Right, so I have decided to want to start boxing...

Firstly, I want to apologise if this thread has bee done before but I have had a look through, can't really see anything and google is bloody useless.

Ok, I'll begin:

I used to do Tang Soo Do then Tae Kwon Do, then Lau Gar Kung Fu with former World champion Neville Wray between the ages of 6-18. My father was supportive of me doing martial arts but I was never allowed to do boxing - this was due to my mum saying she wouldn't want to see someone punch me in the face. ;D I then had to give it up as I joined the Royal Air Force which I left after five years.

Anyway, now I am 26 years old and have decided that, while I still can, I want to give boxing a go. I'm 6'1, 13 and a bit stone and in ok shape. Now, I am under absolutely no illusions. I know that I won't be representing Great Britiain at the Olympics, I won't be calling out Manny Pacquiao when he retires, nor will I be on the cover of The Ring magazine. I want to do it because it's something I have always wanted to do as I love the sport, just wish I had've done it earlier. I have a good level of fitness due to my time in the forces but it's no where near as good as it used to be. I just want to be able to go down a gym a couple of times a week, improve my punching abililty, get a better level of fitness and just, generally, box. Obviously I would love to be able to spar in a ring etc but I have to walk before I can run.

I would just like to know what the best way to go about this is as I have absolutely no idea. I don't know if it's a case of you go down a gym and just join but then what? Do I sign up for lessons with an instructor or just stand at a heavy bag, like a muppet, not knowing what to do? I shadow box in front of my mirror when I get out of the shower but I can understand that isn't quite the same thing. ;D

Any help from you guys would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Welcome here and welcome to boxing. The boxers and trainers here are very helpful and will seldom chastise you IF you should ask a FAQ, although they will generally recommend any useful threads to you for further review if you ask a question that has substantial history.

You are still young enough to have whatever goals your interest and abilities will support. Go for it.

The best way to proceed? Do you best to find a quality gym, with a serious coach or trainer who will actually give you LESSONS, not just run a completely aerobics exercise class nor leave you to your own devices.

You want a coach who will show you all the basics of stance, punching, movement, defense, etc while taking you through a strong guided conditioning program.

Depending on where you live, you MAY decide to take up amateur boxing (Golden Gloves usually here in the states), or you may decide to limit yourself to sparring in your own gym, or you might decided to just learn boxing without the contact.

We have pros, Golden Gloves fighters, gym sparring guys and gals, and plenty of people who will NEVER hit or get hit very hard, all training in our little gym.

All our classes have a "3 round lesson", at least "3 rounds of coaching on the heavy bag" and a lot of other conditioning.

Let the folks here know generally where you live so they can perhaps recommend some quality gyms and good coaches.

Enjoy!

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HerbM

Thanks herb for your response. Was very helpful. I am based in the south of England. Hampshire to be exact. The only local gym near me belongs to the Army - not really the place where I want to start out. Do I need to find an 'amateur' gym or just a regular boxing gym? I really am clueless but your post has given me some food for thought. :)

I am EXACTLY the same (all be it less fit!) I even managed to find a gym last year and had some 1 on 1 coaching. Really enjoyed it. Decided that as I'm good at most sports and watch loads of boxing I should do ok.

Then I tore my ankle ligaments playing football and I've not been back since (not to mention getting even more unfit)

The training was very tough, especially as one of my shoulders is still weak from tearing ligaments a couple of years ago (playing bloody football again :rolleyes:) so I struggled with all the push ups he kept making me do!

It was much harder than I thought, as a kid I was always in scraps, so thought my inner anger would get me through. Upper body was fine, but I struggled staying in the stance he kept putting me in, didn't realise that would be the hardest thing, the footwork. Keeping feet facing forward, while body is sideways, while crouching. They make it look so easy!


I need a bit of advice also, should I hit the gym and get fit first before trying again, or should I get fit while learning to box? Bearing in mind I have now collected a dodgy shoulder and ankle that are both going to need some work to get fully strenghtened.

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Originally Posted by 0james0

I am EXACTLY the same (all be it less fit!) I even managed to find a gym last year and had some 1 on 1 coaching. Really enjoyed it. Decided that as I'm good at most sports and watch loads of boxing I should do ok.

Then I tore my ankle ligaments playing football and I've not been back since (not to mention getting even more unfit)

The training was very tough, especially as one of my shoulders is still weak from tearing ligaments a couple of years ago (playing bloody football again :rolleyes:) so I struggled with all the push ups he kept making me do!

It was much harder than I thought, as a kid I was always in scraps, so thought my inner anger would get me through. Upper body was fine, but I struggled staying in the stance he kept putting me in, didn't realise that would be the hardest thing, the footwork. Keeping feet facing forward, while body is sideways, while crouching. They make it look so easy!


I need a bit of advice also, should I hit the gym and get fit first before trying again, or should I get fit while learning to box? Bearing in mind I have now collected a dodgy shoulder and ankle that are both going to need some work to get fully strenghtened.

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Nothing like hijacking my thread. ;D ;)

How old were you mate when you went to the gym for the first time just out of interest?

Sorry mate, was just thinking and typing, seemed like a good place to drop my load! :D

I'm 25 now and went there last year. I'm stupidly unfit at the min, but playing football again so hoping that will help.

I've decided I should be in my peak now, so should be able to get stuck into most things and do ok. Makes me want to do it more now I know how difficult the technique is, I didn't like having a left jab either and I'm right handed so was switchng a bit to try and see which just felt better. All felt exciting though!

Need to get motivated and get back onto it. I need to lose weight aswell otherwise if I fight I'll be in with massive guys!

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Originally Posted by 0james0

Sorry mate, was just thinking and typing, seemed like a good place to drop my load! :D

I'm 25 now and went there last year. I'm stupidly unfit at the min, but playing football again so hoping that will help.

I've decided I should be in my peak now, so should be able to get stuck into most things and do ok. Makes me want to do it more now I know how difficult the technique is, I didn't like having a left jab either and I'm right handed so was switchng a bit to try and see which just felt better. All felt exciting though!

Need to get motivated and get back onto it. I need to lose weight aswell otherwise if I fight I'll be in with massive guys!

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Best of luck mate, who knows, we could be fighting each other on Sky Box Office in a couple of years...or appearing on Prizefighter. ;D

As it stands we'd both be in Light Heavy aswell, so you never know! (although if I can lsoe enough weight to get under 12 stone then I can squeeze into Super Middle!

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Originally Posted by 0james0

As it stands we'd both be in Light Heavy aswell, so you never know! (although if I can lsoe enough weight to get under 12 stone then I can squeeze into Super Middle!

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You can take on the winner of the super six mate. I'm sure it's what the world wants to see.

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Originally Posted by koppas

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 0james0

As it stands we'd both be in Light Heavy aswell, so you never know! (although if I can lsoe enough weight to get under 12 stone then I can squeeze into Super Middle!

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You can take on the winner of the super six mate. I'm sure it's what the world wants to see.

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I think the world wants to see me pound your giant lego head!

Alright Boys!

Don't know whether to step in between you two to prevent a scrap, or throw a bucket of water over the pair of you! Anyways, you want to find a decent amateur boxing gym in your area. The coaching will be good, the value for money will be great (we charge £1.50 per session in our gym.) Be sure to tell the coach that you are interested in fighting (I'm a coach and wouldn't spend time coaching someone who didn't want to compete, this sounds harsh but you need to understand that there are a gym full of boxers who do want to compete.) You can box up until the age of 35, so you have a good few years left. From raw novice (and depending upon coaching and progress), it's going to realistically take about 12 months to be ready for a full contest. From then and after a few contests, you can enter the Novice ABA champs so that you aren't out of your depth in terms of opposition.

There's a club finder on the aba website (ABAE > Forum) to get you started. If you continue to thirst knowledge of the technique, go check out the free stuff on my site (check the link in my profile).

Most importantly....enjoy the sport, and keep on learning!!!

Good luck lads.

Fran

Im 27 and only started training properly 4 months ago 5-6 days a week for 2hrs each time and will be have my 1st amature fight in july.
I go to a pcyc and it cost me $70aus a months for as many sessions as i like. Its a amature boxing gym but we have pros train with us.

Fran: I know where your coming from with letting the trainer know that you intend to fight. It takes a lot of instruction from the trainer to pick up the little changes he wants you to do. Then you having sparring times to include also. And if you have to do it to the non-fighter too the fighters would recieve less insruction which could make the differance in a fight.

Koppas: Go to a few local gyms and have a talk with the trainers and tell them your intentions, They will usually give you a run down on a usual session and ask you some questions. Then just watch the workout for a while maybe even do a session and decide if its going to suit you.

Great advice fellas. Thanks for the input. Glad to see I could still be taking on the world yet. :)

I just can't get the picture out of my head of some dude with a giant lego head ducking and weaving in a ring! :lol:

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Originally Posted by 0james0

I just can't get the picture out of my head of some dude with a giant lego head ducking and weaving in a ring! :lol:

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It's what the world wants to see. :cool:

After a month of working on a heavy bag non stop, reading etc today I finally plucked up the courage to phone up my nearest boxing gym and I have got my first private tuition on Monday afternoon. I figured private tuition is probably the way forward as I'll learn a hell of a lot more so the £20 p/h is quite reasonable. Quite excited to be honest, I'm like a kid at Christmas and quite pleased I have actually gotten off of my arse and made the phone call. This could be the start of something good. :)