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When you learn a combat sport at a school or gym, and you become good, does the coach make you spend more time teaching than training?
Some of my friends get frustrated thinking, "I came here to train and spar, but the coach is making me teach the juniors instead." It makes sense for the coach because it gives him more time to do other things?
Is this typically what happens in boxing gyms and martial art schools?
It was in mine ,
Its a great opportunity, you will learn just as much about yourself and the art from, from reteaching it than just re practicing it.
Within my training, I often find that the more experienced boxers are kept close to the newer, less experienced ones. While it isn't official teaching, the old hands can help out and offer advice to us newbies (which, in my case, I find extremely helpful). It saves the head trainers from having to hang around one area/aspect of the gym, and they can divide their time equally.
As for the older boxers, it seems a great way to go (directly or indirectly) back and revisit/enforce the basics, and maybe learn more about their own training.
Just my two cents ;D
While it is good to help others in the gym when you get a bit of experience, when training yourself it is a hassle when you are obligated to. It can mess with your focus when you are on a strict time line if preparing for a fight.
Another thing too is pad work. I have some serious concerns, and I know we discussed this before, but of the benefits vs disadvantages of a fighter catching on the pads. I do believe it starts to set a process of bad habits in place and has little use for a fighter, opposite to how important it is to be on the other side of them. It sends all the wrong message to our neurons and muscles and tendons and overall game I believe. Which instead of hit, fast, this combo, that, defensive moves...catching on the pads you are moving and focusing to be hit by those punches and get in the way of them physically etc...
All that aside, I think it is really important the longer you are there, the more you interact with new people. If even just a bit of advice, a hello, a quick hold of the heavy bag etc...it'll make them feel more a part and not like some outsider. Let them know you were standing right where they are now, so the climb to be experienced seems more tangible. You never know how some small thing said will have an impact on someone. For sure it is more then never saying, doing anything positive at all.