Week 6 — Graduation Night — Six weeks of work walks through four stations and three big rounds — then a certificate, a photo, and a seat at regular club nights.

Six weeks of work walks through four stations and three big rounds — then a certificate, a photo, and a seat at regular club nights.

Week 6 — Graduation Night

Boxing
Course week 6 · Beginner
60 min
Beginner course intake of 8–20, guests welcome at the back wall
1 coach
Effort 4/5
Boxing gym floor
beginners
course
graduation
stations
pads

The MatPlans curriculum teamBJJ black belts & coaches · 12+ yrs on the mat

Kit: Wraps and gloves for all, 4 pairs of focus pads for the stations, spot markers, cones for the slip line, timer or bell, printed certificates and a phone for the class photo.

Warm-up10 min

The Six-Week Shadow

Setup: Wraps on, markers out one last time. Name the shape of the night up front: warm up, four stations, three graduation rounds, certificates. Nerves are allowed and normal — say so.

How it works: One shadow round per fortnight of the course, two minutes each: round one is week 1-2 — stance, steps, jabs and crosses; round two is week 3-4 — hooks in, then defence woven through; round three is week 5 — free combinations with counters, honest speed. Call the era at the start of each round and let them feel how far the first one now feels.

Rounds: 3 × 2 min, 30s rest

What to say

“Round one should feel easy now — notice that; it did not feel easy five weeks ago.”
“Same stance height in round three as round one — that is what six weeks bought.”
“Breathe out on everything — punches, slips, all of it.”

Easier

Two rounds instead of three, themes merged.

Harder

Round three at the mirror, self-coaching out loud — one fault found and fixed per minute.

Drill18 min

The Graduation Stations

Setup: Four corners of the floor: Station 1 — slip line of cones; Station 2 — pads held by you or your most trusted holder, 1-2-3-2 calls; Station 3 — partner catch-counter feeds; Station 4 — stance and compass, eyes closed on the bell. Groups of three to five, four minutes per station, one minute to rotate.

How it works: Every station is a course week wearing its best clothes. Boxers run each one at their own honest best while you anchor the pad station and keep one eye on the floor. No scores and no clipboard — the test is that they can run every station without you explaining anything, which is exactly what happens. Rotate on the bell until all groups have visited all four.

Common mistakes

Racing the stations — the showcase is quality at speed, not speed instead of quality.
Guests coaching from the wall — one friendly word from you settles it: tonight the boxers already know.

Rounds: 4 stations × 4 min, 1 min rotations

What to say

“Run each station like you own it — nobody is explaining anything tonight, and that is the diploma.”
“Slip line: still a fist-width, still knees not waist, even at speed.”
“Catch-counter: feeders stay honest — graduation night is not the night the speed limit dies.”
“Pads with me: show me hips, show me the guard rebuilt — the punch I remember is your last one.”

Easier

Three stations, five minutes each — drop eyes-closed from station 4.

Harder

A fifth roaming card: between stations, ten perfect slow 1-2-3-2s before joining the next group.

Drill15 min

The Graduation Rounds

Setup: Pairs, pads out — the final pad rounds of the course, run like an occasion. Guests up off the wall to watch. Every boxer gets a corner: their holder is also their second, with water and thirty seconds of encouragement between rounds.

How it works: Three rounds of three minutes with one minute between, boxer and holder swapping after the full set so everyone graduates. The holder calls freely from the entire course: singles, the 1-2-3, the 1-2-3-2, pad-jab feeds for catches and counters, slow hooks to block. Round three, final thirty seconds: the holder calls it like a finish and the boxer empties the tank with clean technique. Ring the last bell like you mean it.

Common mistakes

Spending round one at round-three effort — corners must slow their boxer down early.
Powering up for the finish and losing the shape — the last thirty seconds are a technique test at speed, and everyone watching can tell.

Rounds: 3 × 3 min, 1 min rest, swap roles after the set

What to say

“Pace it like a boxer — three threes is the longest they have ever done, and round three belongs to the ones who breathed in round one.”
“Seconds, do your job — water, one fix, one kind word, guard up.”
“Technique holds to the last bell — the tired minute is the honest minute, and theirs will hold.”
“Enjoy this one — you will remember your first three rounds for years. I still do.”

Easier

Three rounds of two minutes; the big finish becomes fifteen seconds.

Harder

Holders walk forward through round three — the boxer holds range and answers on the move.

The rest of this lesson is free — along with 3 more this week.

MatPlans curriculum team

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