Ashley Platt, left, of Evans City prepares to take a jab at her partner during an advanced fitness boxing class at the Rose E. Schneider Family YMCA, 2001 Ehrman Road, Cranberry Township. The Schneider YMCA is offering a Happy Valentine's Week Couples Boxing Class Tuesday. YMCA boxing instructor Dani Roylo, above, prepares to take a punch on her mitt during a recent class. Roylo intersperses punching and footwork with squats, lunges and stretching.

CRANBERRY TWP — Treat your sweetie to a session of the sweet science this Valentine's Day.

The Rose E. Schneider Family YMCA, 2001 Ehrman Road, is offering a Happy Valentine's Week Couples Fitness Boxing class beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Rather than trading sweet nothings with your significant other, you can trade hooks and jabs. The YMCA can supply gloves and wraps, and there will be door prizes and healthy snacks provided.

And maybe the introduction to fitness boxing will lead you to take one of the three classes offered by the YMCA.

That's what happened to boxing instructor Lisa Guerrini who tried fitness boxing nine years ago and has been boxing ever since.

The Cranberry Township YMCA has three fitness boxing classes: a beginner's class at 9:30 a.m. and a family class at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and an advanced class at 9:30 a.m. Thursdays.

Guerrini said besides the aerobic benefits of snapping off counter punches and using the proper footwork, fitness boxing also sharpens the practitioners' mental discipline.

This is an excerpt from a larger article that will appear in Friday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.