For 150,000-300,000 years of humans roaming the earth, conflict and migration have been consistent in our evolution. The frequent territorial battles we as a species have constantly endured have deeply imprinted our genetic makeup. What is it about living on the edge that is so satisfying? Growing up in the Sierras, I was always amazed how good it felt to be in the wild. Whether hiking or camping, being completely isolated from civilization was an exhilarating feeling. On these adventures, there is always the inherent danger of being injured, lost in the wild, or stumbling through the territory of a mother bear or mountain lion. I have had similar feelings on hunting trips when tracking animals amongst friends accompanied by laughter and camaraderie.
It’s possible we’ve lived for so long under such extremes that our newly adapted safe environment robes us in some ways. Have we adapted a signaling pathway to better handle the stresses of the past? Without these pressures and stressors, are these response pathways being used? During WW2, those living in London experienced constant daily bombings which developed into something known as the Blitz spirit. The extreme terror of war bonded people closer while they were trapped in the subways underground with nothing but mutual survival and a forced focus on what truly matters. Obviously these are extremes, we don’t need another World War to be content. However, drastic situations like that do make one question what’s missing.
This question accompanied by watching people completely change their lives by learning combat sports, lead me down the rabbit role of ancient archetypes. Self-preservation and being able to defend oneself is an ancient archetype. There are activities (hunting, camping, fishing, combat sports), that are deeply enjoyable. Our long, long history of these interests, where earlier humans spent much of their lives engaged in hunter/gatherer related activities, has deeply imprinted us with these archetypes. If we pull away from these ancient "needs" completely, a void of insecurity will remain knowing we can't defend ourselves. For example, insecure men tend to display higher levels of aggression. These levels of aggression can damage personal, professional and romantic relationships.
It makes sense people think those who willingly practice combat sports are more violent as a result. This assumption could not be further from the truth. The daily ritual of boxing affects our overall confidence, greatly reduces stress, and satisfies our archetypal need for self-defense. Additionally, taking part in seemingly “dangerous” activities with a group you trust forges powerful cohesion and shared purpose. Challenging group activities demand a reliance on each other. We tend to lean on one another for guidance, protection and even emotional support.
The lack of ancient stress in our lives has left us vulnerable and the long-term effects are unknown. In my many years coaching combat sports, I have personally seen 180-degree shifts in people’s lives. A typical story would be someone coming into the gym seeking a new hobby for exercise purposes. Along the way, the excitement of developing a new skill unlocks ancient genes that previously hadn't been activated. This combination fosters a new sense of self-confidence setting off a chain reaction of positive changes. I have seen relationships with food and diet change for the better, drug and alcohol problems disappear, anxiety and depression vanish, toxic relationships ended, and unsatisfying careers changed, all due to the powerful catalyst of ancient archetypes.
Archetype Boxing Club was created from my experience running Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) gyms. One issue I have with MMA gyms is they tend to attract a primarily younger generation more focused on flash and entertainment rather than foundation and skill. In addition, the mixing of martial arts in one space created a generic looking environment that didn’t cater to any sport since it needed to house them all. Knowing how profoundly positive combat sports can be, I wanted to focus on a sport that catered to a broader community. I believe that a diverse group of ages, genders and backgrounds is essential to a healthy group environment. Boxing, with its ancient heritage and golden era past, seemed like the perfect avenue. Archetype allowed us to create a truly unique and beautiful boxing gym.
My vision for Archetype was to capture the golden era of boxing and blend it with the finest equipment available. The mid 20th century was the golden era of boxing, and the bouts were some of the largest sporting events of the year. Boxers back then fought 20 bouts per year on average, and the fights were anywhere between 15 – 45 rounds! Yes, 45 rounds, that is not a typo... it was a different era. Boxers had to fight to pay rent which meant an injury could cost you multiple paychecks making defense critical for both the coach and fighter. Unlike today’s fighters who will take one or two punches to land one, the champions of old were defensive wizards out of necessity. Having fewer weight divisions and governing bodies, fighters also had much stiffer competition and couldn’t avoid tough fights like the modern fighters do. These factors have led many to believe that modern boxers wouldn’t stand a chance against the experienced gritty fighters of the past. So, when it came time to model the gym after an era that best represented the glory of boxing’s past while also fitting with the empowering Archetype of self-preservation, the golden era had to be it.
Staying true to the era, the bags needed to be hand stuffed, high quality unbleached leather. We needed wood floors, exposed brick walls, pendant lights, a classic ring, and our signature digital wallpaper of vintage fighters. This tough era that included multiple World Wars and the Great Depression, bred the greatest generation of warm and welcoming people. Having gone through such challenging times, people were more willing to help each other. My goal for Archetype Boxing was to marry the toughness of the past with the warmth of the community. Regular people learning the sweet science of boxing, pushing themselves mentally and physically in a supportive group environment was the perfect combination.
It is important to me that the feel of the gym and the staff be warm and inviting, something you rarely find in boxing gyms. I have walked into thousands of gyms in my life and very few times have I ever felt welcome, which is a true shame. Especially knowing that people are intimidated and nervous on their first visit, gyms in general really drop the ball. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen new prospective boxers walk into a gym, stand around awkwardly for a while, and then leave after nobody said anything to them or helped them in any way. Even worse, that person probably had to muster the courage to research and walk into that gym in the first place, only to feel out of place and unwelcome. After seeing this repeatedly, I was annoyed enough to ditch the MMA scene and try to help change the boxing gym image for good.
I truly hope you are enjoying your time at Archetype Boxing Club; a lot has been put into this gym, and we are nothing without our fantastic members.
