Guide to being a Cornerman

[chicagocombat]

Originally Posted by Sam Adams

Did you ever get around to the hand wrapping for this thread KO? I see it was mentioned a couple months ago. I'm always interested to see how different people do the wraps.

what was the results?????

[Nick Kilian]

Originally Posted by SideofKO

Do you mean to say that no one in your corner has the knowledge to give you meaningful instructions or that no instructions given by anyone will be meaningful?

I can't even tell you what my normal corner men tell me in between rounds. Plus I understand what isn't working for me during a fight and know when to change to something different. Now if I was lucky enough to have Greg Jackson in my corner that would be cool but at my current situation my corner men just give me words to pump me up and thats it.

[Centaur]

I think I see where both of you are coming from, though I gotta side with SideKO. Motivation is definitely key, but I remember once my I came back to my corner and my coach told me "The upper cut is there, every time he comes in to clinch with you throw it the right upper cut". I NEVER see the opportunity for it. He does, and he was right. I caught that fucker good with it.

Though I have also been in the corner being told what to do and thinking "WTF he saying?" That was more due to adrenanlin and being almost KO'd more so that lack of communication.

[Sinister]

There have been some cornermen throughout Combat Sports who do their best work as what we call "cheerleaders." It's not a derogatory term, it's just that they serve more to pump you full of confidence. Lou Duva is one of them. Teddy Atlas could play both strategist and cheerleader, though sometimes the cheerleader part overruled the strategist part. For some Fighters that's all they need. But for more cerebral Fighters, by my experience, they need to be told what they're not seeing.

[Nick Kilian]

I am not saying I fight the right way it was just what I've experienced in my 5 fights so far. But I watched one of my fights on TV and my coach was telling me something the 2nd round and I totally nodded my head and said ya ya I understand but I could not even tell you what he said hahah.

[strike63]

Originally Posted by SideofKO

This is all you need. If you study and put into practice what you've studied, then things will be much easier on you. It is a common misconception that you need to fight to be able to be a good corner man and that is a blatant lie. Some guys are good fighters but know nothing about cornering and it takes a good communicator and a diligent worker with a knack for strategy to be a good coach/cornerman. Being a cutman is a skill that is learned while in the trenches. But the basics are learned by studying, and practicing your craft.

I'm trying to become a cutman how do you get into the buisness?

[Sam Adams]

Originally Posted by strike63

I'm trying to become a cutman how do you get into the buisness?

Cut your wrist and see if you can get it to stop bleeding, that should let you know if you are cut out for the business.

Bad joke, just kidding. I don't have any experience with cuts, I just do a lot of cornering at local shows where if there is anything more than a bloody nose, the doctor is going to step in to clean it up a bit and have a look and more often than not for non pros, stop the fight. If I were trying to get into that line, I would likely look for somebody with experience in the field to learn from as much as possible and then just hang out at the gym. Bloody noses and small cuts are pretty common in sparring. Start practicing to see how quickly you can stop the bleeding in a live setting. See how quickly it bleeds again the next round and how effective your technique is, etc. Make tweaks here and there to see what improvements you come up with.

Again, that is all speculation on my part as I have no experience with it, but that would be a start if nobody else in here has any advice.

[Sinister]

I'm trying to become a cutman how do you get into the buisness?

Around here where Combat Sports are big there's two ways you can go about it. You can either form your own kit and hang out in the Gyms, wait for someone to get cut and insist on trying to work your magic. Or you can hang around the Gyms and sort of pseudo-apprentice some of the old school guys like Rafael Garcia and Miguel Diaz. Though as I stated in the "Cutman Tales" thread, Rafa basically said to me (in Spanish mind-you, learning Spanish if you don't already know it is a good idea) "wait for someone to get cut, fix it." A lot of the old school guys ain't about to tell a punk like you their secrets. But they don't usually mind someone watching, especially if you're a true admirer.

The coagulants can be tricky to use as well, there's all kinds of little tips and such. For instance, the BEST cutmen I've ever seen don't apply the coagulant with a cotton swab. A lot of guys do starting out, but the very best don't. I won't tell you how they do it, but if you find a way to learn it'll say a lot about you.

[Metsudragon]

^Will you tell me if I sign up for Levantar Athletics? ;_;

edit: Though on a serious note, really intrigued by "The best cutmen I've ever seen don't apply ....with a cotton swab", figured the swab would allow for more pinpoint application if anything else

[Sinister]

Look in the "Cutman Tales" thread. I posted footage of Joe Souza working, he doesn't usually use a swab. And he's arguably the best cutman I've ever seen work.