I’ve never forgotten the first time I walked into a boxing gym. It was way back in 1982. I hated it. I hated every single second of it. Without going into details, it wasn’t an enjoyable experience.

The next time I tried boxing I was in my 30s. That was when I got to sample the real experience. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the first-class people. That’s when the love affair began. I often wonder how things might have been if the 11-year old me had walked into that gym.

Boxing has been around for centuries in one form or another. To me, it's not just a sport. It's a lifestyle. It gave me a lifeline when I most needed it. It gave me a moral compass. It's a trusted friend I can always count on. So when I coach somebody, I remind myself that I am boxing's representative. I want people to fall in love with it like I did. I want them to feel it in their blood.

I try to make the whole experience as inclusive and enjoyable as possible. This is paramount when coaching children. Ensuring they’re at ease and enjoying their sport is primary. For me, everything else comes after that.

As a coach you might be working with a large, difficult to manage class. I've been there. It's not always possible to get to know everyone straight away. But I always tried to build a rapport as quickly as possible. Even something as simple as knowing and remembering a name can have a big impact.

Most of my coaching is now 1-2-1 and small group training with recreational boxers. But I'm getting an increasing number of referrals to work with children.

The best place for kids to train is at a good amateur boxing gym with their peers. But sometimes 1-2-1 training can work as a bridge to that. Some parents are keen for their children to get the basics — and a little confidence — under their belt first.

I thought I'd share a few techniques I've used over the years when working with children. I hope some of you coaches might find them useful. I’d love to hear any that you might like to share.

Stage 1: Know your client

A good coach should take the time to understand their client. It’s even more important when training children.

I always talk to the child's parents/guardians first — before any session takes place. I want to know about anything that might affect how we train.

This will include:

• health issues

• learning issues

• problems at home or school

• the main reasons for wanting to try boxing training

• goals and aims

• interests and hobbies

Then I meet up with the star of the show, and we get started.

That first session is all-important for what is to come. We work on the fundamentals, like stance, guard and basic punching. But some more important work is going on in the background. We get to know each other.

I ask a lot of questions in that first meeting, but I do a lot more listening. I want to find out everything I can, and expand on what I already know. I do this in a casual, conversational format as we go. Talking about their interests puts the child at ease. And it gives them a chance to weigh me up. Kids are very insightful. They can spot a fraud from 100 metres away. This is as much an audition for me, as it is for them.

Tip: 

Find out about your client. Mine this information for all it's worth. It's gold dust. You can use it in the weeks to come in so many ways.

Stage 2: Build a bond

The bond between coach and boxer is the foundation for everything else. Without it, it's hard to build anything of worth.

Understand the motivation

The first question I ask myself is this: Why is the child here?

The children I’m working with at the moment are happy to come along. Sometimes parents and children train together. That's a beautiful thing. There's no finer commitment from a parent than leading by example. Unfortunately, I’ve seen cases in the past where this hasn’t been the case.

Sometimes a child will arrive at a boxing class because their parents want them to be there. Spotting this, and finding out why, is very important. Parents usually have good intentions. Some see it as an intervention - to help with shyness or insecurity. But sometimes this can traumatise a child even more. It's too much, too soon.

Other parents live vicariously through their children. Pushing them to achieve things that they never did or could. These cases can be very problematic. Tread carefully.

Tip: 

Understand motivations and where they come from. This can help to tailor training that works for everyone.

Nicknames

Talk with anyone I’ve trained, they’ll tell you — I love a nickname. In my experience, nicknames work. I like to have a nickname for all my boxers. Kids love them. Of course, you can’t impose a name on someone. I find sometimes they develop over time. Sometimes I’ll ask kids to come up with their own. It taps into a rich vein of boxing history where all the great fighters had a nickname — Iron Mike, Sugar Ray, The Hitman, The Hawk, Hands of Stone.

Grace, a young lady I'm working with is very heavy-handed. She punches with real authority, I can tell you. I suggested "Hands of Stone", in honour of the famous Roberto Duran. Grace much prefers Dwayne Johnson, "The Rock", so this name slowly morphed into "Rock". It's a name she likes and we can now use it in our training.

Tip: 

Nicknames create strong bonds. Used with thought and care, they can be a powerful coaching tool.

Personas

In boxing, personas are important. I once coached the nicest young man you could ever hope to meet. He is still that humble, unassuming, polite chap. But when he puts a pair of boxing gloves on, he is a very different person. He goes to a special place in his mind. He adopts a different persona. Competitive boxing is a dangerous sport. He has to prepare himself for what lies ahead.

I always remember another boxer I worked with — a 13-year old national champion. Around the gym he was chirpy, friendly and mischievous. But two hours before a contest he changed. I could time my watch by him. His eyes changed — looking back I’m sure of that. They got darker. He became sullen, withdrawn and mean. During that time nothing and nobody could phase him. He would have fought Sonny Liston if you asked him to.

I’ve found using these personas in a less intense way works well with kids.

I try to develop a training persona, an alter-ego that we can both work with. It's a blank canvas on which we can sketch positive attributes and behaviours, for example:

• concentration

• strength and resilience

• determination

• confidence

• humility and kindness

• humour

I’m currently training an amazing 7-year old boy called Lewis. Lewis loves the Iron Man movies . He also wants to be a marine-biologist when he grows up. Now this is a very cerebral 7-year old, I’m sure you’ll agree!

I found this out the first time we met. I am a middle-aged man and know nothing about Iron Man. I know even less about marine biology. But I made sure to do some research before the next session.

When he came back the following week, I knew that Iron Man was an inventor called Tony Stark. And he wears a hi-tech suit to fight crime as his Iron Man alter-ego. I explained to young Lewis that we would create a superhero persona for him — like Tony Stark has with Iron Man.

Now when he hits the gym, he becomes that new persona. And remember those nicknames we discussed? I attached that name to the persona. I sometimes use a little trick to reinforce this. When Lewis arrives for his session, I greet him outside

"Hey Lewis, how you doing? How’s your week been, mate?"

Then we step over the threshold. I’ll immediately start calling him by his nickname. We get into business mode for the session ahead. He loves this and will play on it during the session. He steps back and forward over the gym step to play on the distinction.

We can both call upon the persona when needed. If his attention drifts or he needs a boost — I dial up his alter ego. It immediately anchors him. Like a boxer preparing for a contest, he gets his game face on.

Tip: 

Develop training personas. They are a tool that a child can use now and in the future.

Stage 3: Make training fun

Boxing is a technical, regimented and repetitive sport. Young children are inquisitive. Their minds wander. Personas are a great tool to use but you can also use the information from those initial "getting-to-know-you" chats. I mix these in with cognitive techniques I've learned over the years.

Concepts

Concepts are a great way to get across complicated techniques.

When I work with Lewis on his stance and guard — I compare this to Iron Man’s suit. When he gets out of shape I say — "put the armour on, Lewis!" Straight away he resets and drops back into a classic stance and guard. "Put the armour on" works a lot better than the litany of "keep your hands up", "tuck your elbows in" and "chin down!"

Technical defences like the roll and slip are not only new techniques to learn. They are new gadgets for his armour. We build that mental picture layer on layer, week on week.

Cues

I use cues with all of my boxers, young and old. I attach skills, attributes and behaviours to words and phrases. Cues also help get across complicated techniques, especially in high-pressure situations. In boxing this works in between rounds or as an instruction shouted from the corner. It works just as well in training.

My clients lead busy lives. Sometimes they're mentally and physically tired. I will often use these cue words to help them get in the right frame of mind. I use everything at my disposal. I chose the colour for the floor, walls and bags in my gym for specific reasons. Colours have a major impact on mood. They affect people in different ways.

For our young marine biologist, getting his "shark-eyes" on is a cue to concentrate and get serious. It works. He adopts his practised, 1000-yard stare and away we go.

Achievements

For kids, games and competition are important. I use them to keep things fresh. Catching a ball 20 times one handed with each hand is a great way to end a session. Especially when there’s a cool ice-cream up for grabs. Building up the drama gives this emotional weight. It also generates a desire to improve, where we don't have long-term competition to aim at.

Tip: 

When learning is meaningful and fun, good things happen.

Conclusion

You can't train children as you would adults. They are a work in progress and stand at an important stage of life. Treat them with care. It's not only their physical development at stake. A crass word or throw-away comment can affect a child in ways you wouldn't believe.

As coaches we have a massive responsibility to the kids we work with. But we also have an incredible opportunity. Make training fun, engaging and fulfilling. It can be a vehicle for life skills and attributes that will last a lifetime. Do that and you will make a friend for life.

And the best part as a coach? I've learned as much from the children I've coached as they have from me. Working with children keeps your mind young, active and inquisitive. And they most certainly keep you on your toes.