Training Misconceptions

"Is anybody teaching here?" Jim asked me last night, with irritation in his voice. "Steve does give instruction the first few weeks of the session," I told him. "I mean, I come in here to learn, and if the only way I can is by watching and mimicking others, that's not helping me," Jim continued. I felt a little annoyed at his attitude. He seemed to have forgotten that he signed up near the end of this session. Therefore, he missed the first three to four weeks, the time period when Steve teaches the basics to beginners.

If I become coach of that gym, I'm going to overemphasize that no personal training sessions will take place. I hope that if someone else becomes coach, they will hammer that point home, too. If people want that, then they need to go to JABB Gym, which does offer private boxing lessons. But they will pay a pretty penny for that. Jim is not the only one who has walked into that gym expecting personal attention every time they are there. But honestly, how many times does Steve have to alert people that they can't have that there? Do they not recognize they aren't the only person in the gym? What do they expect? It's a park district gym, not some place like Bally's or Crunch.

I told Jim that he is free to ask Steve or anyone else to help him. I've observed Jim doing that, so I don't get his irritation. Is he waiting for someone to come to him? That's not necessarily going to happen; this is not grade or high school. If he or anybody else really wants to learn, they'll put the effort forth to get the information.