If it is not measurable, how do you know if you are improving? That is the question at the heart of this video lesson. Most so-called coaches are not measuring your progress at all. They can hold pads and tell you how great you are, but that is not the same thing.

It is for boxers, martial artists and self-defence students who want to know whether their training is actually working, and for coaches who want to do a better job for their students.

Feeling Good Is Not Progress

A good pad session feels great. The coach calls the combinations, you hit hard, you sweat, and they tell you that you look sharp. You leave feeling like you have improved. But have you? Without something to measure, nobody really knows, not you and not your coach.

Feeling tired is not the same as getting fitter. Feeling confident is not the same as getting better. Praise is pleasant, but it is not data.

What You Can Measure

You can measure far more than most people think:

  • How many rounds of a set drill you can complete with good form
  • How long you can hold a pace before your technique breaks down
  • How quickly your heart rate recovers between rounds
  • How often a technique works against a partner adding more resistance
  • How your technique looks on film compared with last month

None of this needs special equipment. It needs honesty and a notebook.

Why Coaches Should Measure

A coach who measures can show you where you are improving and where you are not. They can change your training based on results rather than guesswork. A coach who does not measure is relying on their opinion and your feelings, which is not good enough if you are serious.

How to Start

Pick two or three things that matter for your goals. Test them now and write the results down. Train properly for a few weeks, then test again in exactly the same way. If the numbers are moving, your training is working. If they are not, something needs to change, whatever anybody is telling you.

Take It Further

If you want a structured way to train your boxing from home, the Learn To Box Online Course gives you one. If you coach and want to teach this way, look at the PPDT International Instructor Course.