Hi I love boxing and really like studying boxing fights from the past. I would really like to volunteer in a boxing gym but I'm not sure the best way to go. I have read plenty of old boxing manuals and have taught myself a fair bit but I admit that I haven't trained in a proper boxing gym. I don't intented to become some pro boxing trainer or anything like that just maybe helping out kids etc. I was going to email or call a few local gyms but before I do I was wondering if I need to do any sort of courses before hand? I believe that I need to get some security check done but other than that what would you guys recommend as the first step? Thanks
I train competitive amateur and professional boxers for over 10 years so I have a bit of knowledge in this area. Let me start by saying it's a wonderful thing that you want to do for the youth. That being said it's very important for a trainer to have experience in the ring with the gloves on. Being formally trained as a boxer is also vital to being a good trainer in my opinion. You don't need to have been a Golden Gloves champion but knowing what your boxers go through during training and in an actual bout is vital. It will be very difficult (if not impossible) for you to make corrections to your boxers form without knowing exactly what to look for. You may even be making the same mistakes and not know it. If I were you, I would find a gym and speak with the owner and let them know what your intentions are. Become an assistant and learn as much as you can from the trainers. Go into the gym during slow days or times and work with the trainers you assist to learn as much as you can. The nuances of fighting arts are complex and take time to refine. Having solid knowledge is only half of being a trainer. Knowing how to teach these nuances and developing your own method of teaching is the more difficult part. Good luck in your journey.
