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Under pressure, a team shows who it really is.

We use boxing to make behaviour and patterns visible — and then develop them with purpose.

Book an introduction See the approach

Approach

Boxing is pure. There's no room to hide behind words or an agenda.

Under light pressure, what's really going on in a team becomes visible within minutes: who seeks confrontation, who avoids it, who takes space and who gives it.

Nobody needs to know how to box. It's not about technique — it's about what the exercise brings out, and what you discuss together afterwards.

  1. STEP 01

    Experience

    Short, escalating boxing exercises in pairs. The pressure is controlled, the reaction is real.

  2. STEP 02

    Interpret

    Right after the exercise, we name what happened — without judgment, and with the whole group present.

  3. STEP 03

    Translate

    Every pattern gets a concrete equivalent on the work floor, plus an agreement for tomorrow.

What it delivers

Nothing stays hidden in the ring.

What becomes visible there works through on three levels. They build on each other: without the first, the third never gets off the ground.

Level one

The person

Everyone has a reflex under pressure. Withdrawing, pushing through, cracking jokes, talking it out. In the room you see that reflex within a minute — and then you can discuss it without it becoming about someone's character.

Level two

The collaboration

The reflexes of individuals hook into each other. Whoever takes space gets it from someone who gives it. Once the team has seen that mechanism work once, it has language for it in the next meeting.

Level three

The organisation

Teams that know their patterns bounce back faster from reorganisation, turnover or a bad quarter. That's what this is ultimately for: resilience that holds when things get tough.

Why organisations call us

When organisations call us

Friction in the (management) team

Decisions get made, then quietly adjusted in the corridor afterwards. Polite in the meeting, not outside it. We make that second layer visible in the room.

Setting boundaries around unwanted behaviour

People know something isn't right, but don't say anything. In a boxing exercise you physically practise setting your own boundary and respecting someone else's.

Performing under high pressure

Deadlines, reorganisation, outages. Under stress, people fall back on old reflexes. We train recognising it, breathing, and choosing again.

Young potentials moving into leadership

Smart enough, but still finding their footing. They experience what happens when they do or don't take up space, and get direct feedback on it.

Programmes

Three ways to get started

Essentials workshop

One half-day
Teams of 6 to 16 people who want to get a first taste.

  • Warm-up and basic strikes with gloves and pads
  • Three pair exercises with escalating pressure
  • Debrief: which pattern did you see in yourself
  • One team agreement on paper

Team diagnosis

Two days, including a team scan
Teams with a concrete issue or persistent friction.

  • Digital team scan and individual intake interviews beforehand
  • Two boxing sessions with targeted observation
  • Feedback on patterns to the whole team
  • Report with findings and development advice

Team programme

4 to 12 months
Teams and leadership teams who want to change behaviour structurally.

  • Custom annual plan with a fixed session rhythm
  • Boxing sessions alternated with team-meeting observation
  • Individual coaching for managers
  • Measurement at the start, midway and at the end

Every request starts with an intake and a quote, so the programme matches your situation.

Who delivers it

Sander Claassen

Sander Claassen

Business economist, leadership coach and trainer

I lead, I coach leaders, and I stand in the room myself. My background is in business, mostly in the field of change — where people are unmistakably part of the equation.

I facilitated several leadership programmes within Van Lanschot Bankiers and worked with TIAS Business School. What struck me there: in the room, people talk about behaviour, but rarely show it.

When I first encountered kickboxing, I saw the combination immediately. Instinctive behaviour versus desired behaviour, visible within a minute. Boxing makes behaviour tangible — and therefore coachable.

Member of NOBCO, the Dutch Order of Professional Coaches

Experiences

The question was about the quality of communication within the team. We zoomed in on one principle: the quality of your question determines the quality of the answer.

In the boxing exercises, participants deliberately sought out that interaction. Whoever asked short and closed got a short and closed answer back — felt instantly. Through experiential learning, that lesson stuck instead of staying theory.

Large corporate organisation · theme: internal communication · name withheld on request

Inspiring insights on boxing →

Frequently asked questions

What teams usually want to know first

Do you need to know how to box?

No. Most participants have never worn a glove before. We start from the basics, and the exercises are built so experience gives no advantage.

Is it dangerous?

No. There's no hitting to the head and no full-power sparring. You work with gloves on pads or guided, controlled contact drills. A trainer supervises at all times.

What if someone doesn't want to take part?

Taking part is never mandatory. Anyone who'd rather observe gets an observer role with a concrete task to watch for. That input is often the most valuable part of the debrief.

How physical is it?

Comparable to a brisk walk with short peaks of effort. You'll sweat. We discuss injuries or limitations beforehand and adapt the exercises.

Where does it take place?

At a boxing gym near you, or on location in a room with enough space. We bring all the equipment.

What does it cost?

That depends on the format, group size and location. You always get a quote in advance, so you know exactly where you stand. In the introductory call, I'll give you an indication right away.

Contact

Tell us what's going on in your team

The programmes are launching soon. A thirty-minute conversation is usually enough to work out whether this is a fit — and then you're first in line once the calendar opens up. No sales pitch.

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