I have just recently found out there is a gym the next city over and I am thinking about "joining." We are in rural VA, so it's not exactly a hotbed for boxing, but the guy who runs this gym has had a pro fight, and also manages/trains four fighters. My questions revolve around the fact I have no idea what "joining" a gym entails. I have never entered foot in a boxing gym, and I'd rather not look like an idiot the first time I go. By joining a boxing gym, what does this get me? I don't want to just join it, then go about doing things myself, because I have no idea what I'm doing. I would assume you pay extra for one on one time, and I'm willing to do this, but I'm wondering what would be some of the first things I do when I get to the gym? Any advice on what I can expect until I ease into the situation would be greatly appreciated. For what it's wroth, I'm going to the gym mainly to get in shape. I have no desire to spar for a very long time. The last time I threw a punch with any bad intentions was a fight in fifth grade. I am 25 now. Also, fwiw, I'm just over 6'1" and weight about 215 pounds, which is wayyy more then I should way. When I graduated high school I was around 180. I haven't been very active since high school because of a back surgery, but that's really been more of an excuse then anythign that would help me get in shape. In reality, boxing isn't going to help my back at all, as it will probably be very very sore, but I don't want this to stop me. Finally, and most importantly, I'm a boxing writer, and I want to get a full appreciation of the sport. I feel you can be a fine writer without ever lacing up gloves, but I feel I can have a much greater understanding of the sweet science if I were to actually step in the ring, even if it is eventually just light sparing. I will not come on here pretending I'm something I'm not. I don't want a shot at the trailor park title. I don't have amazing punching strength, etc. I just want to get in a gym and have a better understanding of boxing.
It's very hard to say what to expect. There isn't many gyms in my area, but the boxing gym in my area is CRAP. I went over there, and because I lifted weights, and very muscular I WAS HATED by the trainer. Told me I shouldn't lift weights because I'd be stiff, etc. He threw me in with people I had no business fighting because he wanted them to rough me up. Quite the *******....but I ended up proving him pretty wrong, and actually got to spar him at the end. He realized none of his fighters could take away my heart no matter what they did, and then he wanted to train me so he boxed me. He had a bad leg...That I kept moving to , and pop shoting him. Very pleasurable LOL. Anyways then I went to my martial arts gym, and got a very warm welcome. Everyone is friends over there, we all work to make eachother better, nobody gets mad, we love to take new people in and train them, etc. Depends on the gym. The majority of boxing gyms go like this though: You walk in, meet everybody (you have to initiate the conversation), work by yourself, and if you show up enough, and show some promise...They'll train you. You must understand how many people quit these gyms, and waste these trainers time. That's a free gym though. If your paying, people will train you (way I prefer these days).
every gym is different but show hard work it will earn respect,and heart u prob. wont really spar at first if u do someone will prob. work u-take it easy on u but be ready it takes a certain kind of person to take a punch and not shell up ,when u get hit-react right away -throw alot of jabs and combos and really listen to yer coach when yer getting hit its harder than it sounds,also i have a really busted up nose so i couldnt breth threw a deviated septum in my nose but a cheap breathable mouthpiece would prob. benifet anyone specially if yer not in shape
Train your ass off and don't fck around like most of the fck rats that play in the gym. A pro boxing coach does not make him a good trainer for you. I would try it out for a week. If you like the people, good feelings, then keep going.
Thanks for the responses. If the gym isn't "for me" I'd be fine just as long as I at least tried it out. I'm not interested in getting my ass kicked when I first walk in the door, or being ignored by everyone with no one being interested in helping me. If I want to be ignored I can just do a boxing workout in my garage. However, I want to try the full experience and get a better understanding of the sport I've been following for about a decade now. However, I have no delusional dreams of becoming a champion, so if I'm not "accepted" I'll walk out with no worries back to my stay at home job and bride to be.
I realized my last post may have made me seem cocky, or a ****, but that wasn't my intention. I have heard that many people say the same things along my lines, such as...Oh, I'll just go to get in shape and have a "better understanding." That's soon replaced with, "Well, maybe I will try sparing, I've been here for so and so time, why not." Then, "That was fun, what's that, you're putting an amateur show together, why, yes, I guess I'll do it. Then finally, you've made it that far, a local show is going on and they need some fighters, "Well, I made it this far, might as well have a go with it as a pro." I'm not even sure what step I'll get to, hell, I might walk in the gym and be consumed with intimidation and turn around and walk out. Or, I could be fighting in the local Winchester, VA shows in two years. Only time will tell.
