Interviewing 1980's style

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Much has been written in Business and Management books on the best way to conduct job interviews.

What questions you should ask ? the setting ?, group or one on one?etc etc.

Lets step back in time to 36 years ago to 1980 in Melbourne Australia when I was interviewed for my first job in Corporate Fitness !  

First some background. It is 1980 and after a major career and lifestyle change I  had just begun employment in the Fitness Industry working at a commercial club called "Lifestyle" in suburban Melbourne.

In an effort to gain more experience I was recommended to interview for a position in the very new field of corporate fitness.  Little was I to know that this interview would change my life forever !

NB; This is an excerpt from my upcoming book !

Chapter 4 -   GJ Coles and Coy,  Corporate Fitness

As the 1970’s drew to a close, Australia was experiencing a Fitness boom.

The Aerobics craze was starting to sweep the nation and the whole idea of getting fit was seen as the new “trendy” way to spend your free time.  Fitness Centers were being built everywhere and your local gym’s Aerobics class was the place to be.

With this increased interest in fitness, many private companies were starting to take an interest in keeping their employees fit by converting spare office space into mini fitness centers.  Suddenly Fitness Instructors like mewere in demand. Obviously the low cost of employing instructors was a big help. At Lifestyle Altona Gate I was now earning the princely sum of $4 per hour. Break out the caviar and champagne!

Low wages was the main reason the rest of my colleagues at Lifestyle eventually drifted into other careers. I was determined to make the Fitness Industry my lifelong employment. An office was no place for me. I dreaded the thought of ever working in a place like the Ammunition Factory Footscray again.

The days of Freelance Personal trainers charging up to$50-$60 per hour, were 15 years away.  Regardless of the low wages, I actively pursued more part time employment opportunities in the booming fitness industry.  As well as Lifestyle in suburban Altona Icommenced working in Melbourne’s City Center at Vital health Studios in little Collins Street , and the Apsonor Investment Companyin Queen’s Street teaching lunch time exercise circuits for $5per class and free parking.

In these pre “Zumba”, “Step” and other highly choreographedAerobics class days, my circuits of push-ups, sit ups burpees and mountain climbers passed for Aerobics.   I just added music and when I ran out of ideas I just did a side bend to gather my thoughts and get my breath back !!  A valuable life lesson that … when in doubt do a side bend !!

With my portable boom box blaring Bee Gees “Saturday night fever” and the theme from “Rocky” on a never ending loop I was a veritable John Travolta/Sylvester Stallone in form fitting lycra!  Fast forward 36 years and my current Boxacise members would report that the music hasn’t changed, but thankfully the lycra has !

So between Vital, Lifestyle, Apsonor the occasional fitness training for Aussie rules football clubs, full time studies in Physical education, and running Marathons I was a pretty busy lad.

As with so much in life, timing is everything. As 1980 dawned Lifestyle employed a new Manager named Peter Townsend.  Peter was a tad different to the other Managers I had worked under in the Fitness Industry.  He actually had some Management skills!!

  Peter was a Sales professional who knew how to implement systems to keep staff accountable and on track with member’s appointments. This was a far cry from previous laiseez faire Management where there was no direction and chaos ruled.

Peter was impressed by my initiative and recommended I talk to a bloke named Tom Leehane. 

            “Who is Tom Leehane?” I asked. 

            Tom’s the Manager of the GJ Coles executive Fitness Center in the city “Peter replied. 

          “Coles, the supermarket company? Are you going to recommend me as chief shelf stacker?’ I quipped.

There was a reason behind my sarcastic reply.  GJ Coles Australia’s was Australia’s oldest and largest, low priced supermarket chain. Right from the 1930’s depression era until the Post World War 2 years the G J Coles advertising slogan was “nothing over 2 and 6 (2 shilling and sixpence”).  It was hard to imagine a company so imbedded in the Australian psyche as a cut price retail chain being involved with lavish corporate fitness centers.

I was beginning to wonder if Peter Townsend was pulling my leg (joking).

“No, they actually have a fitness center for their executives at the back of their main store in Little Bourke Street” he explained. 

“Tom Leehane is the Manager of the Coles Recreation Center. He’s a great bloke, rough as guts, but don’t be fooled. Underneath the old Aussie larrikin style he’s a very smart and switched on fellow,” Peter explained

“ But don’t ever try to pull the wool over his eyes. He’s as smart and cunning as the proverbial lavatory rodent!”  he warned.

“Oh and by the way, Coles pays $10 per hour” Peter added with a sly wink.

Peter knew that last statement would get my attention. In 1980 when average part time rates were about $2.50- $4.00 per hour, $10 .00 per hour was serious money. I had visions of actually being able to pay my way in life without snipping dear old Mum for a loan every weekend!

Although I was still skeptical, I made a phone call to Tom Leehane the next day and mentioned that Peter Townsend recommended I speak with him.  

“Oh that wacker Townsend, hope you’re not trying to sell me something” Leehane replied gruffly.

“No mate just a couple pyramids if you are interested” I replied. 

I wasn’t sure if Tom’s reply was a chortled laugh or sneer but we arranged to meet the following day at 2.30 p.m.  The location was very convenient.“The GJ Coles recreation Center” as it was called, was only 5 minutes’ walk from Vital Indoor Sports in Little Collins Street and Apsonor investment in the Wales building in Queen Streetin the heart of Melbourne’s city center. 

The following day after teaching some classes at the Wales building I made my way over to Little Bourke Street.  On entering The GJ Coles Recreation Center via a partly hidden entrance door akin to an afterhours sly grog merchants,  I  was greeted by a distinguished looking bloke, about 6 feet in height , grey hair in his mid-50’.

He appeared reasonably fit, albeit with a slight beer drinkers paunch common to Aussie men of his age. I immediately sensed by his confidence and slightly limping gait that Tom Leehane was probably an ex Aussie Rules footballer with bad hips. This was the typical limping legacy Footy players incurred after years of giving and taking too many hard bumps and shirtfronts .

Mike James? He asked extending his hand.

“Yes Mr. Leehane, pleased to meet you” I replied

          “The names Tom, not Mister! You think I look like that bloody TV horse Mr. Ed?”

          " I might smell like a horse, but the names Tom from now on, Ok?” he replied

Somehow Tom said all of this with a slight smile in his voice that got his point across in a gruff yet joking manner.  It was a trait I had seen in many older irascible Aussie blokes, so I was not taken aback at all.  I also sensed that with that rough and ready sense of humor he was like me from the  Western Suburbs of Melbourne.

Tom then proceeded to show me around the Center. It was very lavish for its time. In true 80’s Male Executive style there was a table tennis area, well equipped gym, mini golf driving range and putting area, executive lounge with open bar, and Male changing room with towels and laundry facilities!

“No women’s change room Tom?  I asked.

“Coles doesn’t have any women executives, so that probably decreases your interest by about 100 per cent’ he replied. 

“Not at all Tom, I’m such a professional I never let business mix with pleasure” I quipped

“Oh please tell me another one, I was a young bloke too once, believe it or not” he replied with a mock groan of disbelief.

After the tour we sat down in the plush executive lounge area for the formal interview. Tom didn’t waste any time

“You’re a fit looking bugger Mike, no doubt about that, but what’s with the beard and long hair? Are you a surfer or a hippie? I can’t work out what or who the bloody hell you are?”

Like many Aussie blokes, Toms was very good at breaking down personal barriers and making you feel comfortable within seconds of meeting him. But I could sense that he was trying to test me and see if I had a sense of humor so I replied in kind.

“No I’m hoping to start a career in pornographic movies” I replied.

That must have struck a chord. Tom immediately burst out laughing but within 5 seconds this was replaced by a stern poker face

“You ought to be ashamed of yourself.  Do you realize you’re talking to a God fearing Catholic married for over 30 years with a wife and seven kids?! He admonished.

Rather than apologize, to use boxing parlance, I decided to “take the game up to himand lead with a few counter jabs.

“Well I’m a Catholic too Tom, but my mum married a member of the Masonic lodge, and with me being the last of 4 boys weighing in at 10 lbs., she said enough was enough and shut up shop!”

To my surprise Tom didn’t miss a beat.

“Your dad’s a Mason?  He replied with mock indignation

“Was...he died about 6 years ago” I replied

 Tom’s tone then changed instantly

‘Oh sorry to hear that Mike, how is your Mum keeping now?   Is she ok?” he asked.

“Yeah she’s comfortable. Fortunately Dad was a war veteran and she is pretty well set up for a pension and medical benefits. She’s not wealthy by any means but she’s ok.” I explained

“That’s good. But money isn’t everything mate, is she lonely, I mean is she ok in herself?

Your still at home, I hope? He continued. 

Suddenly the conversation had taken a serious tone.Underneath the gruff larrikin style Tom had a compassionate side.

“Yep I’m still at home Tom. She seems to be ok , she keeps herself busy with senior citizens groups and the Church, and me and my 3 older brothers make sure she’s not alone ” I replied

“Yeah well that’s good; your mum shouldn’t be left on her own. As long as you don’t try to bring any of your porno starlets home you shouldn’t annoy her too much” he added.

 In an instant I had gone from a feeling sad to suddenly laughing and trying to think of smart ass reply.  But like a skilled skipper steering rough seas changed Tom tack again

“So if you’re a Catholic where did you go to school? he asked.

“St Bernard’s in Essendon, and right now I’m studying Physical Education at Victoria University” I replied

“Typical I should have known, another pseudo-intellectual, smart-alecky Essendon bastard. You follow them in the footy I hope” he asked.

I later found out that Tom had played for Essendon Football Club in the early 1950’s, so my next comment was bound to get a reaction

“No I follow Collingwood Tom” I replied, waiting for the inevitable barrage of abuse we Collingwood supportershave become accustomed to over many years

“Bloody hell, a porn star who barracks for Collingwood. What a combination! Then again, better than half the other toothless derelicts and pick pockets they have following em” Tom said while shifting uncomfortably in his seat and wincing at the mere mention of Collingwood, Essendon Football Club’s mortal enemy for over 50 years

  Sensing a no win situation I tried for a quick change of topic

“Where did you go to school Tom?  I asked.

“I’m doing the interviewing here but bloody Coburg if it’s any of your business you nosey bastard!” he replied

“Oh Coburg, you mean that big sandstone building on Bell Street? Pentridge Prison?”  

 Luckily for me Tom also saw the humor in my equating his education with attendance at  the most notorious prison in the Southern Hemisphere.

“Pentridge Prison!!, that’s where you’ll end up one day for murder ya cheeky bastard. Your jokes are killing me for starters” he replied

“Speaking of pains in the ass like yourself I’ve been having this hamstring problem.   Will stretching help that you reckon Mike?”  Tom asked grabbing the back of his leg with a grimace.

I then launched into a mini lecture on the importance of flexibility, static and ballistic stretching techniques etc. Tom listened intently, asking questions along the way.

”How long should you hold the stretch? What sort of warm up should you do? Should I bounce when I stretch?” Tom asked at various points.

I immediately recognized that “This blokes is no novice, he’s asking good questions.”

After this 15 minute mini stretching workshop, Tom quickly stood up and said

“Well look Mike we are looking for new stafffor a Recreation Center we are building for just across the road in the Bourke Street Mall in about 8 week’s time. Are you interested or what?”

         “  Ah, um yes Tom if you’ll have me.” I stammered, taken aback at Tom’s expeditious decision making.

“Well you’re the first University educated bastard I’ve met who isn’t all theory and up himself and you appear to have at least some semblance of humor, so I’ll call you back in 6 weeks,” he replied “And that’s no Bullshit, when I say I’ll call you back I bloody well will! Tom added.

“Sounds good to me Tom,” I replied. “Now that the interviews over any chance you could go missing so I can see what’s worth knocking off (stealing)here ?” I said with a sly look over my shoulders that would have made my convict forebears smile and my old Christian brother’s teachers wince with embarrassment.

“Yeah I’ll have to bloody start counting the golf balls now. See you in 6 weeks Mike,” he said while shaking my hand goodbye

I was very happy.  I had never experienced a job interview like this before or since. In the space of 30 minutes, Tom Leehane had found out about my family background, my interests, sense of humor and knowledge of exercise physiology all in an informal setting. 

Peter Townsend was right.“Tom Leehane certainly is as cunning as a shit house rat, never mind the lavatory rodent” I mused.

I sensed that this bloke named Tom Leehane would become one of the most influential people in my life. For the first time I actually began to feel there was an answer to my eternal question.

What the fuck was I going to do with my life? 

Well, on this beautiful Melbourne Summers day in 1980, I somehow knew that Tom Leehane, G.J Coles, and Corporate Fitness were all going to be a big part of that life.

A life and career in Corporate Fitness that I never in my wildest dreams thought would take me to the United States of America, and only 2 blocks away from the most powerful house in the World!

 

 

A sudden death at your Fitness Center Preparing for a worse case scenario !!

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How to Prepare Staff for a Death at Your Fitness Center

by Mike James
 

Even if a death occurs at your fitness center, proper training for both during and after such an event can help prepare you and your staff members, and help you retain members confidence.

The benefits of regular physical exercise for the prevention of cardiovascular disease are well-known. However, even presumably fit people can die. And, unfortunately, they can die in your fitness center. Even though the incidence of death during exercise in the general population is very low, fitness facilities need to be prepared. Each year, approximately 0.75 and 0.13 per 100,000 young men and women, and six per 100,000 middle-aged men die during exercise.1

Paul Brown, a 20-year industry veteran and CEO of Face to Face consulting, encountered this tragedy early in his career when a member died while running on a treadmill. Despite this, Brown is still positive about the fitness industry. "Our industry has saved far more lives through regular exercise than we have lost," he says. Your members need to know this when faced with a tragic event at your facility. They need to feel safe and secure, and know that you have everything under control. Without safety and emergency guidelines in place, your retention numbers can suffer if a tragic event occurs.
 

It can happen at any time

How would you react as an owner, a manager, a leader - and, most importantly, a human being - after dealing with such a traumatic event? And, it is not just the event. The aftermath and member reaction can also be harrowing.

Over my 30 years in the fitness industry, I have experienced only two fitness-related member deaths. The first was early in my career when a 48-year-old, lean, muscular and experienced runner died while he was running in a local park. Because this happened off-site, it seemed somewhat removed from the facility's operations. There was also, it appeared to me, no one to blame. There was little anybody could do to help save the victim, except for his jogging partner, who, in those pre-cell phone days, rushed into a nearby shop to call an ambulance.

I must have been a very naïve young employee, because I was stunned when my manager told me that he had received nasty anonymous phone calls "abusing [him] for promoting stupid exercise." My manager also faced some accusatory questions like, "Why didn't you know he had a heart problem?"

Wind the clock forward some 25 years, and I faced a similar situation. I am the manager of two large facilities that have more than 4,000 members. During peak hours, a member collapsed after running on a treadmill. Despite our best efforts using an AED (automated external defibrillator), and the arrival of nurses, doctors and emergency services within 10 minutes, the member was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
 

Worst-case scenarios

Fortunately, the facilities I manage for the World Bank have wonderful support networks. Medical staff, psychological counselors and a supportive human resource department helped ease the psychological burden. Not every person facing this type of situation is as fortunate as I am.

One fitness professional, who prefers to remain anonymous, endured the same situation with no support from other staff members or his employers. He was the only staff member on site who was first-aid trained when the incident occurred; three other staff members simply froze. There was no AED available and no emergency procedure in place, and it all happened in an inaccessible facility that emergency services took more than 20 minutes to find.

After the tragedy, the only support he received from the company was a phone call from the corporate office saying, "You can take the rest of the day off." The next day, it was business as usual. He is still traumatized from these events, and suffers from regular panic attacks.

In addition to this employee, think about the other members who witnessed the event. Aside from the obvious shock of a member dying in the facility, how did the other members view the fitness staff? All respect and credibility was lost.

Other colleagues have told me similar stories of untrained staff members who don't know basic CPR, of AEDs being present but "lost" and staff ineptitude confounding an already tragic situation.
 

Scenario-based training

How do you give the member who is being rescued the best chance possible to survive, and assure other members that your staff members are properly trained to deal with emergency situations? And, in a worst-case scenario, how do you deal with a member actually dying on your premises?

Matt Streich, a CPR and first aid instructor with the American Heart Association for the past 20 years, has taught CPR to more than 30,000 people, including beginners, fitness center staff and even certified cardiologists. "Realistic, practical training is essential," he says. "Studies show that the more trained a person is, the more appropriately they will handle an emergency situation."

Streich says that it is important to be honest to students. "Television shows where patients automatically recover from CPR efforts nearly every time are totally unrealistic," he says. "This has a lot to do with the general public's misconception about rescue efforts." Figures from the American Heart Association indicate that as few as 2 percent of people are saved with manual CPR. "The chances definitely go up with the use of an AED, but there is no guarantee the rescue will be successful," says Streich.

Training scenarios for your staff members should include situations where a rescue is not successful. "Practicing how you handle a tragedy like this will give you a reference point for the future in how you respond in supporting your team, and how you face and answer difficult questions from members," says Streich. "This is not a movie or TV show. The victim does not always survive."
 

Reactions and recovery

Dr. Richard Kennedy is a Washington, D.C.-based internist with 25 years of experience in emergency response settings. "Psychological counseling is a must for first responders," he says. "If you do not have access to trained counselors, it is incumbent on the owner/manager to support the team and find a trained counselor in the community."

Even if the victim survives, there are still emotions left to deal with. "After an event like this, it is natural for the first responders to feel some degree of guilt," Kennedy explains. "Some may have recalled their initial hesitation, panic and feeling of helplessness. They will ask themselves questions: 'Could I have done more?' 'Did I do anything wrong?' All of these types of questions surface."

Even the most prepared individuals may not be entirely in control of their reactions when dealing with the sudden death of a member. "People's reactions during the attempted rescue can range from dumbing down or freezing, to frenetic panicking," says Kennedy. "It is natural for people to freeze when faced with traumatic situations. Animals play dead to survive, and recent studies indicate that this could also be a factor in human reactions to tragedy. A type of 'ignore it and it will go away' approach."

To help mitigate this natural response, Kennedy encourages regular scenario training. "By practicing response skills, you can make yourself aware of your human reactions," he says.
 

Member reaction

Part of the cycle of grief are members' questions regarding your and your staff members' competence. In my experience, most members will be supportive, but you may also face questions like, "How often are you guys trained?" and "Why wasn't the AED put on straight away?" These questions are common, and to be expected.

"[People] are often looking for someone to blame, particularly if the person who died was close to them and seemingly fit and healthy," says Streich. "People want an explanation for something they feel, right at that moment, is unbelievable."

As a human being, your reactions to these questions can be to freeze and not say anything, or to blow up in anger. As a first responder, you can find yourself sensitive to any perceived suggestion of incompetence. Brown recommends being confident in your approach, with statements at the ready, like, "Sir/madam, we did the very best we could, and I have every confidence that our team acted appropriately. Please respect our emotions at this time because we are grieving, as well."

In my situation, I adopted a similar, albeit more assertive, approach. While I was not loud or aggressive, I was quite firm in my answer to one member who, I felt, was being offensive. Looking back, I have no regrets about my retort to this member. I was confident we did the best we could, and would gladly say it again.

How you respond is a matter of judgment. There is no right or wrong response. Again, a scenario-based training session - even if it is held just once per year - will help provide you and your staff members with some awareness of what you may encounter.
 

Best practices

Here are some steps to take so you and your staff can feel satisfied you did the best you could under the most trying conditions you will possibly ever face.

During the rescue attempt, do the following:

Cover the basics. Require first aid training, along with CPR and AED training, for all facility staff - not just fitness staff.

Get real. Training should be realistic and scenario-based, with a clear emergency plan in place.

Manage the rescue scene. Good management of the rescue scene includes crowd control and timeline reporting of main events. Have one person cordon off the area to keep people away. If you are fortunate to work in a place that has building security, ask them to assist you. If possible, have one staff person act as a reporter, noting the exact time the emergency occurred, when an ambulance was called, when it arrived, how long the person was treated before being taken away and any other relevant details. This is invaluable when asked to recall specific events for legal and insurance purposes.

Don't diagnose. It is very important to, leave the diagnosis to the medical specialists.

During the aftermath, do the following:

Script responses. Scenario training should explore scripted responses to offer members in the event of a tragedy.
Accept the inevitable. Familiarize staff with normal human responses, such as freezing or panicking. By being aware, and having regular training, hopefully you can overcome these responses.
Provide counseling. Psychological counseling for all staff involved is essential.
Grow a thick skin. Understand that members' perceptions may lead them to ask insensitive questions. Train staff to be aware of this, and to have appropriate responses ready.

Prepare and prevail

Even though exercise-related death is a rare occurrence, you should be ready in the event that this does happen in your facility. These guidelines for training during the rescue and after the event will help you and your staff react appropriately in the event a death or serious injury does occur. With a safe and appropriate reaction, no matter what the consequence, you can help your members feel safe in your facility, and keep them coming back.

References
1. Topol, E.J. Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine, second edition., p.85. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins: Baltimore, Md., 2002. 
[SR Smith - Unmatched Stability - Discover the details that set S.R. Smith apart.]

2. Interviews with Paul Brown owner "Face 2 to Face Retretion" keynote Speaker and Industry veteran for over 20 years

3. Interview Dr.Richard Kennedy MD, Chief Medical Officer World Bank Washington DC

4. Interview Matt Streich  CPR and first aid instructor with the American Heart Association for over 25 years, Owner of "Heartline CPR, Inc Bethesda, Maryland.

Rock on Rock Steady ! boxing training for Parkinsons Patients !

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Boxing training for all ages, shapes and sizes!

Indiana non-profit uses boxing training for Parkinson’s patients!

By Mike James


If someone mentions the word boxing, chances are your thoughts turn to the fistic deeds of world famous pugilists like Muhammad Ali, or the exploits of celluloid heroes like Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky Balboa."

You probably either love it or loathe it. Many people are thrilled at the prospect of two individuals of equal weight displaying skill, courage and strength, in this ultimate "one on one" contest. Others revile boxing for its primitive display of brute force and naked aggression and point to the dire consequences it can have for the health of its competitors.

Indeed there is no sadder sight in sport today than ex heavy weight champion, Muhammad Ali, who in his prime, was a truly beautiful and gifted athlete, who could "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee". Unfortunately today he has the shuffling gait and tremor in his limbs most commonly associated with Parkinson’s disease.

No matter how you view boxing it is unquestionably one of the most physically demanding contact sports. Boxers require superior levels of aerobic fitness, strength, muscular endurance and flexibility together with excellent hand-eye coordination, speed, reflexes and manual dexterity.

Most fitness centers now recognize the pure fitness benefits of boxing training and incorporate some form of boxing into their group exercise schedule. However recent research has highlighted the rapid fire reflexes and manual dexterity required as being amongs the key benefits of this type of training. Recent research indicates that boxing movements with their particular emphasis on reflexes and hand eye coordination may be described as "neuro protective”.

“Rock Steady” a nonprofit Fitness Center in Indiana now offers boxing based classes specifically for Parkinson's patients.

http://www.rocksteadyboxing.org/about-rock-steady/faq/

To quote from the Rock steady website :

 "More recent studies, most notably at Cleveland Clinic, focus on the concept of intense "forced" exercise, and suggest that certain types of exercise are neuro-protective, which means that it is a type of exercise that may actually slow disease progression.

 A boxing regime provides a framework which fits the mold for neuro-protection. Boxing requires a combination of endurance, strength, power, speed, agility, flexibility, durability, hand-eye coordination and the ability to react appropriately to strategic situations.  Boxing improves balance and stability by forcing movements in all planes of motion. The rapid movements involved in jumping and punching increases over-all muscle fire ability.  In addition, Rock Steady has learned methods to combat specific symptoms through other Parkinson's exercise organizations (like Delay the Disease) to mix into our core boxing curriculum."

      For a practical example of this you only have to look at Freddie Roach trainer of Manny Pacquioa.  Freddie has been treated for Parkinson’s since 1992 years but can still provide world class boxers with rigorous workouts using the punch pads.

      A recent HBO's boxing specials interviewed Freddie’s neurologist Dr. Joseph Chung.  Dr.Chung agreed, albeit cautiously choosing his words, that Freddie's boxing regime and particularly the pad work helped fire the deep neural pathways and has help slow the progression of his Parkinson’s symptoms.

The advantage this form of training has over others is that it is a total body workout which also helps improve the motor skills required for superior sports performance. The speedball and floor to ceiling balls are particularly good for developing reflexes, lateral body movement and hand-eye coordination.  The footwork required to skip continuously boxing style is also a skill found in few other activities,

   However as the folks at Rock steady are quick to point out, there is no sparring.  The goal is to avoid emerging from a session with black eyes, blood noses and bruised egos. Our aim is to be "pretenders, not contenders" in the boxing stakes.

Here is a suggested format for boxing training to best capitalize on the fitness and reflex training benefits with some tips and instructional videos you may find useful for learning the various skills.

The Circuit

Boxing training usually takes the form of a circuit involving the traditional boxing equipment including skipping ropes, speed balls, medicine balls, punching bags and floor to ceiling balls.

The work/rest ratio employed depends on the person's present level of fitness and proficiency with the equipment. The beginner may find it hard to maintain a rhythm with the speed and floor to ceiling balls.

For this reason it is worthwhile incorporating a few aerobic stations like cycling, rowing or rebounders to help elevate the heart rate and obtain a training effect. For beginners 2 minute work, 20 -30 second rest ratio can be employed.

For the more advanced who can work the various apparatus with a fair degree of skill, a slightly longer work and rest ratio can be employed, for example, a 3 minute work, 10 second rest ratio.

There can be as many as 25 stations. The order of exercise is not important but it may be advisable to alternate aerobic, upper and lower body exercise to avoid repetition strain of one particular muscle group -for example, bike, speedball, skipping, floor to ceiling, rebounder. Boxing gloves should also be worn to avoid hurting the hands and wrists.

The Speedball

This is an excellent way to improve hand-eye coordination and strength in the shoulders and arms. Boxers require shoulder strength to help hold their gloves up, throw punches and pull the hand back quickly for defense.

The speedball also has many other sporting applications and is used extensively in training by sprinters requiring faster arm action and by racquet sports players to improve reflexes, timing and hand-eye coordination. There are many different ways of using the speedball.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDIOZ-sBE6w

For beginners it is important not to be mesmerized by the ball's erratic movements. Keep your eyes focused on the ball, hands held at shoulder height and start slowly. Try and hit through the ball. You will eventually get a rhythm. As you become more proficient you will be able to increase speed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwnozO5ScvY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJvlRfT6JM0

The Heavy Bag/Boxmaster

It is essential that boxing gloves be worn here to avoid jarring the hands. Commence with light, glancing blows employing the basic jab and straight arm punches. As you become more proficient, move on to other punches like the hook and uppercut. This is very taxing aerobic training if done continuously for the 2 -3 minute round. As you improve, experiment with various jab, hook, and uppercut combinations in a fast non-stop manner to help anaerobic conditioning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCKgfNBFICk&list=TLSNETo-KrTWk

It is important to have the correct stance so as to not waste energy. Stand with feet shoulder width apart, left foot slightly forward. Keep on the ball of your back foot. Your back foot will act as a motor, keeping you balanced and generating power. Your front foot will be like a rudder allowing you to transfer weight and force from the back foot.

The Floor to Ceiling Ball

This is an extremely difficult apparatus to master but excellent for speed, reflexes and lateral body movement. Don't be surprised if the ball springs back and hits you in the face on your first try. Remember you are working the ball, it's not working you. Attack it with a left jab and a straight right. (Right jab then straight left for left handers.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9Em1iDPmuA

Skipping

This is an excellent aerobic conditioner. Most of us have some idea how to skip from our childhood days. Use a similar shuffling motion of the feet and try to let your arms and wrists do most of the work. Beginners should start slowly here as the calves and ankles may suffer soreness from the jarring.

The most important thing to note about all this equipment is that it takes time to master. Don't worry if you can't seem to get the speedball, floor to ceiling and skipping going at a mile-a-minute. They all require a great deal of patience and persistence. You will feel awkward at first but remember -Stallone trained for years to reach his level of proficiency for the conditioning scenes in "Rocky".

The Pads

To get the most from a work out with the boxing it is most important that the person holding the pads is experienced and well versed in boxing as well as fitness combinations.   Boxing expertise while not essential is helpful, but the most important factor is the holder should have good coaching and communication techniques

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6iX21J0vrg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcqAWEAdTso

Some Useful Tips

Do

Incorporate some abdominal exercises - for example, medicine ball sit-ups and some light weight training movements.

·         Include some rhomboid fly's to help stretch and strengthen the rear shoulder area which is often rounded by the typical boxing stance.

·         Wear boxing gloves or mitts for hand protection and have your own pair for hygiene. Strapping the hands may also be useful.

·         Warm up and cool down paying particular attention to stretching the shoulders, chest, leg adductors and lower back.

DON'T

·         Become frustrated and give up because you look clumsy on the speed bag or floor to ceiling ball.  Keep practicing, you will be surprised how proficient you can become over time.

·         Try and emulate Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquioa on your first try. Your hands will come off second best.

Finally a big thumbs up to the Folks at Rock Steady boxing in Indiana for showing how boxing training can benefit people from all stages of life and levels of Physical Fitness.

Rock on Rock Steady !!