Intimidating trainer

[MMAActivist]

Hi, I am new here, as you might have noticed, and I have question:

I have been practicing Taekwondo for 2 years now, I really like it, but decided I needed more strenght and techniques, so I joined a gym, and got boxing lessons.

But the problem is, I am really intimidated by my trainer, if I do something wrong, he punches me right in the stomach and he keeps yelling, probably to motivate me. But well, it's doesn't help as you might have guessed..

Before you tell me I should'nt be such a whiner, I'm 16, and just a bit autistic.. I can't take it when someone yells at me.. I know that trainers often push you to your limits, and maybe even beyond, but are boxing trainers supposed to be this fierce? :P

Ps: I was this forum, and thought it would be the perfect place to ask this question.

[AdamGB]

Find a different gym.

[cnote111]

yea man, this isn't the movies. Time to move onto another gym that is a bit more productive instead of counter productive.

[MMAActivist]

Thanks for the quick response.

I think I will do that, I just can't enjoy boxing with him as a trainer. >.<

[Youngblood]

Ya dude we love our sport and all but are not without our idiot trainers, coaches, other boxers etc. Is an unfortunate side effect of being part of the human race. If there are no other boxing gyms to just switch to, maybe you should speak with him regarding it? If you haven't already? I have come to realize in my time online and hearing a lot of questions, that people don't always bring issues as such to their trainers, and it sometimes bites them in the butt.

[El Kabong]

A trainer has to be tough with you from time to time, but it's got to be for the right reasons and he has to correct you at the right time. You aren't some street cur there for him to kick just to make you mean....boxing is about learning, if you're not learning either he's not teaching or you're not paying attention.

Trainers are supposed to protect you and teach you...nobody should have to suffer an abusive trainer

[Scrap]

Empty Bins make more Noise

[Bert]

bad times! i dont think a trainer should ever punch a student...if they need to get stern then harsh training is the way.
one of my mates knocked someone out too quickly in an amatuer bout once. he was meant to be using him as real practice and making it last a few rounds but he just dived in. he had to do his next training session on his tip toes. if his heels touched the floor (there was chalk all over the floor so you would be able to tell) he had to box a round with the trainer who wouldnt hold back.
he did the session on his toes and later found out (when he finished with the gym) that there was no way his trainer would have ever boxed a round with him.
he learned from it though...

[jamiebhoy]

A trainer should never do that, end of , you can allow for a certain amount of agression ,shouting and frustration etc but never hitting a student of any age.

Find a new place, meet with the trainers tell them you are dedicated and will work hard but explain why you need to move and guage their reaction.

Don't let a jerk like this stop you from continuing with your ambitions, hang in there buddy.

[Rocky Balboa]

My coach is phenominal. Yes, he does get impatient at times but never yells (definitely does not punch) and is always forgiving and ready to joke around after everything's over. He's a great guy and what I expect coaches to be. That guy is definitely not normal; find another gym.

[Howlin Mad Missy]

tell him he's an arsehole and find another gym.

[MMAActivist]

Thank you for the responses, I really apreciate it! =3

I just hate it that he is always really nice outside the gym, which makes it hard for me to quit. :P

[Aweless]

lol Sometimes you get trainers like that. My first gym was like that. When doing mitts if you were open the trainer would whack you wherever you were open. "I kept dropping my right" At the moment it made me mad but when I look back on it I clearly benefited from it since I don't make that mistake anymore. This is boxing you will get hit which is something you need to learn. I think having a trainer that won't hit his/her students isn't teaching them practically. Even with a great stance a punch or two will slip by and having your trainer show you where the holes are will better prepare you. Actually hitting you instead of showing you will also get you use to the feeling of being hit. After being hit you need to be able to remain calm.


I might have not understood you correctly does he punch you in the stomach if you were jumping rope/x wrong?? If so then that's not ok. If he hits you in the stomach when practicing form/mitts/etc then I'd suggest you learn from it.

As for yelling I'm not sure why that bothers you. In a fight your trainer may yell at you to stop doing x, or start doing x, because he wants you to perform better. I know your only 16 but you should be able to handle someone yelling. Good luck

[Sharla]

lol Sometimes you get trainers like that. My first gym was like that. When doing mitts if you were open the trainer would whack you wherever you were open. "I kept dropping my right" At the moment it made me mad but when I look back on it I clearly benefited from it since I don't make that mistake anymore. This is boxing you will get hit which is something you need to learn. I think having a trainer that won't hit his/her students isn't teaching them practically. Even with a great stance a punch or two will slip by and having your trainer show you where the holes are will better prepare you. Actually hitting you instead of showing you will also get you use to the feeling of being hit. After being hit you need to be able to remain calm.


I might have not understood you correctly does he punch you in the stomach if you were jumping rope/x wrong?? If so then that's not ok. If he hits you in the stomach when practicing form/mitts/etc then I'd suggest you learn from it.

As for yelling I'm not sure why that bothers you. In a fight your trainer may yell at you to stop doing x, or start doing x, because he wants you to perform better. I know your only 16 but you should be able to handle someone yelling. Good luck

I disagree with some of the things you say here - not all but some.

I tyhink some of the best trainers teach using training parters to hit you and study you from the sidelines more objectively. Too many times you hear of and see trainers who are unable to put their own egos aside enought to spar and teach at the same time.

They end up compromising what they are trying to build in their fighters because they don't like to see themselves getting tagged, then either make a joke out of the exercise, stop and waffle on too much so you get cold or worst case scenario which I believe some on this forum can relate to - just go completely overboard.

Consistant yelling I believe is unneccessary. i know some who like it but I have always hated it. It leaves no time for a proper explanation and aims to intimidate and degrade. If I'm putting in my best effort i don't expect to be yelled at all the time. Maybe once or twice but not constantly.

There are rules against trainers of amatuer boxers yelling from the sidelines when they compete here. If trainers are unable to explain anything in clear even language they are severely limited. I also believe the best trainers can handle a few Qs and if trainers yell consistantly in my experience it's because they don't have the answers so leave no space for Qs.

As for being hit with the pads a bit that is fine but a slap with the pads is not really the same thing is it! I wouldn't call it being hit really because if it's a routine then they do it because they expect you to have your hands up and expect you to protect yourself.

Especially if he's a guy with broadish shoulders it may be very difficult for him to protect himself from a shot to his stomach especially at this early stage. Actually as a beginner boxer I doubt even being hit with the pads is beneficial until he's learnt some basic defence. It can only be messing with his reactions in a bad way so later he'll hesitate and cringe when he needs to act.

[MMAActivist]

Yea, my body isn't what you would call "The perfect boxing figure."

I'm pretty tall, and pretty broad. :P

As for the hitting, he hits me with the boxing gloves whenever I did something wrong. He said: "Put your hands on your back." so I thought he was going to give me a tick on the forehead, or a small punch on my chest or something, but then he actually punched me quite hard on my.. Solar Plexus? And that was in my 3th training..