Coaching & Cornering experience. What's better for the fighter?

[Jimi]

I recently have been bumping heads with another member with a differing opinion. So I pose the question here, For Amateur Full Contact Fighting, Western Boxing, North American Kickboxing, K-1 Or Muay Thai, is it better to have someone trained or experienced in Coaching & Cornering from a Boxing or Kickboxing background? Or do any of you feel that Instructor Rank (Black Belt) is sufficient to field a Full Contact Fighter? I brought this here to keep others from feeling my questions & opinions are attacking them. I feel it is a good thing, and am not saying that Martial Artists can't train Kickboxers (Which may be someone else's opinion). Please give me your opinions.

 

[Nolerama]

Man, I think it's all on perspective. If the corner/coach is aware of his fighter's strengths/weaknesses and is able to convey his coaching calmly, forcefully, and over the noise of the crowd and the fighter's own headgames, then I think that person is a functional, effective corner/coach.

In terms of boxing/kickboxing/full contact fighting/etc, I think the corner needs to be somewhat aware of the fighter's game. Don't some fighters have a family member corner instead of the coach? Is a black belt needed? Nope. Does experience in training count? Heck yeah it does. There's a balance between credential and capability. Some people have more of one than the other. Personally, I'd hope to be capable as a cornerman for one of my training partners rather than have a black belt for the sake of having one in order to "properly" corner. But then again, I'm training at an MMA gym where belt/ranks aren't as important as other things.

It all depends on the individual and that person's relationship with the fighter. IMO.

 

[searcher]

I feel that if I were a swimmer I would want a person with swimming to be my coach, not a diving instructor.

If I am kickboxing, I want someone who has experience with kickboxing experience to be coaching me. This would be the same for MMA, sport fighting, or anything else. I have seen guys with little to no experience coaching try their best to help a fighter out and it never seems to end well.

 

[jarrod]

there's a lot more to coaching than knowing & conveying the material. i do a good job of preparing & instructing my fighters, but when they fight my coach comes with us to direct the actual corner work.

i think that you can coach with a minimum amount of your own ring experience, but you should be well trained in coaching & cornering.

jf

 

[searcher]

but when they fight my coach comes with us to direct the actual corner work.

Are you talking about Duane? If you are, I would say that his ring experience helps him in a great many ways.

 

[jarrod]

Are you talking about Duane? If you are, I would say that his ring experience helps him in a great many ways.

absolutely. i try to get his ring experience by osmosis, since i've only competed in a ring a handful of times.

jf

 

[searcher]

absolutely. i try to get his ring experience by osmosis, since i've only competed in a ring a handful of times.

jf

GL with that. I tried getting some knowledge from sparring him in a few point matches.

I will have to admit, that with his advice, I won a few more matches and tourneys then I would have without him on my side of the ring.

 

[jarrod]

GL with that. I tried getting some knowledge from sparring him in a few point matches.

I will have to admit, that with his advice, I won a few more matches and tourneys then I would have without him on my side of the ring.

dwane's teaching style is really unique. i've talked to several people who complained that they had a real hard time learning from him, but i've always understood him well. a lot of people don't like how much sparring we do, but it's the fastest way for me to learn personally.

it's kind of funny, i've never trained in a CMA, but after kickboxing with dwane so long i can typically follow the concepts of CMA fairly well. we played with starting a san shou class, but it didn't really take off.

jf