An Odd Request From A Coach In Welland

I would like to start off by saying congrats to Junmar. His class was full yesterday:

Wow.
I arrived late, because the Mississauga bus was late as usual. I really could not get in to participate in his class, so I did my own training.
Junmar's classes are always very popular, and it looks like some people from Bloor have followed him to Stockyards.
Although I like his class, there is really not much boxing involved. Richard would much prefer his boxers go to his technical boxing classes on weekends. I do that too!
Richards has also announced more Tai Chi classes. That is good news.
While we are on the topic of Stockyards, there was some really good boxing this past Friday. I video recorded all of the matches, and I am currently editing them. Most will be available for viewing soon.
However, I did receive a rather odd request from the coach of Nappers Boxing in Welland. He wanted me to remove his boxers' bouts from YouTube. However, he wants a DVD copy of them.
Yeah, let me think about this, mmmmmmm.....No.
His reason for this? He is worried that another coach might study his boxers. Oh, no! That is the last thing we want. Shit.
Give it a break. I sense a bit of paranoia. This is amateur boxing. I am sure the coaches have better things to do with their time. I know Richard does not have time for that crap. Just focus on coaching your own athletes. Don't worry about others.
The piss off part for me is that he still expects me to use my time to produce a DVD for him.
I have decided that this one time only, I will  honor his request, but not again.
Okay, let me explain how this works. It is obvious that some people don't understand this extremely complicated procedure.
A sporting event is news, that means that anyone can go to the event and video record or photograph the event. The finished product then belongs to the person who shot the event, and  therefore can use and distribute said material in any manner.
Secondly, D-I-T-O Productions is a non-profit organization. We rely on revenue from Google AdSense to help pay for the production costs, and uploading costs. It helps keep the costs of our hard copies minimal, and in some cases, free. If we remove videos, we are no longer paid for that video, and therefore will have to increase the costs of the hard copies, which used to be free for coaches.
Third, it takes a lot of my time to edit and upload these. I think it is very rude and disrespectful of my time to ask me to remove something. Therefore, I will not do it again.
The new rates for hard copies of bouts are as follows: Blu-ray copies will increase from $9 to $15, DVD copies will increase from $4 to $10, and Unauthored DVDs (RAW files) will increase from $1 to $5, and no more "First copy free for coaches", effective now.
Now, as I continue to rant, on to one of my favorite organizations, Boxing Ontario. Yes, you all know how much I like them.
I am in the process of filing the Bureaucratic Bullshit paperwork that is required to become registered, so I can do hard sparring. Rick said that I need a full Boxing Ontario membership to do sparring, even if I don't compete.
I asked Rick how he felt, because I do not want to "invest" $57 into Ripoff Ontario for nothing. If I don't have a chance in hell, why bother?  Richard then said, "OK, let me work with you a bit more, first".
Shit. That is not the answer I wanted to hear, but I guess I asked for it. My fault...my fault.
Anyway, I am thinking of lying about my age on the registration form. I am putting 1972 as my birthday.  First of all, I feel that it would be real difficult to get opponents if I put my real age. Secondly, they really don't need to know my real age. They can't stop me from boxing based on age, anyway. Therefore, what difference does it make?
Boxing Ontario can reboot my Wang.

Paul "The Brick" Brec
Member of the Stockyards Boxing Team

Sparring Report From Bloor and "Fight Night 2"

Well, Richard is really doing a good job on the gym. He has added a few nice touches.

Stockyards Boxing Gym

You have to like the boxing gloves hanging above the desk, but Richard, the wimpy speakers have to go.

Very "Old School"

Wimpy speakers

While I am on the topic of Stockyards, I would like to remind everyone that this Friday evening, October 21, is "Fight Night 2". Please come out and support us. The bouts start at 8:00. I will be video recording all the bouts again, and most will be available on YouTube and DVD/Blu-ray.
"Fight Night 1" is now available on hi-def Blu-ray. You get five exciting bouts from Stockyards' first boxing event. Each is $10. Contact me if interested.
There has been a bit of a change for "Fight Night 2". The arena is not allowing Richard to use the hockey change rooms, so he will have to use his broom closet change rooms. Really? Hmmm...I remember someone mentioning something like that before...? Oh, yeah, it was me. Something about Bullshit Boulevard. So, once again Paul is rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.......................???

Moving on to Bloor Gym. We had another very good sparring session this evening.

Sparring class, Thursdays at 8:30 PM

There were some pretty big guys in there, including one who is close to a professional level. Yes, I sparred him, and I have to say I did quite well. I was able to break right through his defense and impressed the hell out of the instructor.  Hmmm....I did well against a soon-to-be pro? Well, Pacquiao, you're next!  

Sparring instructor look on as myself and other boxer wait our turn.

I sparred this big dude on the right, he hits hard, but has weak defense.

That is all for this report. Not a lot to say. Not a lot is bothering me. Yeah, I know, surprise. Enjoy this post, it is not often I am not complaining.

Paul "The Brick" Brec

One step Forward, Two Steps Back...I Used To Know How To Box

Well, I am beginning to get comfortable with my new coach. He has a completely different way of teaching...common sense.
I have so far learned a lot from Rick.  I have had a bad habit of leaning forward and becoming off balance. It is amazing that Richard was able to find a simple fix for this that was easy to understand.
It is amazing that the other boxing gym (Kingsway), made the sport so complicated. One of the coaches actually wrote a 50 or so page manual on boxing. Seriously. I still have it. Believe me, boxing is not that complicated. No wonder I was getting so confused. The object of boxing is to score points, and to keep your opponent from scoring. Yeah, imagine that!
I'm sorry to keep bringing up Kingsway, but it really annoys me the time and money I wasted there. Trust me, don't ever go to Kingsway. You are much better off going to Stockyards. You are even better off going to Bloor for that matter.
Yes, I am once again having to "start over", but this coach is very different.Between Rick's coaching, Junmar's training, and Tony's Tai Chi, I think I am in good hands.
Now, I have to discuss Bloor Fitness, again. As I have been mentioning, I am questioning what the hell is going on there. I have now heard that they want to start having live boxing again, and they are still talking about becoming certified for teaching competition boxing. That's great, but who's going to teach? They don't have any certified coaches. Is Paul going to teach? Give me a break. He has no interest in coaching. The man has a shit-fit over a bit of sparring. If he is interested in teaching, instead of lecturing, he'd coach us. If they are going to certify for competition, they have to start  allowing sparring. That is part of training for boxing.
Anyway, based on all this, I have created my fall schedule for boxing training. This schedule will be in affect until the Holidays:

SUNDAY 2:30 PM-3:30 PM, Tia Chi with Tony at Stockyards
MONDAY (off) At-home training
TUESDAY 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM, Boxing Training with Junmar at Stockyards
WEDNESDAY 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM, Open Training at Stockyards
THURSDAY 8:30 PM - 10:00 PM, Light Sparring Class with Kobe at Bloor
FRIDAY (off) At-home training
SATURDAY 10:00 AM - 12:00 NOON, Technical Boxing and Sparring with Richard at Stockyards

Paul "The Brick" Brec

Is Tai Chi Good For Boxers? Let's Find Out!

Yes, you read that correctly. The big, bad boxer has tried Tai Chi Chuan.
In an interesting turn of events, Richard Souce has hired a Kung Fu master to teach at Stockyards Fitness. This now makes Stockyards the only fitness center in Toronto that teaches Chinese Arts. Yes, there are martial arts schools that teach these, but not a fitness center.
It looks like Rick is getting very aggressive when it comes to getting new members.  I have heard that he has recently spoke with the manager of the Ryerson Rams hockey team, who play at George Bell Arena, and he is trying to get the entire team to train at Stockyards. If that happens, that is going to be a huge boost to his membership drive. All those players telling other people about how great it is to train at Stockyards!
One thing about Rick is that he is not money-hungry like some other gyms, not mentioning any names (Kingsway). He told me himself that he likes teaching, and would be perfectly happy just breaking-even. Honestly, he is putting a lot of work into this, and I feel that he deserves all the members he can get.
The new instructor is Tony, and he is a Chinese Martial Arts expert. He is a really nice guy, so I thought I'd give him a chance, and try his class.

What does it look like when a boxer tries Tai Chi? Answer: Dork.

Anyone who does not believe this art works, needs to try it. This is actually based on Kung Fu, and can be used for self defense. The idea behind this is, a lot of stretching and breathing. Some of the movements can be used for blocking strikes.

Yeah, I got it....I think?

 It is all about getting everything into one fluid motion while controlling breathing. It seems simple from the outside, but once you try it yourself, you will learn otherwise.

OK, so I hold the ball like this?

I guess you are all wondering, will I be taking this class again? The answer is "Yes". There is a lot more to learn and I feel that this could at least help with my boxing training. I will be going every Sunday I can to learn more about this interesting Chinese art.
Tony also knows weapons, sword and Bo Staff. Maybe he will teach me those too. Yeah, imagine me with a sword?
TAI CHI CHUAN DEMO AT STOCKYARDS GYM
To sum up about Stockyards, it is great to see this is working out for Richard. He deserves it. He is working very hard, and is not being greedy about it. Congratulations, Rick. Looking good.
This past Saturday, Rick let me do some sparring with Junmar. I was really worried that Junmar would make me look like an idiot. Quite on the contrary, he was a great teacher. However, Rick did say that if I wanted to continue sparring, I would need my Boxing Ontario certification. I hope he understands that I am kind of reluctant to do that. It is a $57 fee, plus regular physical check-ups, and about 75 forms to fill in. It is not just the money, put it is a bit of a pain in the ass. I don't mind doing it, if it is going to get me somewhere. However, remember the disaster at Kingsway? That whole experience was a huge waste of time. I really need to sit down with Rick and discuss this. If he wants me to get a competitive certification, and will take the time to train me for such, then I will happily get certification.
Before I finish up today's entry,  I would like to comment about Bloor Fitness. I have to say again, that I really like it there. However, I am noticing a lot of drama going on there. Reading my past entries on this blog, I have noticed that a lot of the drama that restricts my goal to become a boxer again, is surrounded around Bloor.  Last week's "blow-up" by Paul, was almost the last straw. One of the reasons I like Bloor Fitness is that they really do have great customer service. However, I have been working in customer service myself for 12 years, and the rules of customer service are very easy. Rule Number One: The customer is always right...Rule Number Two: If the customer is wrong, see rule number one.
Even if Paul is right about the whole sparring thing, he should not be lecturing the members. We are his customers, and keep him in business.
With all of the improvements that are going on at Stockyards, the need to train at Bloor is decreasing. Although I like to convenience of Bloor Fitness being close and open 24 hours, I do not need all the extra drama. As I keep saying, "I just want to be a boxer, damnit." I think I am going to make this my nickname for now.
I appreciate what the staff at Bloor are doing, but I think there is a lot of "infighting" between the staff, manager, and owner. I may notice it more because I have been there a long time, and know everyone there. I hate to say it, eventually other members are going to notice it as well. That is not good for a business.
Yes, I am keeping my Bloor membership for now. I will be going in for Thursday's sparring, until "Party-Pooper Paul" puts a stop to it. However, I think for now, the majority of my training will be at Stockyards. The fact that there is no shower at Stockyards is becoming less of an issue. It is surprising what a spray bottle can do!
Enough for now....

Paul "I Just Want To Be A Boxer Damnit" Brec

Sparring Days May Be Numbered At Bloor

Well, I went in today for sparring class at Bloor Fitness, and the owner Paul Ryan was there. It is unusual for him to be there so late, but there was a reason.
Apparently, he was not aware of all of these sparring sessions. To put it lightly, he had a shit-fit. I 'm not sure if you remember when I mentioned that I have never experienced one of his lectures? Now I have. Lucky me.
I have to say that to a certain extent he is right. Bloor is not certified for sparring. At the same time, he said that we were doing hard sparring, and not wearing headgear.  Well, we were not wearing headgear because we were supposed to be soft sparring.
I would have thought that if the staff of Bloor were allowing sparring, that it had been cleared by Paul. However, the staff are trying to keep the members happy by doing what was requested.
I think this is one of those situations where everyone is right and let's agree to disagree.
I don't think there is anything wrong with doing light sparring with supervision, and from what I hear, despite Paul's shit-fit, they will continue the light sparring sessions. That is good. I came very close to cancelling by Bloor membership today.
After class ended, somebody, I will not say whom, was throwing the medicine ball around. It was not me by the way. It bounced of the floor, and hit the mirror. The mirror is now broken. It was an accident, but I can see Paul having another shit-fit.
The old guy is going to have a stoke over all this.
In other gym news: Barry Llewelyn, one of the former owners of the Lansdowne Boxing gym, is planning on opening a new location in the Yonge and Finch area. I will update you on that news as it becomes available.
As far as Stockyards goes, I went back on Wednesday. Richard and Junmar were very happy to see me. Rick gave me some boxing instruction. He was kind of surprised that I have kind of "forgotten" my basic boxing skills. I had to remind Rick of all of the previous coaches I have had. I'm confused damn it!
Rick said "Yeah, I understand, you went through all that, and then went to Kingsway---" He did not finish that sentence, but I will finish it for him, ---they completely fucked me up...!
Looks like things are getting dramatic again. Why, why, why...me?
I just want to be a boxer, damn it!


Paul "The Brick" Brec

"Weighting" the Gyms, Which Is the Best ?

Things have been a bit slow on the boxing front. Stockyards has just re-opened, and I have been doing some regular training at Bloor.
I sometimes get people asking me about finding a place to train, and how to find a good boxing gym.
I would like to take this opportunity to talk about boxing gyms, and gyms in general. I have tried a few in the Toronto area, and would like to present this "Consumer Report On Toronto Gyms".
Some of these are boxing gyms, some are regular gyms but have boxing facilities. Ratings will be out of 10. Only gyms that I have attended will be rated.
None of the gyms rated received a 10 / 10, but a couple came close.
Without further interruption, here it is:

Goodlife Fitness, fitness center with boxing equipment at some locations.  RATING:  3 / 10
A very "typical" chain fitness center. Impersonal and a bit on the expensive side. In addition to the high monthly fees, they always try to sell you personal training, which nobody really needs. Personal training for six months costs about $5000, and they seem to think it is no big deal. Oh, $5000, just like that. Yeah, I have that right here in my wallet.
They were also very reluctant to cancel membership after the contract period. They kept billing me for a month after, and then claimed to have not received the cancellation request. They also did not refund me for the month they were supposed to have cancelled.
OVERALL: NOT RECOMMENDED

Premier Fitness, fitness center with boxing equipment at some locations. RATING: 4 / 10
Very similar to Goodlife, except that I did not have so many problems with cancelling the membership
They also want to sell you a rediculously-priced personal training packages. Also, the boxing facilities cost extra, which they don't tell you up-front.
Update: Premier Fitness went bankrupt, and most locations have closed, while other locations were taken over by other companies.
OVERALL: NOW CLOSED

Extreme Couture, MMA gym with boxing. RATING: 6 / 10
I took a couple of trial classes here. I have to say it is nothing special. There is not really anything bad about it. It is a fine-quality gym, just don't get suckered into the "Couture" name. Although this gym offers boxing, they are not certified for competition. They offer classes and recreational boxing only.
OVERALL: NOTHING SPECIAL

Kingsway Boxing Club, Competition boxing club with fitness facilities with two locations. RATING: 0 / 10
I have to say this is the absolute worst boxing facility I have ever set foot in. In the eight months I was there none of the "coaches" were able to deliver what they promised. They put up a nice fake front, and pretend to care, but when you want to question them about something, they get upset. Also, the training is very negative.When you don't learn as fast as they want, or don't understand something, the "coaches" would reply with a sarcastic response. Also, the fees are very high for what they have to offer. The most expensive boxing gym in Toronto. It is clear they care only about money, and not about the quality of coaching.
OVERALL: STAY AWAY, FAR AWAY! 

Lansdowne Boxing Gym, Competition boxing club. Now defunct. RATING: 7 / 10
This was a good gym, but has since closed.
OVERALL: IT IS CLOSED, GOOD LUCK

Bloor Street Fitness,  (UPDATED) Fitness center with boxing facilities and a ring. RATING: 5 / 10
I have to say this is one of the better fitness centers in Toronto.  There is 24/7 key-card access. I also like how they often encourage feedback from the members, and will usually try what is suggested. The boxing facility was dying, and I suggested they revive it. They did. They now even offer supervised soft sparring classes. The only negative thing is some of the other members are not the greatest people in the world to exercise with. This seems to be a big problem at this location. It is not the fault of management, but it can in some cases reduce the enjoyment of the facilities. However, the great staff and the rest of the members outbalance the idiots.
OVERALL: NOT RECOMMENDED See new review here:  NEW REVIEW

Stockyards Boxing Gym, (UPDATED) Competition boxing facility. RATING: 9 / 10
This facility is also called Stockyards Boxing and Fitness, but they specialize in boxing.  The coach is a former professional boxer whose opponents list includes Hector "Macho" Camacho. The facility here is new, and the coaching is great. You can tell that the coaches and trainers really enjoy teaching. They are patient and understanding, and if you show your seriousness about the sport, they will do their best to help you. The only thing that keeps this gym from getting a "10", is the lack of a shower facility. I don't know how they overlooked this. You sweat...you shower...it is a very simple concept. I have a work-around. I bring my own. It is amazing what a spray bottle can do. Anyway, if they install a shower, this gym would be a perfect "10".
OVERALL: RECOMMENDED See new review here:  NEW REVIEW

That is all for now.  If you are interested in further information about any of these gyms, let me know.

Paul "The Brick" Brec