Geoff Cooper, or ‘Coop’ as the members call him, is not just a boxer. He is the owner/operator of a carpet cleaning service, is a volunteer with the Vancouver Coastal Health 1 to 1 Wellness support program since 2016, and is an avid paddleboarder.

Coop started out training with us in 2015. In December of 2019 he earned the title of Contender of the Month, and in early 2022 he began covering some classes. Soon after Coop was invited to take over the Saturday class. He has continued to be proactive about his training, and still regularly attends classes at the studio.

Geoff is a BCRPA certified trainer.

 

How did your personal boxing journey begin?

I signed up for a trial membership at contenders in 2015. I was very unhealthy at the time and looking to make a change; needless to say it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

What is your approach like when it comes to teaching?

I’ll always take two perfect push ups over ten bad ones. To achieve a really high level of fitness or athleticism, you have to start from a solid foundation and build upon that. I’ve also of course learned a lot from past and present instructors like Kevin, Richard, Sebastian and Yo so you’ll see shades of their influence in whatever I’m doing.

What is the biggest takeaway you want people to have from your classes?

I try to have something in every class that people may not have thought they were capable of doing. When we put our head down and just do our best, we’re usually able to achieve far more than we thought was possible.