I've recently noticed a boxing class start up at my gym. It looks legit and not "boxercise". However, they seem to do an awful lot of kata and ippon kumite, but little-to-no jiyu kumite. I wondered how common this was for an amateur boxing club? The classes seem to consist of shadow boxing for a good 10 minutes to warm up. Then target training wearing wraps against a partner's hands. Then gloved-up and practicing combinations against focus mitts. Then some partner drills (guard against a hook, duck a jab, respond with a jab-uppercut etc). Not really any free sparring. Some of the guys look pretty handy at the drills, so I presume they know their stuff, but how frequently would you expect to free-spar a partner at a boxing club? P.S. don't get me wrong, it looks like great fun, in fact I'm really tempted to give it a try, so it's not a criticism!
When I boxed it was always on one session and every other week on the other session. Most clubs I know tend to spar every class, with at least one class a week being very heavy on the sparring focus
Hello Depends on the club and the trainer. And also how near to a fight you (or often other fighters) are etc. Most boxing/ kickboxing etc clubs get you to work on your basics for a few months first. And your pad drills. And anything that builds good practice. Before allowing you to spar. If you started sparring too soon you'd get into some bad habits. And you may be put off. Why not ask the lot you watched training? Good Luck
A lot of gyms run a separate class for fighters and sparring, so you might just be watching a skills class. That being said, asking them would probably be the best way to find out. A lot of the boxing clubs round here seem to offer sparring at least 3 times a week, my MMA gym only spars twice a week (but that is enough for me).
The boxing class at the gym I train at spars every session but the white collar club I went to once had optional sparring after class
Class is sparring. 2 to 2 1/2 hours x 3 (optional 4th) interspersed with drills and instruction but the emphasis is on engagement. There's creativity but it all centres 'round mixing with different fighters/students. Free sparring every class for everyone.
