mj2284
02-18-2008, 04:10 PM
I'm new here, but I wanted people's opinions. Sorry for the long post.
My boxing history is kind of strange. I started training last year at the ripe age of 23 at a local gym in my city. It was a mess of a gym and the main trainer kept hitting me up for (a lot of) money under the table. I worked with another trainer who was nicer but less experienced. Two and a half months in, the gym staff told me to sign up for an exhibition bout, telling me I was doing great and was totally ready. It went OK I guess until I broke my nose (gushing and everything) in front of a rather stunned audience.
I was really humiliated and almost abandoned the sport right then and there, but decided to give it another shot and started training at a better and very well-known gym. I like my new trainer(s) well enough but there is some in-fighting and disagreement among them and I question their competency at times as well. I've been there about 6 months, and while my style, power, and form are dramatically better than before--on the floor--I only barely feel more competent when I'm actually in the ring. I feel as if over half of the guys I spar (often, younger) are well above my competency level, even if they've trained for about the same amount of time... despite guys and trainers on the floor telling me that I "did great." Sure I can get some good shots off but I often feel slow to react and heavy-footed (too tense?). Not only that but my nose hasn't seemed to heal right and gets sore and "crackly" after sparring, and I'm somewhat paranoid about breaking it again.
The thing is I love the sport, the guys I train with are great, and I enjoy training for it (in great shape), but I feel as if I've hit a wall and am just not going to get anywhere in the amateur world. And if I'm not going to get anywhere, what's the point of investing all the time and money in it? Or maybe it's just a plateau I need to work through...
What sucks is that I've wanted to box since I was a kid and had high really hopes going into it (wanted to have a decent amateur career), yet such a mixed/negative experience thus far. I'm concerned that abandoning it would be mistake (live to regret it), but not sure what the value of continuing it is anymore (maybe I just don't "got it"). Just wondering if anyone else has faced a similar dilemna, and if they had any thoughts or advice. My membership's up in a few weeks...
Thanks all! :bbb
My boxing history is kind of strange. I started training last year at the ripe age of 23 at a local gym in my city. It was a mess of a gym and the main trainer kept hitting me up for (a lot of) money under the table. I worked with another trainer who was nicer but less experienced. Two and a half months in, the gym staff told me to sign up for an exhibition bout, telling me I was doing great and was totally ready. It went OK I guess until I broke my nose (gushing and everything) in front of a rather stunned audience.
I was really humiliated and almost abandoned the sport right then and there, but decided to give it another shot and started training at a better and very well-known gym. I like my new trainer(s) well enough but there is some in-fighting and disagreement among them and I question their competency at times as well. I've been there about 6 months, and while my style, power, and form are dramatically better than before--on the floor--I only barely feel more competent when I'm actually in the ring. I feel as if over half of the guys I spar (often, younger) are well above my competency level, even if they've trained for about the same amount of time... despite guys and trainers on the floor telling me that I "did great." Sure I can get some good shots off but I often feel slow to react and heavy-footed (too tense?). Not only that but my nose hasn't seemed to heal right and gets sore and "crackly" after sparring, and I'm somewhat paranoid about breaking it again.
The thing is I love the sport, the guys I train with are great, and I enjoy training for it (in great shape), but I feel as if I've hit a wall and am just not going to get anywhere in the amateur world. And if I'm not going to get anywhere, what's the point of investing all the time and money in it? Or maybe it's just a plateau I need to work through...
What sucks is that I've wanted to box since I was a kid and had high really hopes going into it (wanted to have a decent amateur career), yet such a mixed/negative experience thus far. I'm concerned that abandoning it would be mistake (live to regret it), but not sure what the value of continuing it is anymore (maybe I just don't "got it"). Just wondering if anyone else has faced a similar dilemna, and if they had any thoughts or advice. My membership's up in a few weeks...
Thanks all! :bbb