Golden rules to survive and learn to box!
Being an active and competitive boxer requires you to attend one of the many boxing gyms spread across many towns and cities in many countries around the world. Even in those countries where professional boxing is prohibited (for example, Norway and Sweden), there are a large number of well-run amateur boxing gyms where the skills and techniques of the noble art are taught at a very reasonable price. Learning to box is truly one of life’s cheapest pursuits (assuming the cost isn’t measured in blood, sweat, and tears, of course).
Being the case then that there are many boxing gyms and it will only be due to a whim of geography, lack of desire to box competitively or some medical reason (for example acute agoraphobia) that prevents you from joining one of the community boxing gyms To learn how to box, I wanted to write a short article to provide 3 simple rules to observe if you are about to cross the threshold of a local boxing gym in your area.
Without further ado, let’s go over the simple considerations that will have you coping with the new boxing gym environment and learning to box in double-quick time.
Rule 1:
Don’t feel the need to spend loads of cash on combat gloves, helmets, boxing boots, etc. Keep it simple for the short term. You will need at a minimum training clothes and shoes, boxing clothes and shower equipment. That’s it. In the short term, you don’t even need to buy bag gloves or a jump rope, as the gym will provide them for you. As time goes by and you make up your mind about whether you like being in boxing gyms, you can spend your money on bag gloves, jump rope, boxing boots, and rubber guard. The rest of the equipment will continue to be provided by the gym.
It’s worth understanding that you may want to avoid buying sparring gloves, as the trainer will often want to assess their suitability for use in their boxing ring. On several occasions I have had to disappoint boxers by refusing to allow them to use their newly imported and incredibly expensive gloves for training due to the lack of padding in the knuckle area. A boxing trainer’s main responsibility is the safety of the boxers, so they won’t mind at all leaving you with a very, very expensive pair of bag gloves instead of allowing those gloves into their fighting ring where the risk of injury to one of your boxers will increase.
Rule 2:
When you join, don’t feel upset that the trainer doesn’t immediately welcome you to the gym with open arms and spends every waking moment providing you with his knowledge. The reality of most boxing gyms is that the trainer is very, very busy and time is always a commodity that they need more of. While being completely busy isn’t an entirely acceptable excuse for ignorance, there is a much more understandable reason why, as you see it, you ignore your considerable efforts and focus on others. The reason is quite simple actually, they are testing you.
In the boxing gyms of yesteryear, the number of young Dempsey wannabes wanting to put on their gloves and jump into the sport probably outnumbered modern patronage by at least 10 to 1. Back when insurance policies were less inducing scary. For those who ran boxing gyms, the main method used by trainers to gauge the commitment of aspiring fighters was to throw them into the ring with very limited instruction, against an experienced opponent, and allow the beating to unfold. After a few nights of such systematic beatings, if the hopefuls kept showing up, their will to fight was no longer in doubt and the trainer would honor them with some advice and guidance… all happy.
These days, boxing trainers have to be a little more considerate when showing prospective boxers how to box. The most efficient (and least bloodthirsty) way to gauge an individual’s commitment in the boxing gym is to ignore the guy. In fact, many trainers seem to go out of their way to totally blank out new fighters. If the challenger continues to show up with his kit bag over his shoulder, then he has proven himself worthy of the trainer’s attention and begins his journey to boxing greatness.
Rule 3:
Look and listen. This may seem like obvious advice, but it is very important. It goes without saying that you should listen and follow the instructions of your trainer. It is also worth considering that, in some cases, questioning what the coach says often brings benefits, as he demonstrates an inquisitive mind. However, be careful how you approach this, as depending on your trainer’s coaching style, he or she may appreciate the discussion, unless of course they use a more authoritative approach, in which case could find itself in the middle of a press storm. -Oops.
The most important thing though is to watch the other boxers in the gym. Boxing gyms have a varied mix of skill levels and experience among fighters. As a novice, watching more experienced and skilled boxers shadow boxing, sparring, working the heavy bag, or whatever, will help you learn to box more quickly. Success breeds success. Be careful though, don’t make it too obvious, otherwise you might give the wrong impression, if you know what I mean. Ask the boxers themselves for advice. Boxing gyms are a melting pot of learning and are generally all considered equal. In my experience, boxers tend to be very generous in their targeting of less experienced gym partners, so make the most of this and soak it up like a sponge.
So there they are, 3 simple rules that will help you thrive in any boxing gym you venture into. Keep these tips in mind and you will not only survive, but truly thrive.