Ymca

[swfl]

Good evening. Last week I called the local YMCA to see if they had an interest in starting a speed bag program. Today the call came in from the director of sports and next Wednesday we are having a meeting to discuss the specifics. My question tonight.. Has anyone done this? What was the turn out? Any suggestions? My intent is to provide up to 4 stations with my standard homemade platforms, bags and swivels and install them at their location. Any advice appreciated.

[Speedbag]

Good evening. Last week I called the local YMCA to see if they had an interest in starting a speed bag program. Today the call came in from the director of sports and next Wednesday we are having a meeting to discuss the specifics. My question tonight.. Has anyone done this?

Yes. Myself and several other "teachers" have held training seminars or teaching programs in other locations. I've done numerous seminars, with and without help, and you might also consider our yearly gathering as a similar situation, without the oversight of YMCA policies. Anytime you teach someone, you must first assess where they are skill wise, and have some understanding of what they are doing right or wrong. The bag will normally tell you what they are doing wrong, because it will not cooperate. duh. But you must be able to see and understand what they are doing wrong that is making the bag uncooperative. It could be fist positions, swing angle, punching force, bag height, crappy swivel, warped bag or wrong size bag for their skill level, or perhaps they are trying to do a combination they saw Skunk or ebozyn or some other advanced bagger do online and they want to do it, and that combination is far beyond their ability to understand, let alone do. You can anticipate that since speed bag is so prevalent on youtube.

What was the turn out?

Turn out is hard to predict and depends on if it is a "one time seminar" or an ongoing program. People that are interested are normally more responsive to a "one time" seminar, (1,2 or 3 days) only because they know it's now or never if they are interested. Regularly scheduled, on going programs let people 'put off' signing up right now, because they can join later.

Any suggestions? My intent is to provide up to 4 stations with my standard homemade platforms, bags and swivels and install them at their location. Any advice appreciated.

Actually, I could make plenty of suggestions.

First I suggest you access management and membership interest. IF there is presently NO speed bag set up there, and no heavy bags or martial arts programs it may be difficult to access any real interest on the part of the membership. If enough members were screaming for bags and programs then you would assume the equipment might already be there.

Second, most YMCA locations want some assurance of the quality and credibility of the instructor. Just because a guy likes to lift weights and work out does not make him a qualified instructor to offer personal or group weight or fitness training programs to people of all ages, health issues and goals (gain weight, add bulk, lose weight, rehab an injured joint etc.) that the YMCA facility will be liable for IF that guy who likes to lift weights is listed as "their instructor". Any injury or unwanted affect of their interactions could create liability issues. In my YMCA all of the "trainers" have to have some type of certification via one or more organizations such as: ACE, NASM, ISSA, IFPA, ACSM or several others.

Of course, there is no recognized "speed bag certification" per se, so they may ask (I would anticipate this..) Why YOU are qualified to do this and what is your experience doing it. What are you goals for the program, what is your teaching method, etc. For this reason I was contacted by Ernie Oriente Sr. He wanted to teach speed bag at the Evalyn Sadlier Jones YMCA branch in Sarasota Florida. That YMCA branch does not allow any official "instructors" to teach scheduled classes without some type of certification, so he contacted me to certify him as an instructor, using my book and DVD information. I wasn't (and won't) going to hand out some certification document (I made it up) for teaching "my system" without being assured that he really did understand my technique terminology, techniques versus combinations and skill level to at least demonstrate most of the basic skills. This all ended up with me going to Sarasota, doing training seminars for members and spending a lot of time with Ernie. YMCA management also attended one of the seminars. It ending with me giving him a "certification form" that he was qualified to be a speed bag instructor (in my opinion, but the Y wanted a certification form to put on file), which has received a bit of press coverage for him. I have had several other "trainers" contact me for the same thing, however even the most basic conversation with them tells me they did not understand my system or have a clue how to teach it, they just think they are qualified because they are pretty good at doing a few fist punches and combinations, normally in triplet rhythm, perhaps passing a single fist through, Maybe do a few elbow strikes, but usually they didn't know what I was talking about.

I said all that to say this: You might want to bring your copy of the speed bag bible with you, and the DVD. They may ask if it will be available for members and yes it will. How it is available may depend on if people have to sign up and PAY for your classes, or if the classes are free. The book is also available in all digital formats. You will need to think about training materials because they may ask. Of course I will support you via discounts on the paper back and DVD for your students if it comes to that.

If there is a speed bag in the facility, they may want you to demonstrate on it. Then during your demonstration of skill you can also be showing them how you would teach "A beginner". IF there is no speed bag there, then have some video clips for them to see you hit, and perhaps explain what you are doing. I would anticipate they will be making some type of evaluation of your skill and understanding of teaching it. they might not say it out loud, but they will consider it.

As for the class structure itself, that might depend on the time of each session (one hour or so?) how many days a week or month you will do it, if people pay to take it or is it free, will you do a group warm up or not, will you do a group teaching of certain skills or is it individual instruction only, And if you will have help. It is not easy for one instructor to monitor 4 speed bag stations going at once, particularly if every person expects you to spend a fair amount of time with them. It is also hard to explain something to someone with three other people standing next to you pounding away on a speed bag. It is also difficult to teach a "sound based" skill or combination when three other bags are blasting away. The specifics of class structure can be outlined later, and if it was me I would base that on how many people are attending as well as the skill levels, ages, height and goals of those people.

If it was me, I would opt for a few scheduled monthly speed bag seminars to access interest. I've attempted to hold weekly "classes" on several different occasions but that never lasted very long, and I would end up just meeting the really interested guys individually. Four stations might be a goal to shoot for down the road if the interest is really there. If classes don't make then you might be able to offer your teaching as an "extra" for members who want to schedule time with you. It is much easier from a teaching perspective to have one or two really dedicated students versus 20 in a room who won't last a month.

I would suggest emphasizing the creative, rhythmic aspects of punching the bag, it's adaptability to all ages, sizes and using it with other equipment (cycles, step machines or devices), the "speed bag demon" measurement system, which has been updated tremendously since this model. The fitness world is becoming a data driven activity, and people and their trainers want to keep specific information of their progress. For that level of speed bagger, the speed demon is a very valuable tool. I doubt the Y management knows there is a very accurate and comprehensive measurement system now available to measure everything imaginable on a speed bag. Punches per minute, punch rate per minute, rebounds per minute, total time punching, and challenge level modes to push the person faster and longer. By the way, the new model doesn't care if you hit the bag from the front, back or sides. It measures everything, triplet rhythm, double bounce or single rebounds.

I personally don't emphasize the "boxing" issue, and normally tell people this is NOT a boxing class, only because most people always associate the speed bag with boxing. Many people may not want their kids doing it because they don't want them involved in Boxing. It sounds silly but you may have to tell more than one person your are only punching bags, not people.

I'm very excited to hear about your opportunity, for it could be exciting for you and a great opportunity for speed bagging to get a foothold in your Y location. I hope none of the above sounds scary or a bit overwhelming. And for your specific situation it may also be all crap, for they not ask or be concerned about any of the above - especially the teaching credential part, but I would give some thought to those areas just in case they do.

Hope this helps and good luck. I will certainly be glad to offer whatever help I can as issues come up, and feel free to PM me if you need more specifics as the idea goes forward.

[swfl]

Thank you Alan, Wise words. Charitable work typically turns into more than anticipated.

[Speedbag]

Thank you Alan, Wise words. Charitable work typically turns into more than anticipated.

Yes, it does but Let's hope not. Maybe they will just let you hang the equipment and do your thing "unofficially". My YMCA also has a few members that are trainers at local "crossfit" and they meet some of their clients who are also Y members in the weight room and doing some of their stuff, and a few small groups gather at times in the combative room with a portable TV or computer to watch and follow their P90X videos. I know this crowd, for they want the speed bags silenced in the room so they can hear and follow the video's. (the "combat room" is a converted racquetball court, echo chamber.)

They do all this under the radar without recognition as a YMCA program, I guess it's just members working out at the Y as far as they are concerned, using the YMCA space and equipment, just like any other members. This is the list of YMCA classes and groups at the Y I go to. Every class leader has to have some qualifications to be there and be endorsed by the Y. You don't see anything related to crossfit or P90x, but I see those activities every day I go. Again, I imagine the Y stance is, those are members doing their own thing. I also know there are a few unscheduled groups the meet for racquetball instruction, all unadvertised. Members find others of similar interests. Years ago I taught a bit of speed bag there myself, on a regular basis and it was never officially listed. Last summer I was meeting a few high school students up there to teach them a bit, unofficially no pay or scheduling, just "hey I'll be back next Thursday...". That is how I know the P90x crowd didn't really appreciate "the noise" of sharing the same space with the speed bags. I also told them they were other open racquetball courts. I could not move the speed bag wall units, but their table and laptop could be easily moved to any other location. duh.

The paid personal training staff at my Y location are listed here. Notice there is some kind of certification or educational qualification to be listed. I imagine that is why Ernie needed to have a "certification" for teaching speed bag. His classes were listed and promoted for a while as a YMCA program on their website and in their brochures.

Don't let any of that worry you. Have the meeting and keep an open mind. At best they may say, "great, we'll hang the equipment and you do your thing".