Help for a novice

[strachan10]

Hi all,

This is my first - hopefully of many - post on the forum!

So here goes...

I learned the basics of boxing a few years ago, punches, defence, movement - then I stopped going. After doing weights at home for a quite a long time, I joined a gym (not a boxing gym) and they have a few bags and recently I've started spending some sessions doing some bag work.

What little technique/skill I have is coming back and I feel comfortable throwing punches and moving about the bags.

There's a boxing gym close to where I live, and I'm planning to join it on Tuesday, but I'm a little nervous. What should I say when I walk into the gym? I'd like to train to a level where I would be able to fight competitively, but I dont know if i'm too old to start (I'm 21)?

Over the past 18 months I've been working out 4/5 times per week, have a great diet, and am in the shape of my life. I'm fit and strong, so to my mind all i need to do is learn to box

My stats are;
age 21
5ft 10
80kgs

So to summarize;
Do you think I'm too old to start learning to box to fight at a competitve level in the future?
If not, how long do you think it would take for me to learn to get good enough?
What approach should I take when joining the boxing gym on Tuesday?

Thanks in advance

EDIT: I should also say, I'm from the UK

[kryo]

Hi all,

This is my first - hopefully of many - post on the forum!

So here goes...

I learned the basics of boxing a few years ago, punches, defence, movement - then I stopped going. After doing weights at home for a quite a long time, I joined a gym (not a boxing gym) and they have a few bags and recently I've started spending some sessions doing some bag work.

What little technique/skill I have is coming back and I feel comfortable throwing punches and moving about the bags.

There's a boxing gym close to where I live, and I'm planning to join it on Tuesday, but I'm a little nervous. What should I say when I walk into the gym? I'd like to train to a level where I would be able to fight competitively, but I dont know if i'm too old to start (I'm 21)?

Over the past 18 months I've been working out 4/5 times per week, have a great diet, and am in the shape of my life. I'm fit and strong, so to my mind all i need to do is learn to box

My stats are;
age 21
5ft 10
80kgs

So to summarize;
Do you think I'm too old to start learning to box to fight at a competitve level in the future?
If not, how long do you think it would take for me to learn to get good enough?
What approach should I take when joining the boxing gym on Tuesday?

Thanks in advance

EDIT: I should also say, I'm from the UK

Dude.. just join the gym, tell your coach you're interested in fighting amateurs, and go from there. If he asks you if you've ever boxed before, just tell him you have but it was awhile ago. He will probably understand that you don't need to go back to the first stages of how to move, etc. But maybe going back to some of that might help? And 21 is not old at all.. just do what makes you feel good and train your ass off and you will find the results you want!

When I went back to the gym after a year layoff, I told the coach I wanted to relearn everything from the beginning. I worked hard doing it all over again, and even though it was obvious I didn't need all of it, it really gave me an edge on my fundamentals.

[ScottDBA]

21 isn't too old at all to box competively.

I started a couple days after my 21st birthday (in June), had my first fight a couple weeks ago, and have my second one coming up soon.

You may not become world champion starting at 21 (but there's no guarantee you'd be a world champ if you started at 5 though either). Just train hard, have fun and take it as far as you can get.

[ScottDBA]

As for what you should tell you coach...just be honest.

Tell him you learned the basics, then stopped for a couple years. You kept in good shape during the time and you got the urge to start boxing again after hitting the bag a bit for fun. He'll understand and know what to do with you.

[strachan10]

Cheers guys!

I'll post up how i get on

[hobart_barista]

How many gyms are there in your area? I would go check them all out first instead of just joining one because a mate trains there or something. Check what equipments there, I wouldn't train when u go there tomorrow, talk to the trainer and be honest, a lot of trainers (not limited to boxing) like guys with not much experience (like me for instance) because they don't have bad habits, which die hard....and hurt hard too. You also need at least one really good boxer there at your weight class, minus one or higher. Hope this helps, cheers, azza.

[Southpaw16BF]

I seem to be saying this more and more, alot of people come on here and go i'am to old to start i think i've left it to late let me tell ya something you havent ''left it to late'' all these fighters started in there 20's and 30's.And look how well they done.
.Dwight Muhhamed Qawi-25
.Rocky Marciano-23
.Jess Willard-30
.Nate Campbell-24
.John Davison-25
.Choi Tseveenpurev-22
.Glen Johnson-20
.Hasim Rahman 21/22
.Earnie Shavers 21/22
.Jameel McCline 20's
You just have to belive in yourself, be dedicated, determined, and don't give in.