boxing five years ago after doctors warned that continuing to absorb punches could worsen the damage.
“I was told that if I wanted to live longer, I should consider hanging up my gloves because the more I take the jabs, the more the tear worsens,” he says.
“My trainer accidentally landed a heavy left lower hook on me. He fractured my ribs,” he says.
He took time off to recover, but the injury proved difficult to overcome. As his passion for boxing grew, so did his commitment to the sport. Okoth went on to compete in the national boxing league for eight years, repeatedly stepping back into the ring despite the lingering injury.
“Every time you are in the ring with an injury like that, and you catch a punch from the opponent, it’s like opening a fresh wound. But I persevered and competed for several years with the injury. I would nurse it and, whenever I felt better, I would be back in the ring,” he says.
For years, recovery became part of his boxing routine. He would step away when the pain became unbearable, allow the injury to settle, then return to the ring once he felt strong enough.
It was not a sustainable cycle, but Okoth doesn’t regret one bit.
“I love the sport. It’s the only thing I would wish to be involved with until my last day. As a matter of fact, there is nothing else I have ever done in my life beyond boxing.”
Professional Boxer Kefa Ochieng Okoth practices on a boxing machine during a training session on September 10, 2026.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
After retiring from competitive boxing, Okoth found a new role on the other side of the ropes. He now trains upcoming boxers, as well as clients looking to tone their bodies or shed excess weight.
But his approach to fitness is far from conventional. Okoth has developed a training routine based partly on techniques that have worked for him over the years and, he says, have also helped him manage the rib injury.
His methods challenge some of the more familiar approaches to weight loss, particularly the tendency to push beginners straight into intense cardio exercises.
“When I get a client who wants to lose weight, which is the case with many people, I never put them on a treadmill or on an intense cardio plan immediately. That is something I see many fitness instructors do,” he says.
His preferred starting point is lower-impact exercises that allow the body to gradually adjust to movement.
“There are levels to exercising. There is a warm-up, a cool-down, and intense physical activity. For someone on the heavier side, a cool-down is the best form to use as an introduction to a fitness routine,” Okoth says.
Professional Boxer Kefa Ochieng Okoth does a chin up at the gym during a training session on September 10, 2026.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
He believes beginning with gentler movements helps prepare the body before a client progresses to more demanding forms of exercise.
“A warm-up prepares your body for exercise by raising your heart rate and using dynamic movements, while a cool-down brings your body back to a resting state by lowering your heart rate with static stretches. By first introducing such individuals to cool-down exercises, you begin to open up their body, preparing them for what is to come,” he says.
According to Okoth, this is where his boxing background comes into play.
“Boxing is a sport that involves a lot of these techniques, with stretching, body movement and flexibility greatly emphasised. Boxing is all about coordinating the entire body to work efficiently, and that is why it is ideal for a beginner. It involves moving your entire body in many different directions and doing so swiftly,” he says.
“These are the kind of movements you need to introduce such a person to first, to try and strengthen their weak muscle fibres. It also helps to build their endurance. After that, you can gradually introduce them to light weights and build from there. This way, the body can transition more gradually and in a more balanced manner as it learns to cope with the increasing physical stress,” Okoth says.
Professional Boxer Kefa Ochieng Okoth at the gym during a training session on September 10, 2026.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
As his clients gain confidence and build momentum, Okoth gradually introduces more demanding exercises. One of his more unusual techniques is breath-hold training in water.
He encourages his clients to swim, partly because it gives them an opportunity to work on their breathing and learn to remain calm while holding their breath.
“I always encourage my clients to swim because then you get a chance to train your breath. This is one of the techniques I have been doing for many years, and it has been effective in helping with my body recovery, and even as far as managing the ribs rehabilitation,” he says.
Okoth says he has gotten better at the technique with age. In his 20s and 30s, he says, he could hold his breath underwater for about a minute.
But now at 40, with years of consistent practice, that has gradually pushed the limit to between three and four minutes.
For Okoth, the exercise is less about simply staying underwater and more about teaching the body to remain composed under stress. He believes the practice has helped him develop endurance and recover better after strenuous physical activity.
“When you start training to hold your breath underwater, you trigger the body to naturally start adapting to accommodate more oxygen and use it more efficiently under strenuous circumstances. That naturally builds your endurance,” he says.
There is some science behind the physiological changes that occur during breath-holding. According to PubMed Central, when a person holds their breath while submerged, the body activates what scientists call the diving response. Among other changes, the heart rate slows, and blood flow is redistributed towards vital organs such as the brain and heart, helping conserve oxygen.
“You know, when you are underwater, your body is triggered to a lowered heart rate because you are holding your breath. This helps the body conserve oxygen and maintain the supply to the vital organs. Also, pushing past the initial urge to breathe gives your respiratory muscles a workout. When all these factors come into play, even your recovery improves, as well as your stamina,” he says.
For Okoth, therefore, swimming and breath-hold exercises are not simply about learning how long one can stay underwater. They form part of a broader approach to conditioning the body gradually, building control, endurance and confidence before moving on to more demanding forms of exercise.
