Ive been interested in joining a boxing club for quite a while, so i did a search for local ABA clubs etc and found a few that are local to me. I phoned each one up earlier today to find out a bit about the club ie what days and times they're open and each and everyone wasn't interested. All said i was too old (one trainer actually laughed down the phone at me) or wouldn't take me on because i had no boxing experience. One trainer said if i was 15-16 then he'd be happy for me to join. I understand some clubs are fairly small so they limit the numbers to stop people just joining up for a fitness workout but i explained to each of them that i was serious and willing to put alot of hard work in and when im eventually up to standard my main goal is to compete. I was actually looking for a club where i could train 5 days a week at but all the clubs local to me are open 2 or 3 days maximum. Ive kickboxed before and worked hard at it but i wanted to move over to boxing because ive found that kickboxing clubs focus of the legs and very few work on the hands apart from the odd go on the pads.
Very frustrating because i want this so bad but i cant even find a club to train at :( I understand that many successful boxers begin training in their early teens but at 22 years old, 6ft and 15st with a heart full of drive and passion i must have something going for me?! lol :P
Sorry for the essay, not a very good introduction but i thought id share my experience.
Nice site, i like it!
Too old at 22
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Dirk Kelly
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 4971
- Joined: 06 Jul 2004, 20:13
Im from Bedfordshire mate.
I tried a club which is supposed to be good in Milton Keynes but they're only taking on carded boxers. I want to keep trying but theirs not much else i can do, ive tried all the local clubs that i know of. I'd be quite prepared to travel to other counties but with work and alot of clubs starting fairly early i don't think i'd make it.
I tried a club which is supposed to be good in Milton Keynes but they're only taking on carded boxers. I want to keep trying but theirs not much else i can do, ive tried all the local clubs that i know of. I'd be quite prepared to travel to other counties but with work and alot of clubs starting fairly early i don't think i'd make it.
Not my experience, most clubs I have had dealing with encourage as many people as they can. I have seen 45 year olds with (obviously) no intention of fighting or even sparring just go there to do the aerobic exercise.
Even if they had no intention of putting you in the ring, they could always have taught you the basics so you could be a competitent sparring partner for their youngsters.
What was the name of the club? Not sure what I make of it.... I was fed up of seeing so many wasters taking up time in my old gym, but these were mainly teenagers who were just there cause their parents couldn't handle them. Whilst the adult trainers sometimes slowed you up and got in the way when you were doing circuits - it wasn't intential and I had so much respect for them to turning up, and seeing them get more co-indinated/fitter gave everyone such satisification.
Sometimes (especially after a loss) it was a good confidence booster to spar with these guys (the ones around the 30 mark), made you feel good that you could do something (cause, without being disrespectful they didn't really know what to do) - and they were still honoured to actually spar with a licensed boxer (even if he lost his last fight).
I won't say many a good word about the three clubs I have boxed under, but that was one thing they were excellent at. They made everyone feel welcome, regardless of age/potential and amount of sessions they were able to attend. The gym I went to in Uni (briefly) had summer students there, so were only going there for the training 6 weeks a year - they took them on and made them feel welcome.
I sparred with Wayne O Sullivan when he was twenty, as a kickboxer he had to change an awful lot to convert (lets put it that way). Welsh champion at 26. He hadn't boxed as an amateur (I don't think) at 20.
I'm 25 myself, and hope to god the gyms locally to me don't think like that - or I'm f'd.
Keep plugging away, I'd make sure that you were fit before going to a new gym.
Even if they had no intention of putting you in the ring, they could always have taught you the basics so you could be a competitent sparring partner for their youngsters.
What was the name of the club? Not sure what I make of it.... I was fed up of seeing so many wasters taking up time in my old gym, but these were mainly teenagers who were just there cause their parents couldn't handle them. Whilst the adult trainers sometimes slowed you up and got in the way when you were doing circuits - it wasn't intential and I had so much respect for them to turning up, and seeing them get more co-indinated/fitter gave everyone such satisification.
Sometimes (especially after a loss) it was a good confidence booster to spar with these guys (the ones around the 30 mark), made you feel good that you could do something (cause, without being disrespectful they didn't really know what to do) - and they were still honoured to actually spar with a licensed boxer (even if he lost his last fight).
I won't say many a good word about the three clubs I have boxed under, but that was one thing they were excellent at. They made everyone feel welcome, regardless of age/potential and amount of sessions they were able to attend. The gym I went to in Uni (briefly) had summer students there, so were only going there for the training 6 weeks a year - they took them on and made them feel welcome.
I sparred with Wayne O Sullivan when he was twenty, as a kickboxer he had to change an awful lot to convert (lets put it that way). Welsh champion at 26. He hadn't boxed as an amateur (I don't think) at 20.
I'm 25 myself, and hope to god the gyms locally to me don't think like that - or I'm f'd.
Keep plugging away, I'd make sure that you were fit before going to a new gym.
Craig,
Something I comtemplated when I left my "local" club in not nice circumstances was to actually "officially" create my own club. In my circumstances I was 40 miles (one way) from my local club (live in the sticks), so when they fecked me off - I didn't have much option.
My cousin, a female amateur, was in a similar situation. Fair play didn't like the way they were handling me and left also. She got the contacts and it was something like on £70 (this was about 5 years ago) to get the permission (this was with the WABA) but then there was other issues that we needed to consider. In the mean time, I got into Uni and we didn't persue it further. Since then a more local one has opened up.
It might be an avenue to consider, if you want to fight.
Something I comtemplated when I left my "local" club in not nice circumstances was to actually "officially" create my own club. In my circumstances I was 40 miles (one way) from my local club (live in the sticks), so when they fecked me off - I didn't have much option.
My cousin, a female amateur, was in a similar situation. Fair play didn't like the way they were handling me and left also. She got the contacts and it was something like on £70 (this was about 5 years ago) to get the permission (this was with the WABA) but then there was other issues that we needed to consider. In the mean time, I got into Uni and we didn't persue it further. Since then a more local one has opened up.
It might be an avenue to consider, if you want to fight.
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Lefthookhappy19
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 968
- Joined: 16 Apr 2004, 19:15
Re: Too old at 22
Im 20 in 2 weeks and 14stone... I am joining a local gym soon :) But its a friends gym.Craigos wrote:Ive been interested in joining a boxing club for quite a while, so i did a search for local ABA clubs etc and found a few that are local to me. I phoned each one up earlier today to find out a bit about the club ie what days and times they're open and each and everyone wasn't interested. All said i was too old (one trainer actually laughed down the phone at me) or wouldn't take me on because i had no boxing experience. One trainer said if i was 15-16 then he'd be happy for me to join. I understand some clubs are fairly small so they limit the numbers to stop people just joining up for a fitness workout but i explained to each of them that i was serious and willing to put alot of hard work in and when im eventually up to standard my main goal is to compete. I was actually looking for a club where i could train 5 days a week at but all the clubs local to me are open 2 or 3 days maximum. Ive kickboxed before and worked hard at it but i wanted to move over to boxing because ive found that kickboxing clubs focus of the legs and very few work on the hands apart from the odd go on the pads.
Very frustrating because i want this so bad but i cant even find a club to train at :( I understand that many successful boxers begin training in their early teens but at 22 years old, 6ft and 15st with a heart full of drive and passion i must have something going for me?! lol :P
Sorry for the essay, not a very good introduction but i thought id share my experience.
Nice site, i like it!
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E
- Heavyweight
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Raff The Frenchman
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 497
- Joined: 10 Feb 2002, 20:00
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Podmore_Birmingham
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 950
- Joined: 18 Oct 2005, 09:38
22 is no age. If you have a bit of talent its no problem . I boxed from when i was 12-18 (when i became a diabetic) , didnt fight competivly till i was 13 though. I managed to have 31 amateur fights.
I think its better when your older as your less likely to get distracted with Freinds , partying as you are when you 15+.
Go for it
Tom Podmore.
I think its better when your older as your less likely to get distracted with Freinds , partying as you are when you 15+.
Go for it
Tom Podmore.
stujones wrote:I do have to say, your build isn't great for boxing. Do you think you can shift a few pounds? 15 stone is a very small heavy.
At only 6ft, I'd maybe think about losing a few pounds and try and make Cruiserweight.
Whats the cruiserweight limit, 14st 4lbs? I could make that quite easily.
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Max Molyneux
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 7084
- Joined: 16 Aug 2004, 16:53
I started at 19 now 20 and been training for a year. But due to problems with the first club I had to join a new one so thats why I ain't had no fights my self yet but shouln't be too long.
Used to be at one for10 months called Wavertree ABC but thats closed down now so joined the Salisbury in October and that place is much better.
All I had before that was Karate experiance.
Thats not small for a heavy really, just these current heavies think it's wise to put on weight without keeping the speed and flexability.
Used to be at one for10 months called Wavertree ABC but thats closed down now so joined the Salisbury in October and that place is much better.
All I had before that was Karate experiance.
I'm 16 stone odd and gonna get back to 15 and most of the weight went to my legs as mybody looks lean.15 stone is a very small heavy.
Thats not small for a heavy really, just these current heavies think it's wise to put on weight without keeping the speed and flexability.