Here's the thing with boxing. A lot of people look at it and think it's easy. They compare it to other martial arts such as Muay Thai, kickboxing and even MMA and think it's only two hands. The fitness industry has also exploited boxing for its cardio benefits. It has skimmed through core techniques in favour of that high-intensity workout. It's now common for people to randomly rock up to a boxing class these days. How hard could it be for a beginner to pick up, right?
Let me ask you a question: Would you go into the weights area of a gym and start lifting weights without proper instruction or without knowing what you were doing? I look at boxing quite the same. I see it and hear it all the time. I've had people opt out of boxing because of sore wrists. They feel they lack the coordination to keep up and stop because it hurts. Throwing a punch should not hurt!
My job is also to make you better and save you from frustration and confusion.
More often than not, beginners enter a class with no prior knowledge and assume a technique that isn't built from the ground up. The execution isn't necessarily correct however it gets them through the class. Coaches need their eye on everyone, and boxing fundamentals take time!
From a beginner's perspective, being thrown into a boxing class is like being the odd kid at school who arrived mid-term. You're playing catch-up, still figuring out what is going on. Training and drills will be more difficult because we are still learning the foundation to build on.
So aren't you meant to teach me during class?
Yes. My job is also to make you better and save you from frustration and confusion.
Before entering a regular boxing class, I recommend first-timers do a 1-on-1 session with a boxing coach to go through the basics.
Once all the basics are covered, most people are more confident during a boxing class and exercise more control.
Boxing is backwards. It requires coordination and a lot of drilling to maintain the correct stance and punch technique. Rushing this process or skipping it altogether will form bad habits and risk of injury not just to yourself but also to your training partners. Beginner boxers are more dangerous to the group than someone who has been training for a longer duration. We need to acknowledge this if you are a beginner. The last thing you want is to hurt someone else.
Once all the basics are covered, most people are more confident during a boxing class and exercise more control. Progress is faster because they already understand basic movements and can adequately defend themselves. Let's face it, no longer are you that person who holds back your training partner when you didn't quite get it.
Trust me! You'll enjoy classes much more and begin to appreciate the nuances that make boxing an art and a science!
Stay tuned for more STRIKE! TIPS.
If you want a 1-on-1 session with April to establish your boxing fundamentals, click STRIKE! to book.
You can also find April at Corporate Box Valley.
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