BOXING 4 FREE's purpose is to teach the basics of boxing to anyone interested in learning the "sweet science." There are many people who do not have access to a gym.  Maybe the gym fees are too high or there simply isn't a boxing gym around, which is a very common problem these days.

Those Darn Bills

If you want to learn the finer points of boxing, you'll need a trainer to work with you, one-on-one. A trainer may charge $15 to $50 an hour! Try doing that when you're only making $10 an hour with gas, electric, car payment, and/or rent hanging over your head! It's near impossible.  However, there are boxing gyms out there that let amateur fighters under a certain age train for free.  If you can not find a gym like that, then learn the basics of boxing from this site.

Boxing Instruction Isn't Cheap

Let me say this as clearly as possible... boxing instruction ain't cheap! You usually have to pay a monthly gym fee which can be $35, $50, $75 or more a month. On top of that, many gyms require a year long contract and a down payment. I work in the real world, therefore, I know how hard it can be to pay bills and gym fees.

Some Gyms Are Far

After I moved out of New York City and into the farm lands of Pennsylvania, I decided to continue my boxing education. It took me four years to find a gym with boxing instruction. FOUR YEARS! I had to drive an hour to get there! Thank goodness I had a vehicle. For those of you that do not have a boxing gym nearby, browse the site, and learn what you can.

Coach: Justin M Salvato

 

In The Beginning

I was born and raised in New York City. I began running track/cross country when I was 14. Then at the age of 17, I began training in the martial arts. I found a school on Long Island that taught a little of everything; Kung Fu, Thaiboxing (Muay Thai), Kali, shootwrestling, Kenpo, and at the core of it all was western boxing. We learned how to use the different styles when we needed to, but everything we did started from a boxing range or stance. After a few months, I realized I liked boxing more than anything.

My First Sparring Experience

Then the day came to get in the ring and spar. Mind you, I didn't have to, this was totally voluntary. I walked up those steps into the ring, looked out at the other students and knew this is what I wanted to do. Then the bell rang. BAM! Reality hit me like a two-by-four across my face. I got my butt kicked! On top of that, my punches were soft and my defense was lacking. But I kept going back. Some weeks later I had to spar a competitor... He kicked my butt from one corner to the other. My defense at the time was to let my head block all the punches, which is something we were taught to avoid. When I was done, I walked out the ring and my trainer turned to me and said, "You got some set of balls." That was the biggest compliment I had ever received up to that point in my life. And it made me want to do it more. Eventually my offense improved and footwork improved, but I still had no head movement.

In The Country

Not too long after I turned 20, my trainer agreed to train me for the amateurs, for the Golden Gloves. Less than a month after that, I was living in a small town in Pennsylvania. No gym, no boxing, no anything. Why? Because I didn't have my own place; was still living with the folks when they decided to relocate and I couldn't afford to stay in New York City on my own.  I kept working out in my basement in Pennsylvania. I kept watching fights on tape and reviewing everything I learned. I noticed my movement was better, my punches were more crisp, but I had given up on the idea of competing.

In A Real Boxing Gym

Then my girlfriend found a gym about an hour away in Wilkes-Barre. I was working in a factory at the time, 12 hour shifts from 6 PM to 6 AM. I would drive to the gym, work out for about an hour and a half with a trainer, while a friend, Amy (her vehicle), slept in her car. After the work out, we drove an hour home. Slept for a few hours and went back to work. That was my routine. Then my first sparring session in years took place at the new gym and my sparring partner couldn't land a punch. He was so impressed with my defense. As was everyone who sparred me after that.

These Days

So eventually I started competing and guess what? I won the Western Pennsylvania Golden Gloves. I am now a USA Boxing certified coach. Today, I enjoy teaching boxing fitness classes, working one-on-one with clients, working on video editing projects (amateur), and on this website.

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