Coaching Instruction

 While reading a biography about Muhammad Ali, I ran across an interesting quote from his trainer Angelo Dundee. Dundee realized he could not simply tell Ali what to do, that he would interpret instruction as trying to change his style. So instead, Dundee said, “ ‘I tried to make Muhammad feel like he innovated everything. For instance, he’d be in there sparring and when he came out I’d say, “Gee, your jab is really coming along. You’re getting your left knee into it and really stopping him in his tracks.” He may not have been getting his knee into it at all. The next time out he’d be concentrating on it. But mainly, it was all him.’ ” (Remnick, David, and Salman Rushdie. “Twentieth-Century Exuberance.” King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero, Vintage Books, a Division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York, 2016, pp. 117–117. ) 

This reminds me of suggestions from numerous books or articles that in order to get someone who doesn’t like taking orders to take your idea is to lead them to the conclusion that it is their idea. While this may seem manipulative, I have found with many boxers that they have set in their mind a certain style or strategy that they are insistent on utilizing. Sometimes they are not quite ready for that particular style or a certain strategy may not be appropriate for that moment, but to suggest otherwise is to attack their thinking or ego. While I am never looking to manipulate my athletes, I find it important to give everyone a sense of autonomy in their training. I have personally had many coaches that refuse to listen to my viewpoint or input on strategy, claiming they know better. Not only did this limit my personal power as an athlete, but they whether knowingly or not insult me in the process. I like the idea of Dundee, to not limit someone’s ability by constant correction, changing or instruction, but instead lead the athlete to fix the problem as though it was their idea. I can imagine for future improvements the athlete will become more aware of things that need adjusting and can do so independently after the experience of such guidance. 

In terms of changing style, I appreciate the athlete who comes to me with a style they want to adapt already in their mind. They already have gravitated to a style which fits their personality and hopefully their body type. I try never to dismiss someone’s wishes, as I feel style should never be enforced, just like trying to tell someone what personality they should have. Height and weight many times dictate style, but every division has boxers that break from the norm and succeed. Sometimes a boxer may need to build more basics before adopting their goal, but techniques can be slowly added to get them where they intend to be. 

My last thoughts also come from the opposite side: a boxer who has no input in their game plan. This boxer constantly looks for specific instruction for every move, never developing their own style or strategy. As a coach, I respect the need of some to lean on a trainer’s judgement and direction, but I encourage self reflection and developing better observational skills to establish more autonomy. I am a support system and guide, but not a parent. The boxers that train themselves may be occasionally lacking sharpness without the mitt work and critique of a coach, but the experience gained from “playing” on their own becomes invaluable in the long run.