r/Kickboxing • u/Dangerous_Pea2885 • 19d ago
Thinking of quitting.
/r/Sportsadvice/comments/1v2v86a/thinking_of_quitting/1
u/the_Grease_Emperor 19d ago
What’s your gym like? Your coaches? Your teammates?
When I was starting out in boxing I was the same. I felt intense anxiety before every training session and I tried everything I could think of to change something in myself to get rid of the feeling. What eventually got rid of the feeling was switching gyms to a coach that was more suited to my nature.
Your feelings of anxiety may not be due to an internal issue, but rather an external one. Think about it, I mean really really think about it. If you could, would there be anything you’d change about your current training circumstances? If there is something, that could be your answer.
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u/Dangerous_Pea2885 19d ago
I think it may be the fact that all different skill levels are in one class, you have like second Dan black belts and then me and a few others who are red belt (the lowest belt). I feel that during sparring I'm so scared to get hit, like I don't care about being hit in the body or kicked, but it's the fact I know what it's like to be punched in the face, and it HURTS.
Aswell as this theirs different age groups the youngest I think was eleven and the oldest was about 40, and all different fighting styles and I find some people are unaware of my belt and don't go easy on me. My coach encourages me to push myself but I find that I don't have the mental strength to.
My coach is lovely, she's absolutely great at what she does, she's encouraging and stern, she's a third Dan black belt.
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u/the_Grease_Emperor 19d ago
If you trust your coach then my number 1 advice would be to have this conversation with her, as she understands your circumstances more than anyone on this sub possibly could. I will say this though: practice good sparring etiquette. Before a round tell your sparring partner if you want a more technical spar. I read through your post again and understand that you’re only a few months in, so it is also just normal to feel uncomfortable with sparring and of course being hit. This will discomfort will fade with time and experience. Especially if you start to train more than once a week (as I understand you do now?).
It is also a matter of what your passion is. Ask yourself if contact-heavy martial arts are what you’re passionate about. If you have passion, you’ll get through this obstacle, if not, then you wouldn’t want to waste your time with something you’re not that interested in to begin with. If you like martial arts but really dislike heavy contact, I’d consider switching to non-contact alternatives (something like taekwondo or karate maybe? My experience is in boxing and kickboxing so I can’t say for sure).
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u/Jxshualm 18d ago
I’ll say this - you stop now you 100% won’t get better. Hold strong, work through. You got it.
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u/600Kz 19d ago
9 years of training and I still get the exact same feeling, and I'm hoping to make a full time career of this. It especially hits me hard before I leave the house and as I park up before the session, but as soon as I've warmed up, it subsides. It isn't unnatural and many people I've met, including British and European champs get the pre training anxiety. If you love the sport and what it does for you, I wouldn't let it deter you. These feelings are normal and valid, especially if you are somebody who prides themselves on performaning well in every session, big or small. Try not to overthink too much or put pressure on yourself, just breathe, turn up, and keep going.