The problem with Boxing & It's training.

Lately, I've really taken issue with the way boxing is trained.

Last year I won a national title, largely due to my fitness and desire.
I felt that I had done well learning technique as I had followed my trainers instructions exactly and I was moving as he instructed.

Last week I then came in contact with another trainer, who corrected my stance, my foot movement, my guard and my punching technique.
Almost instatntaneously I felt the difference, my punches seemingly more powerful as a result of technical improvement and my body less tired as the Punches "threww themselves."
This consultation really exposed my old trainer as a joke. I had followed his more complex instructions and had to apply myself much more to learning his instructions (such as keeping my hands ultra high.) It was reveakled that he had no actual understanding of why a boxer was required to adopt a stance.

As young amnateur/pro boxers we walk into a gym, see a few champions and automatically trust the trainer. To be head of a gym we assume the trainer has an in depth knowledge of the sport and can teach us valuable lessons and help us progress.
We invest so much time listening to coaches and strive to emulate their instructions perfectly.

But now I have to question, have I been training hard and learning the wrong lessons...It seems so.

well, it got you to a national title, so whatever combo you and your trainer had going on it worked.
The trainer/boxer partnership for me, can only really work if there is trust.

I don't think your other trainer is a fraud, he has a different approach & understanding of the sport to this other guy.
I suspect as you've learnt more and become more critical in to the hows and whys of your boxing this other trainer has brought something new to your arsenal.

I take it from this you'll be changing camps? Just don't burn any bridges in case it doesn't work out:cool:

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Originally Posted by Missy

well, it got you to a national title, so whatever combo you and your trainer had going on it worked.
The trainer/boxer partnership for me, can only really work if there is trust.

I don't think your other trainer is a fraud, he has a different approach & understanding of the sport to this other guy.
I suspect as you've learnt more and become more critical in to the hows and whys of your boxing this other trainer has brought something new to your arsenal.

I take it from this you'll be changing camps? Just don't burn any bridges in case it doesn't work out:cool:

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Well to be honest Missy, last year I just ran like a lunatic and hit bags for a long long time.
I just got myself in terrific condition and boxed at as high a pace as I could.
I trained myself really, he just got me the fights.

Then this other dude, started to actually teach me things and I could pick up on them and instantaneously it made my life easier.

As you alluded to, with the other trainer I was just interested in fighting, being there, throwing the punches as hard and fast as I could. I relied on fitness and physicality.
But the other trainer showed me things that made it easier and served me the logic behind why it is done. It just made sense.

For example with pivoting, trainer A said, pivot with the right foot when you throw the right and turn the fist....
Trainer B said Pivot with the right, and turn the fist because the shoulder will turn, if your shoulder hits your chin, his fist won't.
It's just simple details like that.
My old trainer just knows what he was taught, he doesn't know why he was taught it.

Wish I was changing camps but I won't be for a while yet. I'll simply have to make the most of what I have.

I guess it comes from my JKD - we were always taught why we did something.
Now you have a new way to approach your training perhaps ask him why you are doing a particular move, perhaps he does know but has never been pushed for answers.

Good luck though -sounds as if you're making good progress.

old dogs often have a reason that they got that old....pm me sometime and tell me what you learned, i am curious...

Almost all trainers get a little dogmatic, I have the base set stance I want, but I check the other styles in case I have a fighter that needs a different stance
Youve got to look at what you have in a fighter,and as is often said,styles make fights.
Examples
If I have a really fast fighter,I might have them do the jab hand up style you see in a lot of Mexican fighters
A stocky guy with short reach Im going with a Philly weave
To study the sport,you have to study the whole sport,if your here you do numerous stances and style for two reasons
A) One may work better for you
B) If you can do it,you understand better how to fight it

Another problem with training (alone) is the uncertainty that I may be doing it all wrong, so the doubt causes me to not put as much effort into it.

Mate even if you physically prove to some people that certain things always work when certain situations arise,or if you just approach them from a different way: Its still like shining a light into the face of someone standing firm in a darkened cave. They'll hate you for it. Reach your hand in to help those types, and they bite, cause they think your out to prove them wrong ,not share or help freely ,this goes for most areas in life not only in boxing.
You obviously got shown something by the real technician.
Good for you too, being so open to it that fast.

Different strokes for different folks. It sounds as if what you got from your old trainer worked.

Like TM said, you've got to be adaptable. No point showing a guy 5ft 5 and 175 lbs of solid muscle how to stick and move. He's got to be an inside fighter against guys 6 ft plus...

I teach the electric guitar and I often use this analogy:-

I like my students to play with a pick, which many people who just strum with their fingers don't like to do. I used to be hard line 'use a pick or find a another teacher'. In recent years I've relented because I heard the story of Wes Montgomery, one of the greatest jazz guitarists in history. Wes started playing at 19 (ultra late) and he already had a wife and kid. His wife would complain that the guitar was too loud when he used a pick so he started playing with his thumb and developed this 'brushing' style of playing octaves on the guitar. My point is, if Wes had come to me for lessons I would have ruined one of the greatest voices jazz has ever known!!

There is more than one way to skin a cat my friend. And there is certainly more than one way to box or play guitar.

True that, But what ways are there to skin a cat, coriuos not that Im about to skin one.

Well fact is.
Method 1 had me tired out, using every ounce of energy to stay going.

Method 2; has me throwing with more power with less physical demand, albeit I'm slightly slower.


My body tells me that the new things I've been taught are more economical for my body.

Les Haste more speed, Haste is thinking the wrong perception in this game. Think clear you are, I am that , you are that , this is that, or He who laugths last didnt get the joke in the 1st place. Ask Andre Hes the sage on these things. ;D

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Originally Posted by Scrap

Les Haste more speed, Haste is thinking the wrong perception in this game. Think clear you are, I am that , you are that , this is that, or He who laugths last didnt get the joke in the 1st place. Ask Andre Hes the sage on these things. ;D

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Ok, I'll unravel that one eventually.

In other news, sparring Cresham again this week, along with a couple others, found that I was boxing a lot better sparring him last Friday, so looking for some more development this week.

Haste is a response which affects muscle response and your postore and balance. It gives you should have ,. You can talk to a man with a wooden Leg but not to a man with a wooden Head, love that saying ;D

i am tainted with other things than pure boxing...but lessons i have learned, a strike is a strike, it is the principle of it that makes it well timed or ill advised...economy of motion is the new rule for me...funny it took a long time to realize that but for those that doubt i can teach you the panther punch...he he

I really prefer to understand why something is right and wrong but also the mechanics of how it works. Some things my coaches explain others they don't and some they probably do explain and i still don't get it anyway (i pity them coaching me sometimes :)).

The thing i probably struggle with conceptually the most is how people hold such strong guards and mine is utterly pathetic no matter what i do!

Since you commented on it though Hitmandonny - i am curious about the shoulder hitting your chin thing. I mean i can do that sometimes but i must do it the wrong way because my body right shoulder hitting my chin at the end of my cross just hurts! Maybe i turn the fist over at the wrong time?

Sometimes I'd prefer to be hit with my opponents glove than my shoulder because at least that's semi-padded! Or am I just being a woss!

Overall i do agree with you hitmandonny. In many places the boxing culture is to do what you're told without questioning why.

I think it's meant to be about discipline and being gutzy but there are other ways to demonstrate discipline and determination and respect for your trainer than to not question them or the techniques they were taught.

I think if you can ask someone a Q because you trust them to know the answer and elighten you it's better than just trusting the techniques they were taught.

I often wonder how much i can and can't do has to do with me as an individual because something is not quite right - maybe my hips are out, i have a weak muscle group somewhere etc - things that i may not be able to correct just by persisting with that technique.

Things like a tight psoas for example which can mess up your ability to balance and move fluently are often exacerbated by more exercise - so the more you train some things with the wrong physical tools - the more you exacerbate tightnesses etc and the more difficult it would be to do what you're trying to do.

If you don't know why and how something works how can you tell the difference between what you should be able to do and what you need more preparation to be able to do physically?!?!

Hey Sharla, good to see you back!
As for the Shoulders. Its a defensive movement that I was taught quite some time ago but had completely neglected in recent years.
I think if the force is in the fist you shouldn't feel it in the shoulder???


Your point about not asking why is exactly the problem. Too many (including myself) blindly follow trainers instructions. We trust the trainer and almost assume he's the best in the world.

I was told I rely too much on my heart in fights. Pushing through fatigue pain and stamina barriers I can believe that. Having been shown some new things and asked to rely on those techniques makes my life a little easier.

Trainers have a poor understanding of the body.
They pass on what they learned themselves, never pausing to think that they could alter it a little for the better. Thats the problem

What we seek is the truth, by finding ourself and knowing your self. With a bit of outside Help with the Truth. ;D

I liked your post Donny... It could almost be said as a metaphor for things in life as well... You can be doing something one way your whole life and get better faster at it, and are quite content,,, then someone comes along and shows you a better way, and you almost have to look back on every single time that you did that thing, and wondered why and how you ever really truely got by without that new piece of knowledge...

As Missy said, I think it is all your hard work and determination that got you to the level that you made it to, and it is that exact some drive that will take you to the level above that if you wish..

One way I would suggest to look at it is by watching a few boxing matches... Many many many fighters have different stances and techniques. They all hold their hands differently, move differently, stand a little different, throw their punches slightly wider or shorter etc... Any one of them could have been throwing like that their whole boxing career, and they could be 5 time world champions....... To a new person coming in, they would probably even try to emulate exactly how that champion throws their punches/stands..... But a different trainer could come along and show that champion a different way of throwing a jab, and instantly it could improve.....
It probably doesn't make his last trainer's jab inferior. Hell it got him 5 world championships..
Everyone has different styles and techniques.. And what really works for one person.. In fact, what is absolutely perfect for one person might be quite inferior for another...
That new trainer showed you a few tips that fortunately are something that suits you and where you can progress from where you are now, and it seems like your old techniques weren't as good as the new ones...
That's very lucky for you, and you sound very grateful for the gift... But I wouldn't think of your last trainers instruction as inferior to the new trainers... Just different, and not 100% perfect for you yourself...

I remember watching a documentary with Wayne Mcculloch when he changed trainers, and the new trainer said to him, "show me your jab"... Wayne does a Jab.. trainer says "Is that how you always throw it?", Wayne says "I'll throw it however you want me to throw it"...

Wayne was already a chapion at this stage, and his new trainer was able to improve his Jab... But it's the heart and determination that makes a champ...

My final thought is,,,, there are fighters who have made very decent professional careers, and have 100% taught themselves!!! Anyone could question just how far they could have got if they had proper instruction... But maybe they might not have got anywhere?? Millions of other factors could have determined them not being champion if they had adopted a trainer instead...

So take the new gift and enjoy it and let it make you all the more better of a fighter... And remember that it's everything that can't be taught that has probably got you as far as you are now, and further...

Good post Sean I remember you singing The most Beutiful Girlin the world to the Wife, Up the BLADES ;D.

Liked that post very much Diz, I'll rep you as soon as I can

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

Well fact is.
Method 1 had me tired out, using every ounce of energy to stay going.

Method 2; has me throwing with more power with less physical demand, albeit I'm slightly slower.


My body tells me that the new things I've been taught are more economical for my body.

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I would say this to you Donny while you may see the benefit of the new guy, you should also not overlook the benefits you have got from your current trainer. Although skills wise and technique-wise he may have not been as good, he has got you some good fights under your belt and conditioned you very well. Looking forward you will have the experience you gained and knowledge of how to condition yourself to incredible now you can look forward to learning the sweeter side and you will be stronger from having that experience.

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

Hey Sharla, good to see you back!
As for the Shoulders. Its a defensive movement that I was taught quite some time ago but had completely neglected in recent years.
I think if the force is in the fist you shouldn't feel it in the shoulder???


Your point about not asking why is exactly the problem. Too many (including myself) blindly follow trainers instructions. We trust the trainer and almost assume he's the best in the world.

I was told I rely too much on my heart in fights. Pushing through fatigue pain and stamina barriers I can believe that. Having been shown some new things and asked to rely on those techniques makes my life a little easier.

Trainers have a poor understanding of the body.
They pass on what they learned themselves, never pausing to think that they could alter it a little for the better. Thats the problem

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Thanks Donny, Glad to be back.

I guess I just need to practice letting my shoulder come up and see what happens. I think I have a bit of a phobia about letting my nack hunch even a little so I've avoided a lot of things in case i hunch my back attempting to do them.

I might have to reexamine how i do them and whether or not my little phobia is based anywhere in reality. ;D

I agree with what you say. The culture sometimes seems to be that it's disrespectful to Q what you do and I'd like to see that change in boxing too.

I also think whatever you do as Diz said you really can't assume the way you've found is the best way.

Most things never reach perfection so it shouldn't be insulting to try to find ways to improve them and you'll never be able to do that without understanding the reasons you do things.

Actually the way you feel about your boxing coaches is exactly how I feel about my PhD supervisor. I'm not sure that this is a boxing specific mentality.

There are some that can look at a student and teach/encourage them to learn and be proud when they think of something new or creative. They want you to develop the mental tools and understanding you need to improve beyond what you are merely told. There are others that just want you to stay in your box whether they are conscious of that or not.

I can see you becoming more and more independent and learning where to pick up the information you need. It may be frustrating but you're not the type to be held back long term by it.

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Originally Posted by killersheep

I would say this to you Donny while you may see the benefit of the new guy, you should also not overlook the benefits you have got from your current trainer. Although skills wise and technique-wise he may have not been as good, he has got you some good fights under your belt and conditioned you very well. Looking forward you will have the experience you gained and knowledge of how to condition yourself to incredible now you can look forward to learning the sweeter side and you will be stronger from having that experience.

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When I won the regional and nationals, I was largely self trained.
I literally trained alone 5 out of 6 days a week.
Not contradicting you, just some background info!

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Originally Posted by Sharla

Thanks Donny, Glad to be back.

I guess I just need to practice letting my shoulder come up and see what happens. I think I have a bit of a phobia about letting my nack hunch even a little so I've avoided a lot of things in case i hunch my back attempting to do them.

I might have to reexamine how i do them and whether or not my little phobia is based anywhere in reality. ;D

I agree with what you say. The culture sometimes seems to be that it's disrespectful to Q what you do and I'd like to see that change in boxing too.

I also think whatever you do as Diz said you really can't assume the way you've found is the best way.

Most things never reach perfection so it shouldn't be insulting to try to find ways to improve them and you'll never be able to do that without understanding the reasons you do things.

Actually the way you feel about your boxing coaches is exactly how I feel about my PhD supervisor. I'm not sure that this is a boxing specific mentality.

There are some that can look at a student and teach/encourage them to learn and be proud when they think of something new or creative. They want you to develop the mental tools and understanding you need to improve beyond what you are merely told. There are others that just want you to stay in your box whether they are conscious of that or not.

I can see you becoming more and more independent and learning where to pick up the information you need. It may be frustrating but you're not the type to be held back long term by it.

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Oh I've got a terrible habit of both hunching my back and bending too much, that'll need to be amended!

I can realte with how you feel about both training and the phd.
So many educators, whether it be school/uni or boxing educate by passing on pure theory. They give the information and expect it to be learned by heart, without any real introduction, initiation or background to the subject.
Sometimes all you need is a little more information in order to understand an issue completely

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

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Originally Posted by killersheep

I would say this to you Donny while you may see the benefit of the new guy, you should also not overlook the benefits you have got from your current trainer. Although skills wise and technique-wise he may have not been as good, he has got you some good fights under your belt and conditioned you very well. Looking forward you will have the experience you gained and knowledge of how to condition yourself to incredible now you can look forward to learning the sweeter side and you will be stronger from having that experience.

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When I won the regional and nationals, I was largely self trained.
I literally trained alone 5 out of 6 days a week.
Not contradicting you, just some background info!

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Originally Posted by Sharla

Thanks Donny, Glad to be back.

I guess I just need to practice letting my shoulder come up and see what happens. I think I have a bit of a phobia about letting my nack hunch even a little so I've avoided a lot of things in case i hunch my back attempting to do them.

I might have to reexamine how i do them and whether or not my little phobia is based anywhere in reality. ;D

I agree with what you say. The culture sometimes seems to be that it's disrespectful to Q what you do and I'd like to see that change in boxing too.

I also think whatever you do as Diz said you really can't assume the way you've found is the best way.

Most things never reach perfection so it shouldn't be insulting to try to find ways to improve them and you'll never be able to do that without understanding the reasons you do things.

Actually the way you feel about your boxing coaches is exactly how I feel about my PhD supervisor. I'm not sure that this is a boxing specific mentality.

There are some that can look at a student and teach/encourage them to learn and be proud when they think of something new or creative. They want you to develop the mental tools and understanding you need to improve beyond what you are merely told. There are others that just want you to stay in your box whether they are conscious of that or not.

I can see you becoming more and more independent and learning where to pick up the information you need. It may be frustrating but you're not the type to be held back long term by it.

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Oh I've got a terrible habit of both hunching my back and bending too much, that'll need to be amended!

I can realte with how you feel about both training and the phd.
So many educators, whether it be school/uni or boxing educate by passing on pure theory. They give the information and expect it to be learned by heart, without any real introduction, initiation or background to the subject.
Sometimes all you need is a little more information in order to understand an issue completely

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Yeah I'm not completely sure of how to get around the back hunching thing and still keep your guard up and shoulder up the way I've been told you're meant to.

Still trying to work that one out! :confused: Any advice would be great! :)

Yeah i think you get what i mean with school/uni educators thing. What I've noticed in research is we're NOT supposed to just wrote learn things. We're not given exams and have to regurgitate random facts. We have to problem solve but you still get the resistance to it with some researchers.

With my supervisor anything he didn't come up with it "too complicated" and that means I can't do it and there's no more explanation needed. Often I've already gotten the opinion of other scientists who are more experienced in the field and they approve so i just don't bother asking him anymore. I sneak off, do it and tell him later.

Other times he'll come up with an idea that's impractical because he's come up with it on the spot and not really thought through it but if i suggest something more practical i'm not allowed to modify his idea - even if i KNOW his idea is not going to work - unless i can get back up and permission by going over his head. I always try to get to meetings with him and the CEO to plan my work a little early so i can get things approved without his arguments.

Another PhD student has another supervisor (Russian) and he'll ask her to use grain from her plants for an experiment and plant them up and take measurements and samples for another scientist (Chinese) to analyze. Rather than including her on the meeting with this other scientist he'll just gave her orders and didn't really let her know what the final point of the experiment was going to be etc.

The whole thing was wasted because her Russian supervisor couldn't understand the strong accent of the Chinese scientist and they used the wrong grain. Weeks of work down the drain because he couldn't include her in their meetings. He couldn't relinquish that control.

Even if you're at a stage - where like you - you've been in the game long enough to have the basics and to be able to coach - some people don't like the idea of you having independent thought. They feel threatened by someone having ideas they haven't thought of or by having to see that you've grown beyond that infantile stage.

Shalaa get a cheap fishing net.

The man to see about that is Scrap.
Honestly, what he showed me in Belfast taught me how to cure that problem and I'm sure he won't mind telling you.

I know what you mean about the educators. This year was in industrial placement for me and I felt I did so much better with the self directed learning. I only wish this was my last year!!!



Is there a board that monitors your supervisors, that you could complain to or make suggestions to in order to improve. It has to be frustrating dealing with people like that. I find they sound a bit arrogant and condescending from you description.
I know you wouldn't like reporting them, but at the end of the day, they're there for you. Their only function is to help your learning not frustrate or hold you back.

As for the language barrier....oh dear....we were in college in our second year. We prepared a project in a group and the lecturer randomnly selected the spesker to present the report in front of the entirter class, our marks would be awarded on this presentation. Randomnly the lectureer assigned a guy with a terrible stutter to be our speaker.
It was entirely up to him whether to sp3eak or not. None of the rest of the group wanted to say "I thinbk we should do it," and he never stepped back from the challenge. I worked especially hard on the report, putting together I would say 80% of the entire project and I knew it was good stuff.

On the day he stood on front of the class and nerves made his stutter worse and worse, making it appear as if the report ahd a million and one holes in it......Disaster....came out with 20%.
I hate being held back by thrid parties.

Sometime Coaching can be the wound, Not the Bandage thats a Truth ;D

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Originally Posted by Scrap

Sometime Coaching can be the wound, Not the Bandage thats a Truth ;D

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I know that you know him Scrap and I'd hate to insult him if you're friends,
But thats how I view Graham/Hatton at the moment.

Scrap, you're starting to sound like Andre ;D

Good I must be talking sense then ;D.

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Originally Posted by Missy

Scrap, you're starting to sound like Andre ;D

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Cause he wants to cast his lure to the exact target; the ones that'll think it out, instead of get it handed to them on a plate ;).

Your complaint doesn't seem to be so much with boxing or training... you just found a better trainer for you.

It's an observation that sometimes, the people who win fights don't necessarily have better technique (or at least, the best technique for themself) and get by on talent, guts, perserverence, intuition, etc.

It's an observation that being a champion doesn't mean you can train them, or that if you train champions it doesn't necessarily mean you teach the best technique, or at least, not the best technique for everyone.

Sometimes there are genius coaches out there who just don't get any talented or dedicated pupils to properly apply their methods, and then one finds you, and you discover them, sort of in the same way a coach who's not very good might discover a pupil who is really dedicated and has great intuition and ability to read an opponent, even if the methods they're using against them aren't as good as they could be under a better coach's techniques.

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Originally Posted by Scrap

Shalaa get a cheap fishing net.

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Right yes i remember - I couldn't find a cane fishing net last time I looked but I'll try again or try to find the equivalent. Thanks Scrap! :)

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

Is there a board that monitors your supervisors, that you could complain to or make suggestions to in order to improve. It has to be frustrating dealing with people like that. I find they sound a bit arrogant and condescending from you description.
I know you wouldn't like reporting them, but at the end of the day, they're there for you. Their only function is to help your learning not frustrate or hold you back.

As for the language barrier....oh dear....we were in college in our second year. We prepared a project in a group and the lecturer randomnly selected the spesker to present the report in front of the entirter class, our marks would be awarded on this presentation. Randomnly the lectureer assigned a guy with a terrible stutter to be our speaker.
It was entirely up to him whether to sp3eak or not. None of the rest of the group wanted to say "I thinbk we should do it," and he never stepped back from the challenge. I worked especially hard on the report, putting together I would say 80% of the entire project and I knew it was good stuff.

On the day he stood on front of the class and nerves made his stutter worse and worse, making it appear as if the report ahd a million and one holes in it......Disaster....came out with 20%.
I hate being held back by thrid parties.

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Yeah Donny I'm flattered you think I'm the type to be patient enough not to have complained - but really I'm an impatient cow! ;D I did probably take a little longer to bring up certain issues than I should have - almost a year but I have brought it up well and truly now.

I submitted a supervision report to the head CEO. I spoke to a university councellor about it who told me how to go about documenting things. I made collaborations with interstate scientists in my field so that they could back me up on the problems which formed the basis of my project which my supervisor didn't want to face up to.

I don't know if it had anything to do with all of my hissy fits or just the general vibe from all the PhD students but the university launched an enquiry into the way PhD students were managed in our centre. We were all interviewed by an impartial scientist brought in from overseas and he had to submit a report.

Now they have set in place things like if you have a non-native english speaking supervisor you also need to have another one who is a native english speaker. They even have to have other people in the field who are not supervisors but monitor the projects to make sure that they are realistic and doable in the time we have.

They also have a PhD students committee so we can ask for help with supervisor and project issues. All this has only just come into place in the last couple of months and I'm meant to be finishing soonish. It's too late to help me but hopefully some of the more difficult supervisors will have to think about whether or not they really want a student or just a technition.

The problem with the Russian guy supervising my friend is all his technitions quit but his students are locked in for 3 years. He has always chosen mild mannered men (total of 2) or female (many) people to be his students and technitions. People who don't yell back or in the case of my friend just don't bother yelling back anymore because he's louder.

He's getting to the bottom of the pool of people who will work with him now though. His next supervisor is going to be another adult experienced Russian male and I'm actually really looking forward to the fireworks in a twisted sick kinda way! ;D

Too bad to hear about what happened with your report. Especially being so busy with all your other responsibilities it must be so frustrating to put effort into something not have it shown properly.

At least you know it will be a different story when you present your individual work. I don't know about you but having ring time in front of small crowds makes public speaking relatively easy for me in comparison.

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Originally Posted by tyciol

Your complaint doesn't seem to be so much with boxing or training... you just found a better trainer for you.

It's an observation that sometimes, the people who win fights don't necessarily have better technique (or at least, the best technique for themself) and get by on talent, guts, perserverence, intuition, etc.

It's an observation that being a champion doesn't mean you can train them, or that if you train champions it doesn't necessarily mean you teach the best technique, or at least, not the best technique for everyone.

Sometimes there are genius coaches out there who just don't get any talented or dedicated pupils to properly apply their methods, and then one finds you, and you discover them, sort of in the same way a coach who's not very good might discover a pupil who is really dedicated and has great intuition and ability to read an opponent, even if the methods they're using against them aren't as good as they could be under a better coach's techniques.

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I've trained in numerous gyms in my country.
I think that there is a common attitude and perception. toward boxing and it's training in these gyms.
The trainers are inflexible and as a community they believe themselves 100% correct. So I feel the problem is general and not just applicable to my own circumstances.

I personally lay testament to your claim about winning without being the better boxer.
And yet, although I have gotten by on physicality, fitness and a little natural ability, I strive to become more skilled.


Knowledge is certainly not distributed evenly in the boxing world.
Not geographically or quantitatively.

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Originally Posted by Sharla

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Originally Posted by Scrap

Shalaa get a cheap fishing net.

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Right yes i remember - I couldn't find a cane fishing net last time I looked but I'll try again or try to find the equivalent. Thanks Scrap! :)

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

Is there a board that monitors your supervisors, that you could complain to or make suggestions to in order to improve. It has to be frustrating dealing with people like that. I find they sound a bit arrogant and condescending from you description.
I know you wouldn't like reporting them, but at the end of the day, they're there for you. Their only function is to help your learning not frustrate or hold you back.

As for the language barrier....oh dear....we were in college in our second year. We prepared a project in a group and the lecturer randomnly selected the spesker to present the report in front of the entirter class, our marks would be awarded on this presentation. Randomnly the lectureer assigned a guy with a terrible stutter to be our speaker.
It was entirely up to him whether to sp3eak or not. None of the rest of the group wanted to say "I thinbk we should do it," and he never stepped back from the challenge. I worked especially hard on the report, putting together I would say 80% of the entire project and I knew it was good stuff.

On the day he stood on front of the class and nerves made his stutter worse and worse, making it appear as if the report ahd a million and one holes in it......Disaster....came out with 20%.
I hate being held back by thrid parties.

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Yeah Donny I'm flattered you think I'm the type to be patient enough not to have complained - but really I'm an impatient cow! ;D I did probably take a little longer to bring up certain issues than I should have - almost a year but I have brought it up well and truly now.

I submitted a supervision report to the head CEO. I spoke to a university councellor about it who told me how to go about documenting things. I made collaborations with interstate scientists in my field so that they could back me up on the problems which formed the basis of my project which my supervisor didn't want to face up to.

I don't know if it had anything to do with all of my hissy fits or just the general vibe from all the PhD students but the university launched an enquiry into the way PhD students were managed in our centre. We were all interviewed by an impartial scientist brought in from overseas and he had to submit a report.

Now they have set in place things like if you have a non-native english speaking supervisor you also need to have another one who is a native english speaker. They even have to have other people in the field who are not supervisors but monitor the projects to make sure that they are realistic and doable in the time we have.

They also have a PhD students committee so we can ask for help with supervisor and project issues. All this has only just come into place in the last couple of months and I'm meant to be finishing soonish. It's too late to help me but hopefully some of the more difficult supervisors will have to think about whether or not they really want a student or just a technition.

The problem with the Russian guy supervising my friend is all his technitions quit but his students are locked in for 3 years. He has always chosen mild mannered men (total of 2) or female (many) people to be his students and technitions. People who don't yell back or in the case of my friend just don't bother yelling back anymore because he's louder.

He's getting to the bottom of the pool of people who will work with him now though. His next supervisor is going to be another adult experienced Russian male and I'm actually really looking forward to the fireworks in a twisted sick kinda way! ;D

Too bad to hear about what happened with your report. Especially being so busy with all your other responsibilities it must be so frustrating to put effort into something not have it shown properly.

At least you know it will be a different story when you present your individual work. I don't know about you but having ring time in front of small crowds makes public speaking relatively easy for me in comparison.

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Sharla....
One sentence reply here.

I aspire to do what you have done in my next year, well done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

Sharla....
One sentence reply here.

I aspire to do what you have done in my next year, well done.

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Thanks Donny - but it took me 3 years :)

I wasted waaaaaay too much time feeling sorry for myself, being in denial, cracking sooky la las and seeing myself as a victim which is bad for reasons Andre has touched on in other threads.

I doubt you'll make the same mistakes as me somehow though! ;)

Good luck - not that you'll need it :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sharla

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

Sharla....
One sentence reply here.

I aspire to do what you have done in my next year, well done.

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Thanks Donny - but it took me 3 years :)

I wasted waaaaaay too much time feeling sorry for myself, being in denial, cracking sooky la las and seeing myself as a victim which is bad for reasons Andre has touched on in other threads.

I doubt you'll make the same mistakes as me somehow though! ;)

Good luck - not that you'll need it :)

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I have done the same thing believe me!

But its time to sort things out properly and If I can stay this driven I'll get it done.