Preparing for that boxing lesson is extremely important and may take a few days to prepare properly. After teaching hundreds of students, I have included some of the best strategies used by new students. Every boxing instructor can agree that preparation is the key to a good first boxing lesson. Here’s to a great start!
1. Choose a Good Boxing Instructor
Everything else in this guide is predicated on the assumption that you have chosen a good boxing instructor. A good boxing instructor is not just technically proficient, but also has good social skills and a positive demeanor. Does it really matter how much the instructor knows if they are impatient with new students? Spend a few hours researching and interviewing boxing instructors in your area.
If you are looking to compete, review last year’s Golden Gloves tournament that took place in or around your city. Take special note of which clubs or gyms had a lot of competitors in the semi-finals and finals. When looking at YELP or Google reviews, pay special attention if reviewers are mentioning trainers by name. Boxing instructors should be vetted the same as your family doctor, attorney, auto mechanics, or therapist. You need to be able to trust them. Spend extra time ensuring your boxing instructor is a fit for you.
2. Purchase Handwraps To Protect Your Wrists and Knuckles
Handwraps are usually under $10 and can be an important part of having an enjoyable first boxing lesson. Handwraps protect your knuckles and your wrists. Most people have not punched mitts or heavy bags for any length of time. Your hands, wrists, and forearms are NOT used to it. Having protection is always a good idea, right? My suggestion is to get 100% cotton, 180-inch boxing hand wraps, and DO NOT buy the stretchy new-age hand wraps – they simply do not work. Once, I hit a heavy bag without hand wraps and as a result, tore a tendon in my wrist. I could not do pushups or lift weights for over 18 months. Proper hand wraps would have prevented this from happening.
3. Learn How To Wrap Your Hands Correctly
When an instructor sees their new student properly wrapping their hands, there is a moment of silent respect given. Also, you give yourself an extra 10 minutes of training time. Find a few reputable videos on Youtube and practice 5-10 times. Wrap those hands prior to class, then enjoy the extra training.
4. Hydrate Properly
No, you don’t need to eat raw eggs in the morning or stop having sex for 3 days prior to your lesson (God forbid). However, properly hydrating is extremely important. When I say properly hydrating, I mean with water. That’s right, good ol’ high-quality H2O. It is impossible to predict how much water a person should drink, however, I can confidently say after training hundreds of students on their first lesson, people that did not drink any water prior to their lesson, were more tired than those that hydrated. Being dehydrated makes you more tired. Dehydration limits athletic performance, according to several studies including one entitled, “The Effects of Restricted Energy and Fluid Intake on Simulated Amateur Boxing Performance.” Drink a few 28oz containers of water several hours before your lesson, bring a water bottle with you as well and you’ll be doing just fine.
5. Arrive Early & Stretch Prior
Few things are worse than a new student that doesn’t respect their boxing trainer’s time. The famous boxer, Joe Louis once said, “Once That Bell Rings You’re on Your Own. It’s Just You and the Other Guy.” There are no excuses. Your first boxing lesson is that you’re responsible for everything that happens to you. Traffic is not an excuse, parking is not an excuse, didn’t know how to get to the location? NOT AN EXCUSE. Arrive early and begin stretching out. If your instructor leads a warm-up session with stretching, no problem. However, it never hurts to do a little warm-up as well. It shows motivation and enthusiasm.
6. Show Respect and Follow Directions
I once had a boxing instructor that had a very old-school training methodology. When I had an upcoming boxing match, I wasn’t sure if I was ready. The night before the fight, I had an epiphany: “I’ll do exactly what he says and if I lose, it is his fault.” I laughed as soon as I thought it. You can also laugh if you want, but it did immediately relaxed me and calmed my nervousness. I won the fight in an overwhelming fashion – never even got hit. Show your instructor the respect he or she deserves and do what you’re told to the best of your ability. If what they teach you doesn’t work, it’s their fault. Your job is to be a good student.
7. Clean Up After Yourself
Nothing is worse than a slob in the gym. There are already sweaty stinky people, bloody and snotty bandages, sweat-soaked floors and equipment, dirty nasty lockers, and worse. Clean up after yourself and you’ll fall in the good graces of your instructor. He or She will appreciate it and they will treat you better and teach you more… but do it because it is the right thing to do.
8. Make Payment Quickly, Easily, and Think About Tipping
Pay your bill in the easiest way possible. If your boxing instructor wants cash, pay exactly the amount agreed upon and do not burden them with making change. Give a $5 tip if they did a good job. Even if you are not a tipper, have a little something extra just in case they go above and beyond. If paying electronically, either pay it before class or IMMEDIATELY after your lesson. Fast and easy payers get better treatment, boxing lessons are no exception. Tip your boxing instructor at least as well as your barber or server.
9. Write a Great Review
If you had a good experience, write about it. Tell your story about how someone dared you or how you always wanted to know what it felt like to be taken to the edge. Leading and teaching a skill like boxing is not easy and it is certainly not common. Boxing trainers often gain new business because of online reviews. If your boxing trainer did a good job, motivated you, taught you a few tricks of the trade, and had you feeling more confident, leave them a great review. It allows someone else to find them and have the same great experience that you did. Good people deserve good things, so say good things and make the world better.
Special Note: When researching boxing instructors, be aware that there are personal trainers with certifications but have no special training in combat sports. None of these trainers know how to properly hold boxing mitts correctly. Real boxing trainers have competed and won. Seek out these trainers, they will be much better than the Globo-Gym personal trainers that watched a few YouTube videos and then updated their resumes and online profile. You should be able to tell the difference within a few minutes. Good Luck and Have Fun!