The Box Gathering Podcast

Ben Harmsworth is Guildford ABC's Chairman, coach and treasurer. He is also member of the Southern Area Council for the British Boxing Board of Control. Just incase that wasn't enough responsibility, Ben is also the Matchmaker for the Southern Counties Amateur Boxing Association. Here's where we aim our chat. In today's episode, we talk about how the opportunity to box for your region is making a come back in the Southern Counties and how both boxers and coaches alike are finding it invaluable. Ben is our first return guest on The Box Gathering Podcast and it's always great to chat to him about all things boxing with some British Office references thrown in for good measure, if ya countin'..... Ben can be contacted on social media or at ben@hacroofing.co.uk Enjoy. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

I've been playing with ideas around how can we make shoulder tags more valuable. There are some good reads, range and tempo malipulation benefits to be had from shoulder spars but i've always found that the boxers dont mind getting hit! Not a good thing! So today I talk briefly around adding consequences to ramp up the potential level of skill transfer to these games whilst mitigating trauma instead of head contact. Check out the Heaven and Hell hill and steps i'm talking about here at www.instagram.com/dise_boxing_brighton Remember, big things coming in April from The Box Gathering! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

Fancy phrase, but Representative Learning Design (RLD) is so, so vital to creating an even better learning environment for your boxers. Today I rant about what RLD is, a scale which helps me design practices and some of the things to consider when developing those practices. Hit us up on our new website, www.theboxgathering.com from Monday 25th March, 2024. If you would like to Contact Daisy Corley regarding having a boxing mural done in your boxing gym, you can get hold of her at www.dzy.art/ Here is Plympton ABC's Instagram to see Daisy's mural. https://www.instagram.com/plympton_amateur_boxing?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

Another car rant on the back of supporting at the level 3 in Tamworth this weekend. Lots of great discussions around terminology, standardization and how it affects our coaching. There is still lots of varying views in terms of technical and tactical terminology and tacit knowledge. This episode is me just putting my two cents worth in. Love to hear your thoughts on the WhatsApp or social media. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

Ever been stood at a boxing show and the coach next to you says, ‘I don’t know what they’re looking for!’ I’ve said it too! Today we speak to one of the most respected R&J’s in the business, Mr Mike Hemming. Mike is an IBA 2 star referee and Supervisor. We fire some questions at Mike which members of The Box Gathering WhatsApp group have asked to help put to bed any confusion or curiosity. From scoring criteria to standing counts and warnings to requesting the scores, Mike helps unpick the grey areas to help every coach and boxer listening in. Mike has also kindly offered for anyone with questions to drop him an email on mike@thewholehouseco.com If you would like a poster for next to your ring like mentioned in the podcast, please email us at team@theboxgathering.co.uk --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

Another drive home and reflection on a sparring session. We can ofcourse reflect and discuss between rounds which shot to throw when your partner does X, Y or Z. But in reality, the boxer needs to be looking for openings on the fly, when under pressure. Today I talk about conditioning the spars so that the boxers are given short time increments to unlock another target area. This task constraint aims to help direct attention externally to what their opponent is doing so that effective solutions can be coordinated. Very much a work in progress in my passion for trying to couple perception with action and educate attentional focus. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

Today we speak to Alex Le Guével from Matchroom. Alex talks openly about his journey from England Boxing to Matchroom and the 'Jerry Maguire' moment that got him there. From seizing his moment in an elevator style pitch with Frank Smith to working at the cutting edge with Frank, Eddie and the whole Matchroom team. He goes on to speak about the impact Matchroom are having on multiple communities and his vision to drive this forward. You can get in contact with Alex through social media especially on LinkedIn or drop him an email on 📧 alex.leguevel@matchroom.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

Staying focused is key in boxing. Amy and Adam talk about why some boxers lose their focus and how to regain it. Amy shares some tools and practices for both coaches and boxers to incorporate into their training or during competitions. You can get in touch with Amy through the following: Instagram: @theboxing_lifecoach LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yu-fei-amy-pu/ Website: www.gothedistancecoaching.net Email: amy.pu@gothedistancecoaching.net --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

We know how to train the physical aspects, but what about the boxer's ability to really watch and read opponents? Some may call it, 'Ring IQ.' Today I speak to Dr Zoe Wimshurst of Performance Vision about how as coaches we can understand more about the visual system and how that impacts upon performance. We talk about how we can support where boxers are looking, how the eye works in terms of spotting cues as well as understanding if there are any physical limitations with your boxer's sight! In the podcast, Zoe shares a tool around how to test your boxers to see if they are one eye dominant and how that affects performance. Here's how... Create a triangle with your forefingers and thumbs. With both of your eyes open, center this triangle on an object in the distance like a door knob or a wall clock. Close your right eye. If the object remains centered, then your left eye (the eye that is open) is your dominant eye. We then go on to talk about how if this is more prominent in coach education, we can have accelerated impact on performance. If you would like to reach out to Zoe, You can visit her website at https://www.performancevision.co.uk/ Also keep an eye out for her brilliant bitesized videos on instagram @performancevisionltd --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

We can all get better and feeding back to our boxers, there are many methods. But what about when we are not there? How can we continue developing our boxers when not in the gym......? REAKT! REAKT is a fantastic app which allows your boxers to send you their video workouts, bouts, spars etc so you can provide video feedback from anywhere in the world. This includes being able to draw/annotate on the video to dra attention to certain areas for the boxer. The 'My Journey' feature allows you to store the videos sequentially so you can plot a journey and revisit at anytime. Today I invited on REAKT CEO Rehan O'Grady and Head of Content, Phill Richardson to explain how coaches, boxers and beyond can use REAKT to help guide and also gain invaluable feedback and advice from other boxing experts, nuritionists, psychologists. S&C experts and beyond. Rehan states, 'We believe technology can help bridge the gap between those who have access to high-quality coaching and those who don’t. Our AI engine will allow us to collect gather and spread elite sports knowledge to the world.' Download the app on IOS here or on Android here Or take a look at the 'MarketPlace' Coaches below and submit a video for analysis! https://www.reakt.to/category/adamhaniver --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

We all have little sayings or quips we use with our boxers, a shared language. Today I share a few ‘punchlines’ i use at DISE and at my club. What saying or punchlines/metaphors do you use? Share away on our Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/groups/278290016683622/?ref=share_group_link --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

I’ve always found it difficult to apply sport psychology intentionally within my sessions. Sometimes it happens by accident, sometimes very little at all. Today I wanted to talk about some approaches which I hope will start having impact with the boxers over time in their performances. Caged Tiger! Love to hear your thoughts, experiences and advice on social media or at Adam@theboxgathering.co.uk --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

Quick one around covert ways to set conditions (constraints) to enhance the skill/art of ‘cutting off the ring’. Look forward to hearing your thoughts on the WhatsApp group or social media platforms. Or drop me a message on adam@theboxgathering.co.uk remember you can join the Box Gathering at www.theboxgathering.co.uk --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

Task constraints. Punches or targets? Today I talk about pros and cons of giving target constraints over punch constraints and (try) to tie it in with an ecologically approach to learning. Remember to visit www.theboxgathering.co.uk Also leave us a review on your chosen podcast platform, it really helps! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

The plane touches down in Zambia and they’ve lost your luggage. You get to your new quarters and find out there are barely any boxing gloves. You’ve got three months to get the Zambian national team ready for the Commonwealth Games. We speak to Captain Barry Philpott about his very unique challenge. From Zambia to Brum. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

Host of the fantastic, 'Combat Learning Podcast', Josh Peacock invited me on to talk around all things 'practice design' for combat sports. We talk around how we can change and adapt some traditional approaches to training and some of the theory around it. Josh is a fascianting guy with bags of knowledge in the skill acquisition and motor learning fields. Check Josh's website out at https://combatlearning.com/about/ for much more indispensable knowledge bombs! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

I got to watching some Patacake pads on Instagram last night and thought to myself we need to talk! But when do we leave a pad up and when do we present it? Just a few thoughts knocking around in my skull as to how this can affect skill acquisition and transfer. Look out for our The Box Gathering quizzes coming up on our website next week. Visit www.theboxgathering.co.uk --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

Along with his quality beard, Cal Jones has a great big brain and it's full of amazing stuff around how to create more effective combat learning sessions. Or, 'Representative Learning Design (RLD). He has a masters degree in advanced coaching practice and his main sport in which he coaches is Judo. Cal drops nugget after nugget around how we can all make our boxing practices more effective through applying REAL motor learning principles. I learned so much in the 40 odd minutes we chatted, so, happy listening! Cheers Cal. Get in contact with Cal on Twitter @CalJonesJudo --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

We put a condition in for the whole group and for some it’s fantastic development. But what about the others? Are they engaged are they receiving suitable development from the generic condition put in place? Today I share some of my recent experiences around the boxers choosing their own conditions to meet their individualised needs. Come and visit us at www.theboxgathering.co.uk --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message

How often as a sport when we are doing pads with our boxers do we either hold our feet and pad stood still and then progress it to punching and moving where essentially it’s the same thing we’ve done but in a different part of the ring? How does punching on the move help develop realism that mirrors the actual demands of the sport? Can we teach punching on the move earlier then what we traditionally do? Will the benefits outweigh the negatives? As usual, would love to hear your thoughts and opinions so please go to www.theboxgathering.co.uk Meanwhile Ivan and I have made some 90 second videos all around different approaches to boxing coaching which are on the ‘coaching ideas tab’ on the website. Become a gold member to access them and then join our WhatsApp group to discuss the pros and cons of each video. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theboxgathering/message