Advice

[Chris Nagel]

What kind of gym are you going to?

It's of my opinion that the beginner intent on boxing should gear their workouts toward getting into the ring to spar. I think that a patient and knowledgeable trainer is an absolute necessity. Not someone that just shows you a couple punches to direct you to bags, then has you do some exercise so that they can take your money. Someone who is willing to work with you one-on-one getting it all right. They should show you how to stand properly, how to punch and move with the right body mechanics, and then teach the right defense and counter punching that will become your tools in the ring. Make sure that they know that you're serious about boxing.

Boxing is a tough multifaceted game where you have to quickly engage your offense and defense simultaneously, often while under pressure. You need to train yourself to remain calm and composed while facing danger, how to protect yourself from your opponent's blows and respond with the right choice.

Outside of the gym, it'll help to have some kind of road work routine that gets you ready for the hard and hectic pace that you'll encounter in sparring. Interval training is great help, but the biggest difference will be made through consistently doing the work, and sparring a lot until you get used to it. Get your diet right by cutting out the things that you don't need.

Besides that try to engage your boxing brain whenever you can. When hitting the bags, don't just stand in place throwing 1-2, 1-2... Treat the bag with caution, think of it as an opponent. You wouldn't stay in punching range the whole time against a real opponent would you? Move your feet, imagine defending against specific punches, and then practice throwing the counters that you've been working on with your trainer. Experience in the ring will give you the best reference when training productively as you'll know what to look out for against an opponent, what not to do, and what works best for you. This of course comes into play when you're training, shadowboxing, hitting the bags/pads, and even when you're watching a fight.