Saving my gym

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by Slacker, Apr 20, 2011.


  1. Flatlander

    Flatlander Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Mar 11, 2005
    PM me and I will help you out
     
  2. Lefthooktommy

    Lefthooktommy Natural Born Killer Full Member

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    Mar 1, 2011
    Do you train people for free?
     
  3. Pimp C

    Pimp C Too Much Motion Full Member

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    Jun 23, 2005
    Man this sucks. I hate to see any boxing gym close down. We have lost so many in the last 10 years or so. I hope you can get the money and save your gym.
     
  4. Slacker

    Slacker Big & Slow Full Member

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    Sep 19, 2009
    Historically Shamrock has been a charity. The gym is in an urban area and is open, free of charge, to anyone from 3pm-9pm.

    Kids especially, but really anyone who asks, can get some time with coaches if they ask for it.

    Private coaching and sparring happen after Open Gym Hours and on Weekends. These programs have funded keeping the gym open for years, but have fallen off lately.

    As a result, the building was sold (we used to own it) and leased back to us at a discount. Now the lease is up and the new owner is planning to open an MMA gym in there.

    We are temporarily homeless.
     
  5. Lefthooktommy

    Lefthooktommy Natural Born Killer Full Member

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    Mar 1, 2011
    Goddamn i hate mma, it's killing Boxing and putting guy's like you out of business.
     
  6. Lefthooktommy

    Lefthooktommy Natural Born Killer Full Member

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    Mar 1, 2011
    Dude you should relocate to Georgia, we need a good Boxing gym.
     
  7. fan johnny

    fan johnny Active Member Full Member

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    Apr 7, 2011
    Two things off the top of my head:

    #1 Check with you local Municipality (congressman, and other politicians) about the availability of grant money. Often there is money available to help keep the kids off the streets.

    #2 Have you heard about Parkinson's? <---- link A good place to advertise is in the church bulletins.

    HTH
     
  8. bigstinkybug

    bigstinkybug Member Full Member

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    *i'll tell u one idea i'd love to have tried... and it will work... go into marketing ur gym for women to workout at..exclusively women... u'd have to have days were it was like a ti-bo class.. but other nights where hiting the bag , the speed bag..etc was the highlight... get rid of the ring for the first 6 months or so, to make room..cuz the gals u want don't want to spar... maybe eventually set up something out side with a ring and a cover..of if u had enough room to leave the ring, that's fine... BUT..u'd have to remember that ur clientel would be for self defense and getting in shape..not actually boxing...
    *U could sell fruity drinks like women love to have... only bottled water(so they have to buy)..but not so expensive where it becomes a problem... sell heath drinks, health bars...make it a health thing
    *FOR SURE..u'd have to sanitize the place... cuz ur clientel..buisness women, won't go to a place that smells like sweat...and if ur gym looked like the one i went into, then the restrooms need and overhauling as well... everyone knows some down and out guys that'll clean cheap... hire a few to scrub the heck out of the place..it won't cost much.
    *absolutely, no spitting
    *keep some posters of the great matches on the wall... but put them in frames..make it look classy..u might have to actually paint the walls...add some girl fights as well,for sure... even have a fruity odorizer for the first few months to get the sweat sent out of there.
    *have uniforms for ur trainers... black pants and blue shirt with the name of ur place... u give one shirt with every new membership... u can sell hats, shirts, water, fruity drinks..even towels... get some to put "hers" with a boxing glove on it... a simple white towel would sell like hotcakes... the trainers, do we pay the trainers now? no... i'm sure u know a couple of great guys who were boxers that could help show the women how to stand, punch, ext.. for free or next to nothing... make sure u don't pick the guy who hits on everyone or makes women uncomfortable cuz he's on drugs..hahah
    *hey man... it's not the old gym anymore..but it's still a gym... i think it could work... a boxing gym for nothing but woman....
     
  9. Slacker

    Slacker Big & Slow Full Member

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    Sep 19, 2009
    Update:

    Last night my coach and I met with a local sports complex and got an approval to use a small ring, heavy bag and speed bag for individual lessons.

    They like the idea of bringing a new sport to the complex and that we have a reputable coach.

    Of course they are skimming money out of our hourly rate...

    We are thinking of charging $60 for an hour session. Considering their equipment and space, we think we can maybe have 5 -6 people going at once. The coach in the ring doing mitts and instruction and me going station to station giving instruction.

    I've registered for my USBA Coaching Certification and should be going to a certification clinic this Spring.

    Do you think that price is fair? To high? To low? What do training sessions cost at your gym?
     
  10. juanitoboxing

    juanitoboxing Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    boxing gyms are free here in PR. Most of the people that I know that would have a serious interest in boxing dont have $60 to consistently spend for lessons. I guess it all depends in the area you live in.
     
  11. Slacker

    Slacker Big & Slow Full Member

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    Sep 19, 2009
    Ours has been free for 40 years. That's why we are nearly being forced to close.

    Our idea is to charge for classes at the sports complex in the nice part of town and use that money to reopen a free gym downtown.

    Most of the people I've met who are interested said the reasons they have not come down were:

    1. Intimidated by boxing gym atmosphere & neighborhood.

    2. Lack of information.

    Seems that a lot of middle class people are interested in the sport but are not interested in driving downtown and working out with urban youth.

    Our hope is that those middle class weekend warriors will have fun learning self defense and boxing to get in shape...and be willing to pay a little for it.

    The sports complex has hundreds of members and the boxing ring (which has gone unused for years) is in plain view of the front desk and cardio area.

    Next Saturday we are going down to do open workouts. I'm taking my daughter and a ladyfriend to show that anyone can do it. We plan to stop folks walking by and bring anyone who is curious in for a round of mitts or bag work. We will offer a free session and charge for any session after that.

    Sound like a good idea?
     
  12. PNoyFightFanUSN

    PNoyFightFanUSN Larry Don't Give a **** Full Member

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    Apr 9, 2010
    My gym uses monthly membership fees. They charge 25 for an initial sign up fee and 75 non-renewing monthly. The owner has been wanting to reorganize how they track fees and when people pay to make sure all things are good as they should be and to try and up membership so they offered 60 auto renewing month to month with a minimum of 6 months. So you might not be able to get people to pay per session but letting them pay monthly and come in and use the equipment and charge extra for personal lessons could work.
     
  13. Slacker

    Slacker Big & Slow Full Member

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    Sep 19, 2009
    OK, in case anyone wants the update...

    My trainer stood me up after I did all the sales pitching and got the health club to allow us to be personal trainers there.

    Later he told me that he didn't care for their equipment and was going to train fighters out of his home instead.

    :patsch I give up.

    I'm going to have to find (or start) a new gym. I want to train as well as coach, but there just aren't may options in town and none that are closer than 40 minutes in the car.

    I did throw him one last bone.. On July 17th I had organized a 5K run for a local orphanage and the news crew showed up to interview me. Between interviews I mentioned the boxing gym situation to the reporter and gave her my coaches phone number and address.

    Here is a link to the story they did on the 5K that I organized: http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region...fits-the-children's-home-of-northern-kentucky


    Here is a link to the story that just ran on my old gym: http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_northern_kentucky/covington/to-the-ring-and-back

    :roll:
     
  14. T.C.W

    T.C.W Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Jul 20, 2004
    boxcise is the answer, people love this stuff. do it every night after all the fighters train.
    $5 each person, you will get good numbers women loves this stuff
     
  15. shanemfr

    shanemfr Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Aug 29, 2004
    Thats what i was thinking, or zumba with some slut with her tits and ass hanging out as the instructor.