Hey I was wondering if anyone has had the dilemma of being in a boxing gym where a certain style of fighting is taught from most of the trainers(head trainers at least) that differs largely from the styles and techniques that you personally want to learn? I have been studying the offense and defense systems from slick technicians such as Hopkins, Mayweather, and Toney for about a year and am comfortable with my progress. I had been sparring a few nights a week for the last year with a handful of friends who have had a couple of fights, and diligently sought to understand the mechanic's of phillyshell style fighting. I went to this boxing gym through a friend tonight and did some sparring . While they do have a great emphasis on slipping and parrying punches which I love, they definitely do not teach the shoulder roll. Also when fighting in close they told me to keep my left hand up high(orthodox), however I have adopted mayweathers infighting stance of having my right hand protecting the left hook and my right arm in a triangle shape pressing against my opponents right hand, smothering the punches he wants to throw (in the pocket as George Foreman calls it) I have no intentions of fighting in amateur bouts. I only want to work on the techniques of the fighters I admire and build up my skills and fitness in a gym, sparring in a controlled and respectable fashion. I live in New Zealand so finding a place that teaches the old school American styles of fighting is hard. I am quite good with the shoulder roll and can counter off of it quite easily now. I think I am constantly going to be told to block the cross with my left hand up, something I'm not willing to do...... My fear is that if I join this Boxing gym I will have to do what the trainers say down to the "T". They are big on counterpunching, which is fantastic, but its more of a counterpunching style that resembles the way Marquez or Tyson fought. With having no amatuer fighting experience of my own, I am going to come across as a arrogant prat if I start trying to tell old seasoned trainers that my shoulder roll works just fine and I don't need to block the cross like everyone else, if you know what I mean? Anyone been in a similar situation and could give me some advice? much appreciated:?
You could tell them this. You will come across like a **** that they have seen 100s of times before, bit of boxing under his belt and he thinks he's Jack the biscuit. Even if this isn't the case, that's how it will come across. If you train in their gym, paying a pittance, then they will most likely get you to train their way, unless its 1 on 1 private training. Gyms like that generally run things in groups and they won't be catering to however each guy wants to fight, you adapt your own style in time anyway.
Hey thanks MrSmall. Do you think I should be upfront at the beginning and say that I would like to develop more of a philly-shell minded fighting style and see whether they would be ok with me sparring there guys like this? At least if they say no "you box how we teach" then I haven't committed to a full paid membership and can look elsewhere. I completely understand what you mean about how arrogant it is going to look, which is why I have gone to the forums to ask advice before I mention anything to my friend or the trainers. But if I was honest about my thoughts from the beginning at least I could get a straight up answer loud and clear from the get go. Thanks
Hey cool, I have had some , I trained for a year or two at a gym where most of the fighters where brawlers and the trainers weren't teaching us proper defensive techniques, everything was offense offense offense! so naturally I got sick of this lack of technical craft and went to another gym that was better at teaching us guys how to defend properly, rhythm, timing, footwork etc. I moved away though(traveled etc) and have been developing these techniques mentioned in OP one step at a time.
