Learn How to Box - 7 Insider Tips On Coaching a Group
Boxing Skills, Boxing Drills and Coaching a Group to Success!
There coaches in boxing gyms all around the world doing a fantastic job working with kids in their local community the majority of whom do this on a voluntary basis. Your average coach in a community boxing gym often works with large groups of youngsters at the same time, especially if a a boxing film or programme has recently been aired on TV (Rocky is always a surefire way to pack out a local boxing gym).
I know that in order to increase their knowledge, and therefore their options when working with a gang of kids in the boxing gym, many coaches search the internet. In order to make a small offering to this process, I felt that it would be useful for me to put together a short article on what has worked for me over the years when attempting to coach a group of youngsters in how to box.
Coaching groups of people in how to box obviously covers an array of activities and methods of learning. In this article I am going to be specific and focus on one activity; technical sparring. Technical sparring is the process of two boxers working together in a sparring-type situation without actually hitting each other. I know this sounds less than exciting, but I promise it can really help to develop a range of boxing skills and do this with little pressure and lots of fun.
During technical sparring, sparring gloves are used and I always ensure that the boxers wear a mouth-guard (gum shield), just to be on the safe side. This is a non-contact activity so there is certainly no need for a head-guard, foul-protector or even a boxing ring. Technical sparring can accommodate a range of boxing skills and boxing drills, but a couple of examples are outlined below for illustrative purposes (they are very simple, so don't expect to have to solve simultaneous equations here):
You can see that this is simple stuff, but successfully demonstrating these skills to a group of boxers is vitally important. Remember when coaching someone in how to box, it is always important that they understand the simple mechanics of each boxing skill that they execute, so ensure that you have done this ahead of the technical sparring. In the example above, the individual boxing skills are the jab, the block and the push away.
Learn How to Box with MyBoxingCoach.com
My 7 Tips for Maintaining Your Sanity when Coaching a Group How to Box
Let's look at how I get the best out of a group of boxers, be they young or old. Before we get onto to looking at how I've managed this over the years, it is always worth remembering that human beings love to learn, well most of them do anyway. This seems especially true if they are learning skills that will improve their self-esteem (i.e. skills that could lead to them overcoming the neighbourhood bully for instance); boxing is most definitely a self-esteem builder.
OK, the tips then:
And that's it, how I have learned to apply boxing coaching techniques for groups whilst using boxing drills. For this all to work, I find it helpful to build up sequences from any number of skills and techniques. To my mind this is the key of learning how to box, the structured and systematic layering of skill on skill.
Learn How to Box with MyBoxingCoach.com
There coaches in boxing gyms all around the world doing a fantastic job working with kids in their local community the majority of whom do this on a voluntary basis. Your average coach in a community boxing gym often works with large groups of youngsters at the same time, especially if a a boxing film or programme has recently been aired on TV (Rocky is always a surefire way to pack out a local boxing gym).
I know that in order to increase their knowledge, and therefore their options when working with a gang of kids in the boxing gym, many coaches search the internet. In order to make a small offering to this process, I felt that it would be useful for me to put together a short article on what has worked for me over the years when attempting to coach a group of youngsters in how to box.
Coaching groups of people in how to box obviously covers an array of activities and methods of learning. In this article I am going to be specific and focus on one activity; technical sparring. Technical sparring is the process of two boxers working together in a sparring-type situation without actually hitting each other. I know this sounds less than exciting, but I promise it can really help to develop a range of boxing skills and do this with little pressure and lots of fun.
During technical sparring, sparring gloves are used and I always ensure that the boxers wear a mouth-guard (gum shield), just to be on the safe side. This is a non-contact activity so there is certainly no need for a head-guard, foul-protector or even a boxing ring. Technical sparring can accommodate a range of boxing skills and boxing drills, but a couple of examples are outlined below for illustrative purposes (they are very simple, so don't expect to have to solve simultaneous equations here):
- Boxer A throws a jab at boxer B, boxer B blocks that jab.
- Boxer A throws a jab at boxer B, boxer B moves out then moves back in (push away).
You can see that this is simple stuff, but successfully demonstrating these skills to a group of boxers is vitally important. Remember when coaching someone in how to box, it is always important that they understand the simple mechanics of each boxing skill that they execute, so ensure that you have done this ahead of the technical sparring. In the example above, the individual boxing skills are the jab, the block and the push away.
Learn How to Box with MyBoxingCoach.com
My 7 Tips for Maintaining Your Sanity when Coaching a Group How to Box
Let's look at how I get the best out of a group of boxers, be they young or old. Before we get onto to looking at how I've managed this over the years, it is always worth remembering that human beings love to learn, well most of them do anyway. This seems especially true if they are learning skills that will improve their self-esteem (i.e. skills that could lead to them overcoming the neighbourhood bully for instance); boxing is most definitely a self-esteem builder.
OK, the tips then:
- I get the boxers to put on a pair of gloves and find a partner. I then tell them to form a semi-circle on one side of me so that they all get to see the same thing at the same time.
- I introduce them to the skill/move by selling it to them, describing what the skill is, why it is useful and when they can use it. It is key that I convince them of the importance of the skill and why they should spend time and effort perfecting it.
- Working with a fellow coach or a boxer, I demonstrate the skill at a realistic (competition) speed, 3 times each in the open (from my right) and closed (from my left) positions. I then break the skill down and highlight the key points that I feel are important, for example common faults thet they should avoid.
- I demonstrate the skill/move one last time at competition speed in the open and closed positions and then let the boxers go into their pairs and try it for themselves. The boxers take it in turn perform the skill (A to B), either 5 executions each or when I shout "change".
- I make coaching points to individuals where needed and then if I feel it appropriate I repeat the demonstration and go over the aspects that may be providing difficulties.
- If i feel it necessary, I can change the pairs according to skill/experience level and develop the techniques by adding in more movement and variation.
- I aim to keep the sessions short so that interest is maintained, rather than the boxers "switching off". I find that between 15 and 25 minutes is more than enough on this type of activity, although for really young boxers the former is preferable.
And that's it, how I have learned to apply boxing coaching techniques for groups whilst using boxing drills. For this all to work, I find it helpful to build up sequences from any number of skills and techniques. To my mind this is the key of learning how to box, the structured and systematic layering of skill on skill.
Learn How to Box with MyBoxingCoach.com
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