Loyalty & Muay Thai - what should I do?

H

Hatake88

Blue Belt
@Blue
Joined
Jun 9, 2011
Messages
618
Reaction score
106
Hey guys

I'm currently stuck in a pickle. Any thoughts are welcomed.

So basically, a new gym popped up near where I live a year ago. I saw they were hiring coaches so I sent them a message. My 12 month contract with my original gym was up and I thought I had nothing to lose. The new gym called me in, the head trainer held pads for me, and watched me spar. They ended up hiring me to teach beginners a couple of times a week. Paid gig and my membership got comped. I've been treated well during my time there.

The problem is, because this gym is new and situated in a relatively homely suburb, it doesn't really have anyone of super high level. A couple of guys has done a few smokers but the win to loss ratio is 3 or 4 losses for every win.

I have had recurring thoughts about fighting again and, to be honest, don't trust in my current gym's fight prep. I don't feel as though I am progressing in terms of skill when I do the MT classes and I don't feel the trainers there have the necessary experience to help me succeed (at least 2 of the coaches there haven't fought before).

The gym owner of my original gym called me recently and said that my friend needed some help prepping for his fight. I ended up going back and doing some sessions at my old gym and the instruction is much better. After having helped my friend for several sessions, the original gym owner sat me down and told me to come back and to once again fight out of that team.

I am torn as I don't know what to do. I'm getting money and am being taught how to be a coach at my current gym but I don't see myself ever fighting out of there. I think training at the original gym will really benefit me (even if its just to improve my skill) but I don't know how to approach the topic with my current head coach. Alternatively, I can train at the original gym behind my current gym's back but that seems kind of dog. Ideally, I want to fight out of both gyms but, again, don't know how to have that conversation.

Any tips/comments are much appreciated. What will you do?
 
Hatake88 said:
Hey guys

I'm currently stuck in a pickle. Any thoughts are welcomed.

So basically, a new gym popped up near where I live a year ago. I saw they were hiring coaches so I sent them a message. My 12 month contract with my original gym was up and I thought I had nothing to lose. The new gym called me in, the head trainer held pads for me, and watched me spar. They ended up hiring me to teach beginners a couple of times a week. Paid gig and my membership got comped. I've been treated well during my time there.

The problem is, because this gym is new and situated in a relatively homely suburb, it doesn't really have anyone of super high level. A couple of guys has done a few smokers but the win to loss ratio is 3 or 4 losses for every win.

I have had recurring thoughts about fighting again and, to be honest, don't trust in my current gym's fight prep. I don't feel as though I am progressing in terms of skill when I do the MT classes and I don't feel the trainers there have the necessary experience to help me succeed (at least 2 of the coaches there haven't fought before).

The gym owner of my original gym called me recently and said that my friend needed some help prepping for his fight. I ended up going back and doing some sessions at my old gym and the instruction is much better. After having helped my friend for several sessions, the original gym owner sat me down and told me to come back and to once again fight out of that team.

I am torn as I don't know what to do. I'm getting money and am being taught how to be a coach at my current gym but I don't see myself ever fighting out of there. I think training at the original gym will really benefit me (even if its just to improve my skill) but I don't know how to approach the topic with my current head coach. Alternatively, I can train at the original gym behind my current gym's back but that seems kind of dog. Ideally, I want to fight out of both gyms but, again, don't know how to have that conversation.

Any tips/comments are much appreciated. What will you do?
Click to expand...

Unless you are being paid enough by one gym, to warrant a non-compete contract, there is no legitimate reason you shouldn't freelance between the two gyms if it benefits you. If coaching is something you would like to do, then take it from me. You being a coach is YOUR business, regardless if you're coaching in X gym, Y gym, or getting clients doing padwork in the park and sprinting up and down hills - you have to make the decision that benefits you ultimately + that might mean upsetting some people along the way.

Jonathan Haggerty trains between Team Underground, Knowlsey (who frequently corner him for fights) and Keddles Gym - he darts about, there's no reason he should to. So long as you are able to have positive relationships with everyone you train with, your 'loyalty' shouldn't matter, you are paying for a service.
 
Gym loyalty is overrated, at the end of the day you are a paying customer. If you find a better deal and it aligns with your needs, then take it.

Now if you joined for the purpose of making friends and feel you really don't want to compromise this then stay I guess.

I joined originally for a mix of things, and making new friends with the social aspect was a large part of it. When my old coach basically was fucking me and I left, most of who I thought were my friends weren't. Tribal draw lines in the sand kind of thing. Some very close teammates ended up being close friends and we're still in contact all the time.

Really it's up to you, but you have no obligation to the gym if it doesn't benefit you. Now if youre paid and have a contract that might make things a bit messier but for most of ppl out there that's not the case.

When it comes to combat sports it's a two-way street. You pay gym dues to keep the lights on the facility running, and in exchange you get knowledge and an environment where you can practice it freely. When one side of that relationship gets tarnished it's time to leave. No one would tolerate otherwise in a work contract or business deal, why make it different for a glorified sports club
 
Last edited:
Hatake88 said:
Hey guys

I'm currently stuck in a pickle. Any thoughts are welcomed.

So basically, a new gym popped up near where I live a year ago. I saw they were hiring coaches so I sent them a message. My 12 month contract with my original gym was up and I thought I had nothing to lose. The new gym called me in, the head trainer held pads for me, and watched me spar. They ended up hiring me to teach beginners a couple of times a week. Paid gig and my membership got comped. I've been treated well during my time there.

The problem is, because this gym is new and situated in a relatively homely suburb, it doesn't really have anyone of super high level. A couple of guys has done a few smokers but the win to loss ratio is 3 or 4 losses for every win.

I have had recurring thoughts about fighting again and, to be honest, don't trust in my current gym's fight prep. I don't feel as though I am progressing in terms of skill when I do the MT classes and I don't feel the trainers there have the necessary experience to help me succeed (at least 2 of the coaches there haven't fought before).

The gym owner of my original gym called me recently and said that my friend needed some help prepping for his fight. I ended up going back and doing some sessions at my old gym and the instruction is much better. After having helped my friend for several sessions, the original gym owner sat me down and told me to come back and to once again fight out of that team.

I am torn as I don't know what to do. I'm getting money and am being taught how to be a coach at my current gym but I don't see myself ever fighting out of there. I think training at the original gym will really benefit me (even if its just to improve my skill) but I don't know how to approach the topic with my current head coach. Alternatively, I can train at the original gym behind my current gym's back but that seems kind of dog. Ideally, I want to fight out of both gyms but, again, don't know how to have that conversation.

Any tips/comments are much appreciated. What will you do?
Click to expand...

THERE IS NO LOYALTY IN COMBAT SPORTS.
Seriously everyone is out for themselves. It's very rare to find people who have some professional interest in you who are actually your friend.
 
The better your comp record is the better it looks for your coaching/teaching gym even if it's a different school that trains you.

You are marketable so the casual school would be stupid not to encourage you to find the training environment to win.

Train wherever you need to to achieve your goals!
 
Yeah I don’t see why you couldn’t teach at one school and train at another. Just tell your current school you like training with your old buddies too. Then after a bit just be like oh this school got me a fight they’re gonna corner me lol
 
I may be the sole dissenting voice here but I think that a good reputation is difficult to gain but too easy to lose. The fact that the OP is bothered enough to ask on this forum about it means that his conscience is being pricked - and I always think that voice is worth listening to and following.

Muay thai is your business and in business it also pays to keep good relationships and being not only fair in your own mind but being perceived as fair by others. Be upfront with people on your intentions and see if it is ok with the gym tht pays you. Don't let them discover it themselves and be thinking you are double dealing. Why burn relationships?

Lastly I still hold on to the idea that martial arts and styles are more than just learning how to fight but also being honourable and self controlled and disciplined. The one who trains to be dangerous should also train to hold himself to a higher standard in all things...
 
j123 said:
Gym loyalty is overrated,
Click to expand...
Yes,

exclamatio said:
gym loyalty is bullshit
Click to expand...

Yeah, a lot in combat sports is about money and they sometimes might sell you short while still talking with you nice and friednly.
If you are offered to do a pro fight, research in depth your opponents record and not only with boxrec.
agent : this boxer had his pro debut fight vs nobody and had won on points.
[ read z: I think you might deal with him easily.]
In first look yeah, supposed opponent is not amateur star when you initially google this and in first minute this might look like what there is told.
Use even the same google with diligence and there...............
Guy really was not am star because did not had medals at continental or world level.
By digging in depth he still is not so bad : he had in one tournament opponent who was 2X World Championship bronze medalist and he had won this one, after this he had in the ring in this tournament Olympic gold medalist and barely lost vs him on points. In another tournament he had stopped in distance continental level medalist.
So yeah, he does not beat hard and is not dangerous etc just cos he does not have notable medals. For sure you might wish to see this in pro debut fight as opponent just cos he does have 1-0-0 pro record with win via points and ammy does not hit hard.
 
Hatake88 said:
Hey guys

I'm currently stuck in a pickle. Any thoughts are welcomed.

So basically, a new gym popped up near where I live a year ago. I saw they were hiring coaches so I sent them a message. My 12 month contract with my original gym was up and I thought I had nothing to lose. The new gym called me in, the head trainer held pads for me, and watched me spar. They ended up hiring me to teach beginners a couple of times a week. Paid gig and my membership got comped. I've been treated well during my time there.

The problem is, because this gym is new and situated in a relatively homely suburb, it doesn't really have anyone of super high level. A couple of guys has done a few smokers but the win to loss ratio is 3 or 4 losses for every win.

I have had recurring thoughts about fighting again and, to be honest, don't trust in my current gym's fight prep. I don't feel as though I am progressing in terms of skill when I do the MT classes and I don't feel the trainers there have the necessary experience to help me succeed (at least 2 of the coaches there haven't fought before).

The gym owner of my original gym called me recently and said that my friend needed some help prepping for his fight. I ended up going back and doing some sessions at my old gym and the instruction is much better. After having helped my friend for several sessions, the original gym owner sat me down and told me to come back and to once again fight out of that team.

I am torn as I don't know what to do. I'm getting money and am being taught how to be a coach at my current gym but I don't see myself ever fighting out of there. I think training at the original gym will really benefit me (even if its just to improve my skill) but I don't know how to approach the topic with my current head coach. Alternatively, I can train at the original gym behind my current gym's back but that seems kind of dog. Ideally, I want to fight out of both gyms but, again, don't know how to have that conversation.

Any tips/comments are much appreciated. What will you do?
Click to expand...

Great question...

I think of martial arts as a path, but it doesnt have to be a singular path...there can be several paths you can take to reach your own personal level and wants for yourself out of martial arts..that said the best way to not bug or offend anyone is to include everyone...express your desires to be associated with both gym..to both gyms and see how they feel in the end this is your journey not theirs...they can choose to be apart of it or not...in the end you must not let it deter you from your own path...otherwise only you will be upset and missing out...not them
 
Paolo Delutis said:
Great question...

I think of martial arts as a path, but it doesnt have to be a singular path...there can be several paths you can take to reach your own personal level and wants for yourself out of martial arts..that said the best way to not bug or offend anyone is to include everyone...express your desires to be associated with both gym..to both gyms and see how they feel in the end this is your journey not theirs...they can choose to be apart of it or not...in the end you must not let it deter you from your own path...otherwise only you will be upset and missing out...not them
Click to expand...
That was deep bro
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
1,237,632
Messages
55,506,490
Members
174,800
Latest member
kechan123

Share this page

Back
Top