For four years and counting, Rival Boxing Gym Cochrane and owner Craig Wilson have been leading the charge as a facility that balances training high-level competitors and helping people stay in shape.
The gym has recently leapt into the CrossFit business to complement its boxing, MMA, nutrition and fitness programs.
“We want to be a one-stop shop and offer everything to everyone,” the 34-year-old Wilson said.
“Our instructor’s (Anne Garrido) expertise is originally in that area, she’s always done this same kind of programming so we thought it would be a great fit for the gym. It works well for our fighters and gives our regular members another option for classes.”
Despite having trained six Golden Gloves boxers last year and being a former boxer himself, the Australian Gold Coast native goes on to say group fitness classes have always been the main seller for the gym, with an emphasis on everyone being able to enjoy themselves in a family-friendly environment.
“We’ve got just over 150 members, 15 of whom are competitive fighters,” Wilson said. “Everyone is mainly here to have fun, get fit and learn a few new skills along the way.
“We run 40-plus classes a week and we’re open all day, every day. Everyone here is part of a family and we do a lot of stuff together outside of the gym. All the egos are left at the door and no one feels left out. There are no strangers.”
For Wilson, these past four years have been the culmination of a journey, which is something he has dreamed off since he was a boy.
By his own account, being a boxer and then a trainer was never in doubt as he came from a family of fighters.
“My father and grandfather were both boxers so it’s something I’ve been involved with all my life,” he said. “Growing up, I always wanted to have my own gym. I decided to give it a crack and it’s worked out.
“To do something you love and something you’re passionate about is all you can ask for.”
Eight years ago, when visiting an old friend in Toronto, Wilson met his future wife. Four years later, he had his final fight and hung up the gloves as the birth of his son made him change priorities and segue into becoming a trainer.
“When I had my son, I just didn’t have the time to train anymore,” he reflected. “I was a guy who put everything into it but when you have a kid, it changes everything. My focus changed and we moved to Cochrane and opened the gym.”
That original gym was known as East End Boxing, and operated across from the old Bullhorn Saloon for a year and a half before partnering with Rival Boxing and moving to their new space on Fisher Avenue two years ago.
Rival only has a handful of gyms across Canada, but the company liked what they saw from Wilson and offered him a sponsorship to work under their banner.
“It’s a pretty big honour to be chosen by them,” he said. “They liked what we did, how we dealt with the kids, our programs, and my experience as a fighter, we’ve had a successful partnership ever since.”
Perhaps the biggest difference to what Rival offers compared to their competitors is the practical training all of the instructors offer, such as Jesse “Big Cat” Arnett, the gym’s MMA instructor who is active bantamweight fighter with a record of 11-4.
“We all know what we’re talking about and that’s something we pride the gym on,” Wilson said. “We’re the real deal, all of the instructors have years and years of experience in their respective fields and our clients appreciate that.”
With the upcoming boxing season fast approaching, Wilson and company are going to have their work cut out for them in the coming months as they look to continue their run of excellence and stay one step ahead of the competition.
“Last year, we had four provincial champions in boxing, and we’re expecting big things from those guys again this year,” he said. “There’s a few new guys coming out this season as well, so it’s shaping up to be a good year.”
After spending many years as a fighter does he still get the same buzz of anticipation before and during a fight now that he’s a trainer?
“In all honesty, it makes me lose my hair training them,” he said. “But, when they fight, it feels the same as when I was fighting. If they get hurt, I’m hurting and anxious. The fighter-trainer relationship is like no other in sport because you see how much they put into it emotionally, mentally and physically. It’s like a family, I get pretty nervous when they fight, but I get the same satisfaction as I used to.”
Despite having a stable of fighters he regularly trains, Wilson says there’s always room for others looking to compete.
“We’re a pretty green gym being four years old,” he said. “But, we’re successful and train kids the proper way. We’ve got three guys picked to go to the Canada Summer Games in 2019 and then the next step is the Olympics. We want to help people achieve their goals and keep expanding and teaming up with local businesses to increase our brand.
“Cochrane has supported us so much and we want to continue that relationship.”
For information on the gym and its programs, visit www.rivalboxingcochrane.com.
