A boxer develops his skills through countless hours of practice in the gym. Choosing the right gym, however, involves more than merely browsing the listings of your local directory. Keeping a few key considerations in mind will better enable you to join a gym that caters to your personal goals.
Picking a Boxing Gym
Step 1
Decide what type of boxer you wish to become. Amateur boxers, professionals and those who train only for fitness all practice with different objectives in mind. Separate gyms will cater primarily to the instruction of one type of boxer or another.
Step 2
Determine whether a larger or smaller boxing gym would best fit your needs. Larger gyms often contain an array of training equipment and would likely offer group classes for fitness enthusiasts, but trainers in smaller centers typically operate by the one-on-one, "no-nonsense" style appreciated by competitive athletes.
Step 3
Find the gym that best fits your needs. You could, in fact, flip through your area phone book and review a selection of local gyms. However, smaller gyms, even those run by highly skilled trainers, may not be listed. Places like these are known only to competitive athletes and those who support them. To locate such a gym you can go to another gym and become acquainted with seasoned members of the boxing culture. Serious boxers and trainers can guide you to the type of gym you seek.
Step 4
Sign up at the gym of your choice. Training for fitness may only require you to pay a membership fee, although you should ideally receive medical clearance before attempting any strenuous physical activity. If you are planning to compete as an amateur, you can train without credentials, but you must be registered with your state association to compete. A professional boxer must be licensed federally and in his resident state. To become licensed, a fighter's profile is reviewed by the state commission, which may accept or reject his application. The same state office can also issue a federal boxing identification card, which all fighters present to presiding officials the day before any competition.
Tips and Warnings
- The most upscale gym is not always the best. Some of the greatest fighters in history were trained in smaller gyms, equipped only with the bare essentials. If you want compete, the quality of your training should always take priority over appearance.
- Do not sign any long-term contract before fully evaluating a trainer's ability and the overall atmosphere of the gym you choose. Any gym has its own personality, a way that members habitually relate to the trainers and one another. Find out if you would be allowed to train at the gym for a trial basis before joining.
Things You'll Need
- Local phone directory
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