Official Coaches and Trainers Discussion

[DoctorTaco]

If you ever want to do that internationally, I can help with that.

I will absolutely take you up on that. (last time i said to you i followed through, even if it took me a few years.) im serious, i think I could learn a lot from your viking sensei. I've got a good contact in trondheim as well, so I could bounce around a little

 

[DoctorTaco]

alright guys, the facebook group is up and operational. feel free to keep this thread going but if you have any replies or information you want to keep more hush hush you can copy/pasta the post and response there

 

[thugpoet]

I'll put my hat in as well.

 

[Sinister]

Saturday before last:



Funny part is since I switched my training to this format as a foundation, the other trainers here have gotten increasingly hostile, with a couple of exceptions. One of their consistent complaints to the office is a claim of favoritism, because I have more people and more active competitors. It's called making this fun, letting them have fun working with others without having to go home with headaches all the time.

 

[Ilk]

Some solid marketing advice here. Mind me I am a marketer too and a lot of other stuff. I am managing holiday/vacation rentals in a golf resort. Anyway regarding creating an awareness. I follow mostly a location, to see customers tagging themselves in that location and then I will engage them in a conversation with our social media account. For example I would see a nice shot from our villas (we have great views) and I will engage the guys - like "you guys seem to have fun in our villas, let me know if I can be in assistance or at least take for you a group photo". And they engage in a conversation saying how great it is and etc. Then usually they post the group photo, where I say thank you for being our guests, you guys are awesome and etc.

I do not have many followers too. But I have gotten few reservations from friends of our customers via instagram.

 

[theranch]

Lots of really good stuff in this thread. Only coach a few hours a week but i want to be the best i can be.

 

[DoctorTaco]

Saturday before last:



Funny part is since I switched my training to this format as a foundation, the other trainers here have gotten increasingly hostile, with a couple of exceptions. One of their consistent complaints to the office is a claim of favoritism, because I have more people and more active competitors. It's called making this fun, letting them have fun working with others without having to go home with headaches all the time.

It’s ironic because I make my living holding pads, but I am a huge proponent of Dutch drills and glove drills, and think you’re onto something big the way you structure yours. it’s unique and makes a lot of sense

 

[MaxMMA]

I know this is the striking forum but hear me out, hope I'll be allowed in the group!

I've been competing in Amateur and now professional MMA since 2007. Was head instructor of a 25 member Jiu-Jitsu/MMA club for over 2 years. Currently still the head coach but the owner and decided to cut back to 1 kids class a week in order to free me up to pursue my BB and continue to compete in MMA while I'm still relatively young.

I have 1 amatuer MMA fighter that utilizes my time as their head coach, as well as several amateur and professional MMA fighters that I work with as an instructor in a striking and grappling capacity, at various gyms that I work/volunteer in.

In the striking arena I've trained in MT, TKD, and boxing. Currently I train under and take coaching guidance from a USA boxing coach.

 

[beaglepuss]

It’s ironic because I make my living holding pads, but I am a huge proponent of Dutch drills and glove drills, and think you’re onto something big the way you structure yours. it’s unique and makes a lot of sense

Our competitive boxers are all involved with a program at our gym called "Fight Factory," which is designed to put boxers in the best position to win fights. It's an hour and a half long, and the majority of the class consist of partner drills similar to what Sin posted above. We've had SO much more success in competition after switching to this formula.

Partner drills are the absolute best. I can manipulate groupings depending on a number of attributes (size, experience, ect). We always pick a daily focus (hip engagement, inside work, counter punching, etc) to ensure we're not just spinning our wheels and going through the motions. There needs to be a purpose to what we're doing.
The first 15-20 minutes of class is dedicated to footwork and warm-ups, the bulk of class is typically partner stuff as mentioned above, and the last 30 minutes is group conditioning with a focus (endurance, explosiveness, etc).

Boxers weigh in at the start of each class as well. Not only does this ensure that the boxers stay on weight, but it also holds them accountable as a form of attendance. The weights are logged into an excel spreadsheet which is broken down into months.

I'll do my best to take some video of the class when I can to give you an idea of what it looks like.

I'll update the thread tomorrow with my second business tip.

 

[Sinister]

Our competitive boxers are all involved with a program at our gym called "Fight Factory," which is designed to put boxers in the best position to win fights. It's an hour and a half long, and the majority of the class consist of partner drills similar to what Sin posted above. We've had SO much more success in competition after switching to this formula.

Partner drills are the absolute best. I can manipulate groupings depending on a number of attributes (size, experience, ect). We always pick a daily focus (hip engagement, inside work, counter punching, etc) to ensure we're not just spinning our wheels and going through the motions. There needs to be a purpose to what we're doing.
The first 15-20 minutes of class is dedicated to footwork and warm-ups, the bulk of class is typically partner stuff as mentioned above, and the last 30 minutes is group conditioning with a focus (endurance, explosiveness, etc).

Boxers weigh in at the start of each class as well. Not only does this ensure that the boxers stay on weight, but it also holds them accountable as a form of attendance. The weights are logged into an excel spreadsheet which is broken down into months.

I'll do my best to take some video of the class when I can to give you an idea of what it looks like.

I'll update the thread tomorrow with my second business tip.

We have to be able to learn from, and adapt to those who consistently beat us:





I really like the weighing in as a check-in. As my program gets more organized I will incorporate that.

 

[beaglepuss]

We have to be able to learn from, and adapt to those who consistently beat us:





I really like the weighing in as a check-in. As my program gets more organized I will incorporate that.

Exactly my man! Our classes are run using a structure like you’d find in Cuban and Russian/Soviet programs. Those regions are great for a reason.
Our fighters have adapted so quickly to the structure, and the results have been near immediate.

 

[AndyMaBobs]

We have to be able to learn from, and adapt to those who consistently beat us:





I really like the weighing in as a check-in. As my program gets more organized I will incorporate that.

I've been doing my best to study the cuban and ussr boxing fundamentals and incorporate their mechanics into muay thai - I don't know if its because its making think more solidly about the fundamentals - but I find that those particular styles go really well with the Thai style. Maybe because Thai style boxing (as in western boxing) has similar values.

 

[ARIZE]

The first 15-20 minutes of class is dedicated to footwork and warm-ups, the bulk of class is typically partner stuff as mentioned above, and the last 30 minutes is group conditioning with a focus (endurance, explosiveness, etc).

Most of boxing gyms I've been around in the Balkans are like that, with the difference that the last 30 minutes been focused on the heavy bag. Usually they will have one day for sparring, and maybe another day of the week more focused on conditioning. But they are very heavy on partners drills, and not with just light touches. If your partner is at the same level, you work your technique but also speed and power.

I've been doing my best to study the cuban and ussr boxing fundamentals and incorporate their mechanics into muay thai - I don't know if its because its making think more solidly about the fundamentals - but I find that those particular styles go really well with the Thai style. Maybe because Thai style boxing (as in western boxing) has similar values.

Thinking about it, I dont remember doing a lot of partner drills other than clinch work in MT. It's mostly one of us holding the paos.

 

[shincheckin]

I totally understand where you're coming from. Remember though, you can market and build a brand without being a bullshit artist. If you're good at what you do, and you provide a great service, why not showcase it as much as possible?

If you're disingenuous, people will see right through it. Our old business partners would post daily, and it was always fluff. "Bring out the boxer within!" "You either win, or get better!" "Monday's be like..." Shit like that. They've got a million followers on social media, but very few post likes. Why? Because people know that it's all pillow talk. There's no substance there. They post for the sake of posting, and that it.

Our post are never about us. It's always about our members. Sports teams, families that train together, young/aspiring boxers that are preparing or have won fights, etc. These are the type of post that resonate with people. They're genuine and people can relate to them. I truly like these people and am proud of their accomplishments, and people get behind that sort of thinking.

If you're legitimately passionate about what you do, people will flock to you. You can't impress people if they don't know you exist.

I would see this quite a bit in 2 instances.

1) is when you first join a gym, they have you hit mitts with the coach, and give you the impression it will be a regular thing, you sign up, and off to the class you go. Never to hit mitts with coach again, unless you pay for privates, which is fine if they let you know that upfront, which they dont. Its a bait and switch tactic.

2) Social media false advertisement, showing videos of things, as if they are regular occurrences at the gym, when in fact, they were made just for that quick social media clip.

 

[shincheckin]

It’s ironic because I make my living holding pads, but I am a huge proponent of Dutch drills and glove drills, and think you’re onto something big the way you structure yours. it’s unique and makes a lot of sense

been working quite well for Duane Ludwig.

 

[Sinister]

I've been doing my best to study the cuban and ussr boxing fundamentals and incorporate their mechanics into muay thai - I don't know if its because its making think more solidly about the fundamentals - but I find that those particular styles go really well with the Thai style. Maybe because Thai style boxing (as in western boxing) has similar values.

Ironically the Thai National Amateur Boxing team hired a Cuban trainer or two. So that could very well be another reason for cross-over viability.

Most of boxing gyms I've been around in the Balkans are like that, with the difference that the last 30 minutes been focused on the heavy bag. Usually they will have one day for sparring, and maybe another day of the week more focused on conditioning. But they are very heavy on partners drills, and not with just light touches. If your partner is at the same level, you work your technique but also speed and power.

Thinking about it, I dont remember doing a lot of partner drills other than clinch work in MT. It's mostly one of us holding the paos.

Actual Thais don't do a lot of structured drills, but the biggest parallel is the sparring format. There's tons of light sparring, or as we sometimes call it "play boxing." Sparring you can do where you don't even need gear it's so light. This is what led me to the epiphany of why very experienced fighters from these programs hate sparring in the U.S., they feel like it's an actual fight. Like Americans lead with their egos, which we do. Once I heard this from the #1 Amateur welterweight in the World, it made every session I've ever seen from a Cuban or Eastern Bloc fighter who just mauled their American sparring partners make sense. They constantly feel threatened:





With the lighter sparring you can go rounds and rounds and rounds and never really worry about getting hurt. This is also what allows them to fight a lot.

 

[ARIZE]

@Sinister

Like Americans lead with their egos, which we do.

It may be worse in the U.S, but i think it's also has to do with boxing (and KB) in general. As you said, in MT, we almost always do very light sparring. A hard sparring will be treated almost like a real match. It's the same for TKD. Every day they have light sparring in the end of the class. But in Boxing... it's always hard. My experience with Boxing gyms is limited, and I'm only talking about east Europe and France, but still, there is a pattern. And it's the same with KB usually.

TKD ITF has a specific approach to it. The concept of semi contact was to protect the fighters. To be able to spar/fight daily, without injuries that will hindrance you training. And they also do a lot of partner drills. It obviously has cons but i think when talking about light sparring "education", semi contact is worth mentioning.

 

[Sinister]

Yeah, I think there should be a healthy mix.

 

[AndyMaBobs]

Ironically the Thai National Amateur Boxing team hired a Cuban trainer or two. So that could very well be another reason for cross-over viability.



Actual Thais don't do a lot of structured drills, but the biggest parallel is the sparring format. There's tons of light sparring, or as we sometimes call it "play boxing." Sparring you can do where you don't even need gear it's so light. This is what led me to the epiphany of why very experienced fighters from these programs hate sparring in the U.S., they feel like it's an actual fight. Like Americans lead with their egos, which we do. Once I heard this from the #1 Amateur welterweight in the World, it made every session I've ever seen from a Cuban or Eastern Bloc fighter who just mauled their American sparring partners make sense. They constantly feel threatened:





With the lighter sparring you can go rounds and rounds and rounds and never really worry about getting hurt. This is also what allows them to fight a lot.

Yeah, structured drills aren't really a Thai thing. Sylvie talked about how one of her coaches thought it was weird that the west train 'combinations' - because to them it's like learning sentences instead of the language.

I'm not surprised that the Thai's hired a cuban coach, because when you look at Chatchai explain his punching, it's quite similar:

 

[Sinister]

Yeah that's extremely Cuban/Russian. Dadi knows the girl in that video too, I forget how.