Iv started training the kids at my local club and just struggling to keep them interested towards the last 20mins of an hour session. I'm trying to teach the fundamentals but as we no it a lot of repetition and to a 5-8 year old thats pretty boring. does anyone have drill sets or anything to help me out?
Mix it,why not do a little circuit at the end,say 5 bases,for example,1,boxing on the bag,2,skipping,3,shadow boxing,4,sprints,5,sit ups,everyone starts at the different and its finished when everyone does every base..,say 2 mins each base..
I think the youngest at our club are about 10.I have them playing tig which they enjoy and have them doing wheelbarrows piggy backs etc etc. They easily get bored so games as much as boxing I'd say Is the key. When I boxed us seniors trained later than the schoolboys and juniors but they all train together where I am now.
You could do defensive drills, one kid walks forward and pumps out jabs, the other walks backwards and slips left to right etc... then at some boundary point they reverse the direction and each interval they switch roles. Next round, same idea but blocking, or parrying. Another idea, since they're small and probably won't hurt anyone - have someone (adult, or youth) stand in the ring and evade shots. The kids have to try to punch him in the face and he slips, ducks, blocks etc... but can't hit them back. Each 15 sec interval another kid jumps in and tries the same thing....etc... They will enjoy trying to punch someone, the evader has fun practicing head movement, and if they get lucky - they probably won't hurt anyone. We did this at our gym, except the kids were like 17, and some were pretty big, but they freaking loved it, so probably save it til the very end so they have something to look forward to. Plus they learn real fast, the importance of good defense/head movement.
Shadow sparring is good. And games are key. End each session with a competition game. Kids LOVE tug of war!. Or have one kid in the ring holding a medicine ball. The other has to play "keep away". The one with the ball tries to touch the other kid with it, while the other kid works on quick feet to dance around him. Or have two teams that compete in sprints with push-ups. Mix up the teams and push the competition. ALWAYS save it for last, and use the games as rewards.
