Gone Training

Both male and females alike recognise the benefits of boxing, whether you want to compete or are just trying to get fit. Stepping into a boxing gym for the first time can seem pretty daunting, especially if you are doing it by yourself. I didn’t take up boxing until I was 22, I wish I would have had the confidence to start earlier; I knew the gym was round the corner from my house but I didn’t walk in until a friend introduced me. So I thought it might be helpful to provide a little bit of advice for surviving your first experiences in a boxing gym Have a good attitude Remember you are there to learn, not to show how big and tough you are and how much you want to knock someone out. I personally think that showing that you can listen and learn from what the trainers have to say is one of the most important parts of being taken seriously. This includes being humble, even the guy that has only had one fight will still be able to tell you about his experiences, and you might be able to learn from him. Be consistent There is nothing worse than someone that shows promise but you can never count on to turn up at the gym. Show your dedication, don’t just assume that people will know how much you want to learn, if you turn up every session the trainers will soon realise that you are serious and treat you accordingly. Be patient Remember the gym is a busy place and there will by guys who have spent years proving themselves. You can expect not to get a lot of attention in the first few sessions, the trainers will have seen plenty of people walk through the door and show all the talent and enthusiasm in the first few months, then they get distracted and and are never see in the gym again. Amateur trainers are definitely not in it for the money, most give up their time for free in order to train young boxers. They are not going to waste what precious time they do provide to the gym to people that aren’t really serious and do not want to progress. Again, you are just going to have to prove that you are serious, and in my experience this takes time and patience. Practical Advice And to end, when you start out in boxing you don’t need much equipement. You usually don’t need your own gloves for your first session, most gyms have gloves that you can borrow. Just don’t expect these to the the nicest of gloves, they will have been used by other people and will probably not smell the best! Handwraps may not be needed for the first few sessions either but they definitely will help. I personally would recommend buying some inner gloves, which are basically gloves that can be used in place of handwraps and have the added bonus of protecting your hand from any nasty smells inside the gloves you borrow. I hope this is of some help, feel free to comment with any suggestions that you feel could help a new person or any questions you would like answered.

The most important achievements in life are the ones you earn, the only way to do this is to step outside of you comfort zone. Push yourself in whatever directions your dreams take you. Challenge yourself daily!

Thank you! Good luck with the event, if all goes well and I don't get an injury (my knees are not designed for running!) I might see you there. Will definitely look into some training plans. xx

I want to learn to drive, read at least a book a month (fiction or non fiction), run 10 races this year, win a boxing fight and enter into the women's national boxing championships.  

Here is a link to a race that I really want to do, it's becoming more common to see these sort of adventure/obstacle courses. I want to do them all!! Not quite sure how you even start training for something like this? My guess is in the mud!