Learning to Box - Lost Cause?

[vikodan31]

My background: I am 33 years old and have been training at the boxing gym for about 7 months now. I have very little experience with serious physical activity with the exception of some little league baseball and soccer when I was 10-12 years old. I usually go to gym about 4-5 days a week, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours each. The regiment is 3 rounds each of jumprope, shadow boxing, mitts, heavy bag, and speed bag. The usual drill.

I am not trying to be a professional or amateur fighter. My goals are basically to spar here and there, stay in good shape and have fun. But, it is VERY important to me that I learn proper technique, otherwise I'll feel like I'm wasting my time.

The problem: From looking at my progress, I can't figure out whether I completely suck or it's natural for someone with my background to feel/look as akward, clumsy, etc. as I do? My trainer doesn't speak very good English so it's hard to say what he's thinking, although, he has made it pretty clear that I need plenty of work.

My one/two is lousy. My jabs and crosses never fly straight. My hands never come back to their proper positions and on and on.

The question: Should 7 months be enough time to have a learned the basic techniques or am I just wasting my time? I understand learning the science of boxing takes a lifetime, but what about just being competent?

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated, cuz I'm getting pretty disheartened.

[Chill]

Being 33 and having very little experience with sports in the past is not a good base (obviously)

I think a more fair question would be have youre health improved since you started training boxing?

Having done sports earlier is a huge advantage for balance, discipline, basic motor skills etc. All I can say is relax take it slow and do it right, don't be afrad of looking stupid / try
new things and eventually you'll get better. And in the mean time youre getting in better shape and to answer youre question in generel getting the basics takes everywhere from 1-2 months to 1-2 years it's different for everyone.

[supaduck]

Don't worry, you cant expect to be able to outdo people after 7 months. Just keep at it and don't lose heart for it, and you'll do fine. Besides, the health and fitness side of it helps you anyway.

[Renegade]

Not to overstate the obvious, but since you're asking us what you should be asking your trainer, it sounds to me like you should find a trainer with whom you can communicate more effectively. And yeah, 7 months seems like too long a time to be where you say you are, but again, I'd look to the lack of communication, not your lack of ability.

[mschill]

Yeah you definitely want to find a trainer that your able to communicate with because if you cant communicate with your trainer he obviously can't teach you very well or comment on your techniques so that would be the first thing to do. Also don't worry about not having everythign down yet, everything takes time espeically if your starting late. But no matter what don't be discouraged and keep at it.

[opethdrums]

just so you know it's a good training method to be an *******. if you compliment your student and joke around with him he'll get lazy and think he's good enough already. and he'll try to joke with you when he's in pain to buy time