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methodology

my approach

Boxing is a sport, and a mode of self-expression. My approach is rooted in old-school fundamentals, which support intelligent boxing through the development of an effective jab, power punches, feints, and slick defensiveness. I tailor my coaching to each individual, helping them develop their own unique style, while also taking into consideration the fighters goals, and the amateur and professional boxing scoring systems.

I’m passionate about helping people find their way with boxing, and I embrace an openness which expands the conventional ideas of who and what boxing is for. I enjoy working with complete beginners, and have guided numerous students from their first day into the gym, to their first amateur fight. I have the ability to critically analyze fighters of all different experience levels– from complete beginners to established professionals– and provide actionable feedback to improve their speed, balance, punching power, and defense.

Through an education in boxing, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of the basic fundamentals which coalesce over time into an intuitive understanding of these mechanics. Fighters are improvisors, who learn to speak a language all their own.

community engagement

Embedded within the practice of boxing are rich histories and cultural legacies. My introduction to boxing through training at the New Bed Stuy Boxing Center has given me an immense appreciation for the gym’s significance as a community resource and site of cultural production. I work out to carry on its traditions and support the mission of the gym through teaching the Bed Stuy style and volunteering as a coach at the gym.

The founder of Bed Stuy gym, legendary trainer George Washington believed boxing was for everyone. In this spirit, I developed a project called Trans Boxing in 2017. The project initially consisted of donation-based boxing classes for trans and gender variant people, and has since gone on to produce collaborative art projects, a podcast, boxing workshops around the country, and a public high school class in Manhattan. I use boxing to connect people in a communal practice who might not otherwise convene, and I believe the skills learned through the sport aid in the development of resilient people and communities.

The wall of trainers, New Bed Stuy, 2018
Nate Boyd, New Bed Stuy Boxing Center, 2018
New Bed Stuy Boxing Center, 2018
Jahqwon Humbert before sparring at New Bed Stuy Boxing Center, 2018
Nolan competing in the Daily News Golden Gloves 112lb Semi-Finals, Long Island, NY, 2017
Nolan with teammates Jahqwon, Abdul, Yuen, and coaches Charles, Tune, Nate, and Sean, in Coney Island, 2018.
Nolan working the glove table at John's Gym, 2022
Some of Bed Stuy's Finest (from left): Mark Breland, Richie Brentt, Henry "Hot Pepper" Brent, and Tony, 2018.
Young fighters at Bed Stuy Boxing, 2017
Nolan's fighters sparring at Devilfish Athletics in Brooklyn, NY, 2019.
A diverse group of people practicing boxing in a studio, wearing casual workout clothes and boxing gloves, with various equipment on benches against a white wall.
Nolan watching his fighter Sab shadowbox at Gleason's Gym, 2022
Sab Garduño, Gleason's Gym, 2022. Image by Nathan Morris.
Nolan instructing Tyce, image by Nathan Morris, 2022
A diverse group of eight people in boxing gear and athletic clothing standing inside a boxing gym.
Nolan putting on his fighter Chella's gloves before sparring, 2022
A young male boxer wearing a black headgear and black tank top receiving support from a trainer in a gym.
A male boxer in black shorts and gloves practicing in a boxing gym with a coach in black shirt and gray sweatpants watching. The boxer is wearing a protective headgear and appears focused. The gym has boxing rings, punching bags, and posters on the w
Nolan and Fighter Sab, 2024. Image by Griffin Lotz
An older woman and a young man in a boxing gym, smiling and talking. The woman is wearing boxing gloves and the man is wearing a t-shirt with 'COUNTY OF HINS' on the back.
A woman in black athletic clothing is practicing boxing with a man in a gym. She is wearing boxing gloves and is hitting a punching bag while the man provides coaching or support.
A man with a beard and short hair in a white tank top boxing in a gym, resting against the ropes of a boxing ring.
A woman with tattoos wearing red boxing gloves practicing boxing in a gym with another woman in the background also practicing boxing.
Group of diverse people in athletic attire standing outdoors on a city sidewalk. Brick wall background, some with boxing gloves and athletic gear, others with tattoos and sportswear, posing confidently.