less and less boxing gyms...why??? here is the reason

It sounds like you've just had some bad personal experiences (and ultimately, anecdotal and not necessarily reflective of the experiences of anyone who hooks up with a boxing coach...just as there are some disgruntled crappy public school teachers and some really quality dedicated ones).

 

I agree and disagree. I agree about the attitude of many coaches. My coach seemed evil, from a distance. I knew nothing and was thinking, "why won't this guy help me?" I then stopped thinking about him, hit some of the group classes, did tons of rope, shadow, and bag work and THEN he started talking to me. So I agree in the sense that sometimes boxing coaches are a bit "stand-offish" however I would counter that boxing is very different than other "contact" sports.

I think BJJ and the other contact sports are "different" in that you can "fake" them and/or perform them in a "friendly" state. Rolling around tapping each other gives a guy his contact sport fix and hey, tapping is cool and accepted. Great move, let's roll some more. This is the genius of the training system. Two horribly unevenly matched guys can get no the mat and the "scrub" lives to tell the tale. Even the other sports you mentioned are more about the Art than the Martial, belts systems, katas etc... I say this as a person who loves, respects, and does BJJ.

Boxing, even at its lowest level (in your own gym), is a rough sport. It also contains what I believe to be the toughest training system and I don't say this as a compliment. It is a detriment to the sport. The boxing system is set up to chew up physically and mentally weak people as "Work". If a guy is ripping you up in there what do you do? Take a knee? Lose all form and get a concussion (even with headgear)? There is NO acceptable "out" in boxing even in training. That is OK in a 1930s slum not for an office worker. Today the "casual practitioner" keeps the lights on.

I think the frustration you feel is you actually ignoring the fact... It is almost impossible to "casually" box. If a guy can't move, keep his hands up, judge distance, and punch at a minimum to keep a guy from mauling him he is literally useless as a student of boxing. I think the coaches know this. This is why they tell you to do that stuff other stuff first. You can't get anything out of getting pounded. You need the foundation first. BJJ is the exact opposite.

Mind you I don't even mean 5 rounds. Most guys walking in off of the street, in America at least, can't do 3-2 minute rounds without being on the edge of throwing up. Sadly, that will get you KTFO even in headgear and 16 oz gloves.

Most boxing gyms must exist with two types of customer, the Cardio Box Crew and a Hardcore Crew. One set keeps the lights on. The other set is there to up their game. I agree with you though, coaches can step up and keep the "Casual Practitioner" interested. They must. If not the Sweet Science will be a Sweet Memory.

 

Most trainers these days are only about the money. They don't care or put any effort into their up and comers. They complain about a measley $50-$100 per month when in fact they don't even earn that.

 

I think he is right about corporate/chain boxing gyms. The coaches make money through personal training sessions. They is literal incentive NOT to work with you. I think the bigger more white collar your city the less boxing gyms and the more the coaches are on a paper chase. Sucks but true.

 

i go to a amauter club and none of the coach's get paid there. theres four of them coaching over 5 nights. 2 for adults 2 for seniors. i assume u mean only am's coz im sure all pro coach's wud be alot more dedicated:bbb

 

They were weeded out for having no patience

 

That sounds cool, but that is what keeps the gym and the sport alive. Casual fans.

 

I have been to two local boxing gyms near my home in CT. It has been a while now since I have gone (I am now 28 yrs old) but at the time when i was around 22 or 23, I was actually discouraged from working out at both places because of my age. The coaches at both gyms only wanted to work with kids who were young enough to develop at an early age into fghters. Although I can almost understand the mentality of prefering to work with someone younger, rather than someone like myself who was already "over the hill", it just really sucked being pushed away from a sport I love. On the other hand, MMA gyms are filled with people of all different ages. The coaches in those places will let just about anyone come in and work out or take a class. I think if boxing coaches were a little more open minded to working with more adults rather than youn prospects, boxing gyms would be just as popular as MMA gyms

 

Great post and very true:good

 

A new boxing gym just opened by my house. I was actually quite surprised but it's probably just the cardio type and not a full blown gym.

 

geeez ! you guys spend that much to train ?
sounds like your just going to the wrong type of gyms .
growing up i used to pay 1 pound a week to train (around 2000-2004) and in my gym there was always atleast 4 trainers , usually old men with 25 years plus of experience , they were always hands on though , if a little grumpy and unforgiving .
suppose it depends on the area you live

oh and all of the trainers bar one were there voluntarily , all the money went back into the club , for kit and transport to fights etc

 

Just wondering, how long did you go? How hard did you work alone?

 

where im at the pro coaches are only there in the am, the nights are amateur hour and there is a distinct difference in the coaches and the atmosphere, and its not right, because you need a proper foundation from the beginning in boxing to be succesfull, i got pretty lucky because the first gym i went to was a small hardcore gym in an inner city, where there were never more than 6 or 7 of us at a time so everyone got proper attention specifically the ones that were just starting

 

That is basically out of the question in the States. Isn't there a retirement age and pay system for retirees in the UK? Also, isn't public transit pretty good? Not so in the States.

Retire and for most folks it is welcome to poverty. Not too many old folks that can even think of working for free. Here a bus ride is like an hour in each direction for 5 minutes by car. Insane.