| COACHING SENSE |
Coaching in boxing is not like coaching other sports. There's no
timeouts or hiding your weakness behind teammates. A boxing coach
is responsible for the well being of his boxers. We must all understand
that there's life after boxing. Some coaches never take this into
consideration. Some injuries in our sport last a life time. This is the
reason why so many ex world champions end up in nursing homes or
out in the streets. Some of these boxers make millions during their
boxing career but now struggle for a meal each day. As coaches we
must understand and care about our boxers future & life after boxing.
We must be realistic with our boxers and understand not everyone
who walks into the gym will become a world champion. Some might
never become regional, state or national champions.
Many boxing coaches now days become coaches for the wrong
reasons. It's easy to tell if a coach is an actual coach or just someone
who's decided to become a coach based on the title, "boxing coach"
or just to try and make a "quick buck". Anyone with experience knows
the chances of profits in boxing are very slim.
Some coaches see all the money these boxers make and their eyes
light up with dollar signs as soon as they have a boxer with potential.
EVERY boxing team has the "best boxer" in the gym. The boxer who
nobody wants to spar. The boxer who's the BEST, in their gym. This
is a coaches fault. All head coaches must keep things in perspective.
What can be ONE TEAMS best boxer might be another teams
WEAKEST boxer. Don't be confined within the boundaries of your
teams gyms success. Keep a realistic and open mind before putting a
boxer on a platform and giving him the title, "the best". Keep your
team humble. This keeps your boxers from getting lazy and keeps
them working hard.
So unless you're a world champion, Olympic medalist, your work is
not done and you're not the best. Keep working and make these your
goals. If you're serious about the sport continue to work hard until you
reach these goals or until it's time to move on to the next phase in life.
Most casual fans and parents give boxing coaches way to much
credit. Parents must understand that the only requirement to
becoming a coach is a heartbeat. Sad thing is that most parents now
days don't pay attention to their children. Most are not involved so the
children are left to make adult decisions on their own. A goal oriented,
hardworking inexperienced child will be lead to believe by these fake
coaches that boxing is about being, "tough and taking punches",
"looking tough" "being hardcore".These coaches are fools and a
liability to the sport.
Boxing is an ART, it's not a game. Anyone with experience knows this.
It's no coincidence that this sport is known as the SWEET SCIENCE.
"You play sports, you don't play BOXING"
timeouts or hiding your weakness behind teammates. A boxing coach
is responsible for the well being of his boxers. We must all understand
that there's life after boxing. Some coaches never take this into
consideration. Some injuries in our sport last a life time. This is the
reason why so many ex world champions end up in nursing homes or
out in the streets. Some of these boxers make millions during their
boxing career but now struggle for a meal each day. As coaches we
must understand and care about our boxers future & life after boxing.
We must be realistic with our boxers and understand not everyone
who walks into the gym will become a world champion. Some might
never become regional, state or national champions.
Many boxing coaches now days become coaches for the wrong
reasons. It's easy to tell if a coach is an actual coach or just someone
who's decided to become a coach based on the title, "boxing coach"
or just to try and make a "quick buck". Anyone with experience knows
the chances of profits in boxing are very slim.
Some coaches see all the money these boxers make and their eyes
light up with dollar signs as soon as they have a boxer with potential.
EVERY boxing team has the "best boxer" in the gym. The boxer who
nobody wants to spar. The boxer who's the BEST, in their gym. This
is a coaches fault. All head coaches must keep things in perspective.
What can be ONE TEAMS best boxer might be another teams
WEAKEST boxer. Don't be confined within the boundaries of your
teams gyms success. Keep a realistic and open mind before putting a
boxer on a platform and giving him the title, "the best". Keep your
team humble. This keeps your boxers from getting lazy and keeps
them working hard.
So unless you're a world champion, Olympic medalist, your work is
not done and you're not the best. Keep working and make these your
goals. If you're serious about the sport continue to work hard until you
reach these goals or until it's time to move on to the next phase in life.
Most casual fans and parents give boxing coaches way to much
credit. Parents must understand that the only requirement to
becoming a coach is a heartbeat. Sad thing is that most parents now
days don't pay attention to their children. Most are not involved so the
children are left to make adult decisions on their own. A goal oriented,
hardworking inexperienced child will be lead to believe by these fake
coaches that boxing is about being, "tough and taking punches",
"looking tough" "being hardcore".These coaches are fools and a
liability to the sport.
Boxing is an ART, it's not a game. Anyone with experience knows this.
It's no coincidence that this sport is known as the SWEET SCIENCE.
"You play sports, you don't play BOXING"
BEING A BOXING COACH
It's very easy to tell the difference between a good coach and a bad coach. A simple way of helping you understand is
for you to think about the CEO or owner of a company. If the CEO/Owner takes pride in his work, works hard, is
dedicated to growing and being BETTER it will show in the companies performance and growth. This same approach
can be taken with boxing teams and coaches.
A person dedicated to racing cars is not going to take his family van or ford focus to the racetrack. You can be sure
anyone that takes pride in their work will take a vehicle that is ready to RACE! A boxing coach should take the same
approach when he takes his boxers to compete.
If a coach is in the sport for the right reasons it will be easy to tell by the performance of his boxers. If a coach cares
about the well being of his boxers he's not going to put a boxer in the ring that hasn't been taught the basics of
defense. Most coaches fail to realize that in order to WIN in boxing you must PUNCH the opponent as hard, fast and as
many times possible during those three rounds. With that in mind, why would any caring coach allow his boxer to step
into the ring without being taught how to avoid punches?
Parents play a big role in this as well. If you don't see your son/daughter improving on a regular basis chances are the
coach is in it sport for the wrong reasons. Nobody is perfect, everyone makes mistakes. With that being said both
boxers and coaches should ALWAYS be working on ways to become better. Problem is that many coaches have no
idea on how to work on getting better.
DIFFERENT COACHING METHODS
One of the fist things I explain to my students at Palo Alto College is that no true boxing coach is WRONG in his
teachings. I explain to them that theres different types of coaches. All coaches will teach up to their level of knowledge
and experience. There are coaches who have boxed in their "backyard" as children, so it's only natural that these
coaches will be teaching up to that level. You also have coaches who have competed at the Regional, State,
National, International, Olympic and/or professional level who will be teaching at that level.
All of these coaches are "right" cause they are teaching ONLY what they know and have experienced. A good coach
is humble and always willing to learn from others. Being a boxing coach can be very rewarding to those who approach
the sport with one goal in mind, TO HELP BOXERS REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
Although the law of experience usually helps in coaching it's not always necessary. I've come across some coaches
who have NEVER set foot in the ring who have turned out to be very good trainers. Inexperienced coaches who
dedicate themselves to the sport can always become good trainers. The flip side to that is that I've also come across
former World Champions and experienced boxers who don't have the tools to coach. A good boxer will not always
make a good coach.
Ever since HBO's 24/7 started airing you have lots of coaches coming to the gym on Monday with new workout ideas.
The most common thing some coaches are doing is working mitts using these foam bars. This is proof that some
coaches don't understand what being a coach means.
The main reason Hopkins trainer (Nazim Richardson) was using these foam bars instead of mitts was cause he had a
stroke and is unable to work the mitts. Reason I know this is cause my father did the same thing many years ago. My
father was in a car accident that resulted in a few broken ribs. When he started back in the gym he decided to use this
foam bars instead of mitts. He wasn't able to work mitts for over a year. When my father and I first saw this on 24/7 we
were both surprised.
This method of working the mitts when my dad first started using it also opened up other way of using this bars. We've
used this method to work on boxers speed and reflexes.
LIFE LESSONS WITH BOXING
Boxing is very similar to life. When you step into the ring if you haven't prepared well you will pay for your mistakes.
Just as is the same in life. If you choose to not prepare for life during your teens there's a good chance you will pay for
this mistake for the rest of your life. Some are able to get back on track but others never will.
Boxing teaches us how to perform well under fear. Any boxer who tells you they're not afraid or nervous is full of it. If a
boxer isn't nervous before a fight he shouldn't be boxing. Being nervous is natural. You should be nervous. This allows
you to perform better. Some coaches make their boxers feel as if its wrong to be nervous. This makes a boxer fight his
feelings which drains the body of it's energy way before the first bell sounds.
A good way for an inexperienced coach or casual fan to understand this is to picture themselves corning a cat, trying
to catch it. This cat can literally jump over you or smack you around a few times with unbelievable speed. Reason?
FEAR! A pit-bull or other aggressive animal will try to go through you. Which is what many coaches make their boxers
believe. That you have to be "tough". Boxing is not about being tough, it's about being smart.
Performing under fear is essential in order to be successful in life. Many people usually shut down and walk away from
things out of fear. Fear of failure. Boxing teaches kids at a very young age to not be afraid of FEAR. It teaches kids
that in order to be successful and get results we must all get past this feeling. The road to success will involve lots of
speed bumps. Most of those speed bumps will be feelings of fear. If we go through life never feeling a sense of fear
then we haven't lived.
for you to think about the CEO or owner of a company. If the CEO/Owner takes pride in his work, works hard, is
dedicated to growing and being BETTER it will show in the companies performance and growth. This same approach
can be taken with boxing teams and coaches.
A person dedicated to racing cars is not going to take his family van or ford focus to the racetrack. You can be sure
anyone that takes pride in their work will take a vehicle that is ready to RACE! A boxing coach should take the same
approach when he takes his boxers to compete.
If a coach is in the sport for the right reasons it will be easy to tell by the performance of his boxers. If a coach cares
about the well being of his boxers he's not going to put a boxer in the ring that hasn't been taught the basics of
defense. Most coaches fail to realize that in order to WIN in boxing you must PUNCH the opponent as hard, fast and as
many times possible during those three rounds. With that in mind, why would any caring coach allow his boxer to step
into the ring without being taught how to avoid punches?
Parents play a big role in this as well. If you don't see your son/daughter improving on a regular basis chances are the
coach is in it sport for the wrong reasons. Nobody is perfect, everyone makes mistakes. With that being said both
boxers and coaches should ALWAYS be working on ways to become better. Problem is that many coaches have no
idea on how to work on getting better.
DIFFERENT COACHING METHODS
One of the fist things I explain to my students at Palo Alto College is that no true boxing coach is WRONG in his
teachings. I explain to them that theres different types of coaches. All coaches will teach up to their level of knowledge
and experience. There are coaches who have boxed in their "backyard" as children, so it's only natural that these
coaches will be teaching up to that level. You also have coaches who have competed at the Regional, State,
National, International, Olympic and/or professional level who will be teaching at that level.
All of these coaches are "right" cause they are teaching ONLY what they know and have experienced. A good coach
is humble and always willing to learn from others. Being a boxing coach can be very rewarding to those who approach
the sport with one goal in mind, TO HELP BOXERS REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
Although the law of experience usually helps in coaching it's not always necessary. I've come across some coaches
who have NEVER set foot in the ring who have turned out to be very good trainers. Inexperienced coaches who
dedicate themselves to the sport can always become good trainers. The flip side to that is that I've also come across
former World Champions and experienced boxers who don't have the tools to coach. A good boxer will not always
make a good coach.
Ever since HBO's 24/7 started airing you have lots of coaches coming to the gym on Monday with new workout ideas.
The most common thing some coaches are doing is working mitts using these foam bars. This is proof that some
coaches don't understand what being a coach means.
The main reason Hopkins trainer (Nazim Richardson) was using these foam bars instead of mitts was cause he had a
stroke and is unable to work the mitts. Reason I know this is cause my father did the same thing many years ago. My
father was in a car accident that resulted in a few broken ribs. When he started back in the gym he decided to use this
foam bars instead of mitts. He wasn't able to work mitts for over a year. When my father and I first saw this on 24/7 we
were both surprised.
This method of working the mitts when my dad first started using it also opened up other way of using this bars. We've
used this method to work on boxers speed and reflexes.
LIFE LESSONS WITH BOXING
Boxing is very similar to life. When you step into the ring if you haven't prepared well you will pay for your mistakes.
Just as is the same in life. If you choose to not prepare for life during your teens there's a good chance you will pay for
this mistake for the rest of your life. Some are able to get back on track but others never will.
Boxing teaches us how to perform well under fear. Any boxer who tells you they're not afraid or nervous is full of it. If a
boxer isn't nervous before a fight he shouldn't be boxing. Being nervous is natural. You should be nervous. This allows
you to perform better. Some coaches make their boxers feel as if its wrong to be nervous. This makes a boxer fight his
feelings which drains the body of it's energy way before the first bell sounds.
A good way for an inexperienced coach or casual fan to understand this is to picture themselves corning a cat, trying
to catch it. This cat can literally jump over you or smack you around a few times with unbelievable speed. Reason?
FEAR! A pit-bull or other aggressive animal will try to go through you. Which is what many coaches make their boxers
believe. That you have to be "tough". Boxing is not about being tough, it's about being smart.
Performing under fear is essential in order to be successful in life. Many people usually shut down and walk away from
things out of fear. Fear of failure. Boxing teaches kids at a very young age to not be afraid of FEAR. It teaches kids
that in order to be successful and get results we must all get past this feeling. The road to success will involve lots of
speed bumps. Most of those speed bumps will be feelings of fear. If we go through life never feeling a sense of fear
then we haven't lived.
Hector Ramos - 2006
| "There's two types of coaches. Those who MAKE BOXERS and those who TRAIN BOXERS" |