Chapter1 The HistoryBoxing, also known as pugilism or fist-fight, is basically a combat sport of prehistoric origin.According to archaeological evidences, Berbers and Egyptians may have practiced the sport as early as 3000 BC. A Sumerian relief carving from the third millennium BC also declares the existence of this sport. The earliest evidence for boxing in the Mediterranean can be traced back to 1500 BC in the Minoan civilization.A sport that resembled boxing existed amongst the ancient Greeks (who called it Pygme/ Pygmachia) and Romans. It was called ‘pugilism’, a term now often used for boxing. It was distinctly different with ancient Greek wrestling in that it was based on the use of fists.Ancient boxing had no weight classes, rounds, time limits etc. unlike the one we have in the modern day form Instead of gloves, fighters used to wrap their hands in strips of hardened leather to protect the fist which at times caused unpleasant injuries to the opponent. A Greek legend states that Theseus, said to have lived around the 9th century BC, invented a style of boxing where two men, sitting face to face, beat each other with their fists until one of them was killed. With time, the boxers began to fight while standing wearing gloves and wrappings on their arms below the elbows. Though otherwise they were competed naked.It was first accepted as an Olympic sport in 688 BC. During that period, participants trained on punching bags called a korykos and fighters wore leather straps called himantes over their hands, wrists and to protect them from injury. Those straps left their fingers free. According to a legend had the Spartans were the first to box to prepare for sword and shield fighting.In ancient Rome, there were two forms of boxing namely the athletic form, that was adopted from the Greeks and gladiatorial form. In ancient Rome, fighters used to be either criminals or slaves who hoped to become champions and gain their freedom. Eventually, the growing popularity of fist fighting saw even the aristocrats in the ring, but the practice was eventually banned by Caesar Augustus. In 393 A.D., the Christian emperor Theodosius banned Olympics and in 500 A.D., Theodoric the Great banned boxing as he felt the sport is an insult to God because it disfigures the image of God i.e. face . However, this diktat hardly had any effect outside the major cities of the Eastern Empire and boxing remained popular in Europe throughout the Middle Ages and beyond. Thus it can be safely mentioned that the sport of boxing has its origins in the form of hand to hand combat derived taken from the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The Ancient Champions
James Figg who built his Amphitheatre in 1719 was Boxing’s first recognized champion.
Figg travelled around England giving cut and thrust exhibitions, and was a great contributor to the sport’s popularity. After his death died in 1740 George Taylor one of his pupils succeeded his championship. Jack Broughton succeeded Taylor. Jack Broughton, also known as the father of “boxing rules” formed the first boxing code, in 1734 which barred eye scooping and hitting a fallen opponent from the sport. but left leeway for wrestling and rough and tumble fighting. It was “Broughton’s Rules” that governed boxing from 1734 until 1838, under the name “London Prize Ring Rules”, which stated that a round ended when one fighter went down or his knee touched the ground. Broughton also brought into play the idea of blocking and some defense to the sport. After the death of Broughton wickedness slipped in, and the period became known as the period of “the Double Crosses” until the appearance of Daniel Mendoza. Daniel Mendoza, the first Jewish fighter to win a championship made many contributions to the development of boxing as an art form. Prior to Mendoza success in this sport depended mainly on beastly power and endurance. The role of scientific finesse wasn’t recognized. It was Mendoza who framed the technique of guarding, sidestepping, and effective use of a straight left jab. Mendoza won the British Championship in 1791. It was his study of defense techniques that revolutionized boxing. Tom Cribb is the next major figure in the arena who was one of England’s most celebrated champions. Born on July 8, 1781, he won the British Championship in 1807 by defeating Jim Belcher in 41 rounds. He was awarded a championship belt in 1809, when he defeated Belcher again in 31 rounds in 1809. For many years it was hardly ever that anyone with black skin dared his chance in the ring. The first renowned black boxer was Bill Richmond, the son of a Georgia born slave. During 1777, while New York was under the British troops, Richmond by thrashing in succession three British soldiers in a pub attracted the attention of General Earl Percy, who later became the Duke of Northumberland. The British General took Richmond to his homeland, and under his patronage Richmond, who was only a middleweight, defeated a number of top heavyweights. With a number of victories under his belt, Richmond received fame as “the Black Terror.Tom Molineaux, a heavyweight weighing 185 pounds, was the next top black fighter. The first “American Champion” was Tom Hyer who challenged “Yankee” Sullivian in the first American championship match for a $5,000 side bet. It took place on Feb 7, 1849, with Hyer the victor in 16 rounds. In the U.S. British fighters such as Mike McCoole, Tom Allen and Joe Goss helped to establish boxing firmly in America. The First ChampionshipsThe first World Championship in boxing took place at Farnborough, England on April 17, 1860 between the British Champion Tom Sayers and the American champion John C. Heenan. That was the first real “sporting event” to attract celebrity from all corners of England and France. Members of the British parliament, Officers from Navy and Army, literary giant such as Charles Dickens were present amongst the audience. The battle was a hard encounter that lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes and Heenan was recognized as “World Boxing Champion.” In England, John Sholto Douglas, the ninth Marquees of Queensbury, agreed to sponsor a set of rules, written by Arthur Graham Chambers, to cover the sport. These new rules were first put into practice in 1867 in the first “Queensbury Amateur Tournament”. Soon after “tournaments” offering cash prizes for contestants sprang up in the 1870’s. When “The Boston Strong Boy” John L. Sullivan rose to fame boxing was the most popular sport in the free world. Sullivan won the World Heavyweight Championship, at least in American eyes, knocking out Paddy Ryan on Feb 7, 1882 in Mississippi City, MS. Sullivan was a bare knuckle heavyweight champion for ten long years and became America’s first true sports hero. He reportedly earned over $900,000 in his career as a prizefighter, sparring exhibitions and on stage. James J. Corbett, also known as “Gentleman Jim”, defeated Sullivan for the World Heavyweight Championship on Sept 7, 1892 in New Orleans, La. The bout was fought as per the “Marquis of Queensbury Rules” which stated that the fight has to with gloves, a round was to last 3 minutes in length, and it barred the use of wrestling. Corbett demonstrated his innovative footwork and skills to outclass the raw power and strength of Sullivan when he knocked out the defending champion in the 21st round. Thus began the modern era of boxing.
Chapter 2
Rules
Since their publication in 1867, The Marquess of Queensbury rules have been the rules governing modern boxing.A boxing match typically consists of rounds, anywhere from three for an Olympic bout to fifteen for a professional fight. A minute is spent between each round with the fighters in their allotted corners receiving tips and attention from their coach and staff. The fight is controlled by a referee from within the ring. Usually three judges remain present at ringside to score and assign points to the boxers, based on the connected punches, defense and knockdowns. Each fighter has an assigned corner of the ring. At the beginning of each round, each boxer enters into the ring from their assigned corners and must stop to fight at the signaled end of each round.The one with the higher score at the end of the fight is judged as the winner. It is through a knockout that a boxer may win the bout even before a decision is reached. If a fighter is knocked down and touches the canvas floor of the ring with any part of his or her body other than the feet, the referee begins counting until the fighter returns to his or her feet and can continue. To achieve a victory in this sport the opponent has either to be knocked down to the extent that he is unable to get up before the referee counts to ten (called a Knockout, or KO) or if the opponent is deemed too wounded to continue (called a Technical Knockout, or TKO). In case it so happens that there is no stoppage of the fight before the agreed number of rounds, the winner is decided on the basis of the referee’s decision or judges’ scorecards.We can also find some jurisdictions and sanctioning agencies having a “three-knockdown rule”, in which three knockdowns result in a TKO. A “standing eight” count rule may also come into play, in which the referee counts to eight to a boxer who regroups his or her footing after a knockdown, allowing the referee the scope to ascertain if the boxer is in the condition to continue.As per present rules, the following are prohibited in boxing:-· Acts of hitting below the belt, tripping, holding, biting, pushing, spitting or wrestling.· Kicking, head-butting, or hitting with any part of the arm other than the knuckles of a closed fist.· Hitting the back, back of the neck or head (called a “rabbit-punch”) or the kidneys. · Holding the ropes for support when punching, holding an opponent while punching, or ducking below the belt of their opponent. Violations of these rules are called “fouls” and the referee, can issue warnings, deduct points, or even disqualify the offending boxer. In case of accidental fouls that may end a bout, it may lead to a “no decision” result. Chapter 3 The Brain Game
| Boxing is not just getting into shape and becoming a master of the tools of the sport. To develop and nurture the right mental fortitude is equally important to succeed inside the ring! |
Boxing, the most physically challenging sport, requires the boxer to possess both upper and lower body strength in addition to extraordinary levels of cardiovascular stamina. They must stand up to the bouts dealt out by an equally reflexed opponent. So, it is an absolute necessity that a boxer needs to train his mind as tough as his or her physique.
There is an unique aspect about boxing. Here the boxer is alone inside the ring. Even trainers like Eddie Futch and Angelo Dundee were not allowed inside the ring during a round.
Irrespective of skill and strength, a time comes when a boxer gets tired inside the ring. And, inspite of injuries, he or she had to continue the fight till the bell rings. Here the boxer cannot just look at the referee to call “timeout”. A real boxer is a real fighter, and he or she never takes the option to quit the ring regardless of the circumstances they face inside the ring. This requires a tremendous amount of mental strength and stamina.
| Effort is another name of the game!
Boxing is different from other team sports, as many of the decisions must be made on your own. |
There will be days when you are tired and not willing to hit the roads for training.
Maybe, even your trainer is not there to remind you of your schedule.
So, you got to decide what you are going to do.
This comes from deep inside, what may be called motivation. And every effort one
exerts here takes the boxer towards win in the ring.
To sleep or wake, to be or not to be at the gym, are decisions that the boxer has to take.
No one else can take it, except the boxer himself. The best trainers in the world are as good as the trainee At most, they can provide tips and advices, but the ultimate decision rests with the fighter.
The moment a fighter is hungry to succeed in the ring, the mind takes over. So, the fighter begins to eat, drink and sleep boxing..it becomes his only purpose of life.
Boxing is a sport for warriors, where the fighter can get hurt any moment. Thus, the sport is only for those who have that mental and physical bearing. There isn’t any boxer who doesn’t face fear, but dedicated training and experience helps them to get rid of those.
Down The Locker Room That’s another mental test when a boxer waits there before the bout .Very often; the fighter is left to himself there, while his trainer if busy with the rest of the team. In such situation, so many doubts can creep into the fighter’s mind. That can be about the conditioning or the strength and track-record of the opponent. On one side such thoughts race through his mind, but on the other he is to maintain his cool and composure.
It’s important that the fighter hides his concerns from his opponent and deny him that psychological edge. He can do some shadow to loosen up his nerves. And when the bell rings, all dilemmas vanish and the fighter fights with all his mind and heart. With experience, the boxer gets seasoned and learns to cope up with all pressures and anxieties of the arena.
So, the wait in the locker room is like an acid test, which can unnerve anyone as most are not acquainted with one-to-one fight. That’s why most cannot get along with the feeling of waiting to confront with another man, who has sweat and bled in the gym to knock you out.
The fighter’s mind can do lots of tricks, it can brainwash him to the extent that he begins to doubt his own preparation for the battle. And, if that happens, the fight is almost lost even before it begins. Thus, proper conditioning of mind is an absolute necessity, so that it works for the fighter instead of working against. A boxer has to fight and continue to learn, there is perhaps no second alternative.
Now, in the ringIn the ring, if the boxer is floored, he should have that mental back up to recapture his strength and fight back. In case, a boxer loses, he might get boos from public and media, even he needs to stand to that. He must quickly learn from his losses and be there to fight another day. The toughness and ethics that build a champion cannot be imparted. This has to be there within.
So, the sport is all about mental and physical toughness and one, who dares to be a champion here, needs to train likewise.
Chapter 4 Hit where it hurts!!It’s a fight game…. you can’t win if you can’t punch!In boxing, you can divide offensive moves in four parts:-
You can deliver boxing punches anywhere above the waist and it is best to combine where they are delivered. To win a boxing battle, a good offence is a must. A solid defense is great, but you cannot win if you cannot hit your opponent. This is where the role of a “punch” comes into play.Here are the two things which are important for you to remember:-· Keep your opponents guessing. Never be predictable and allow your opponent to anticipate your order of punches. Hang a nonchalant face when you are into the ring.· Don’t be too eager always to unleash the power punch. Keep that ready but initiate the fight with a constant volley of jabs. These smaller hits can do tonnes of damage. It doesn’t take much of your energy, but can win the fight for you. So, these are the technical aspects. One more thing…if you are a right hander, keep the left foot forward and the other way round, if you are lefty. The Breathing Part Never hold your breath when you punch. Breathe out with every punch breathe through pursed lips making a quick short “fffffff” sound. This helps in your power distribution.. Now, what about the hand which is not punching?
For the beginners it is a common error, to forget about the hand which is supposed to work as protector when the other is at offence This is especially when you throw the jab with the left hand. If you watch yourself in the mirror and you will see that when you are jabbing with the left, your right instead of protecting your chin strangely slides down to chest height. It’s natural. But, everyone, in the beginning has to make an effort to keep the non-punching hand up where they should be.
Now, let’s dig into some more details of the punch types mentioned at the beginning of the chapter:-
The Jab
This is your most important punch. You need a lot of practice to perfect it.
This punch, if delivered correctly, can do immense damage to your opponent and does not leave you bare for a counterstrike. So, I hope you understand the reason of The jab being your favorite punch.
Now, how to deliver that?The jab is delivered with the hand of the foot which is forward. For a right hander, the left hand delivers the blow. You throw your left hand in a straight line from your chin towards the target. As your arm nears the target you begin to turn it from a quarter to half notch inward and begin to compress your fist. Your fist should be fully clenched At the moment of impact; your fist has to be fully clenched. Finally, get your arm back to your guard just as swiftly as it shot out. Remember, all your punches are snapping motions. So, it’s like this..Speed out…BREAK …speed back. You can also add more power in your jab by twisting your trunk slightly and throwing your hip forward as your arm goes. As you can understand, this is an arm punch, so there shouldn’t be distribution of weight. So that is what you practice.But why the step forward? It’s simply because it minimizes the distance between you and your target, which gives you an extra thrust.With practice, you should be able to deliver 2, 3, 4 jabs in a row with 100% precision. In case, your opponent is coming in too quickly, set a powerful jab to his head to make him think twice about doing it again.
The Straight Right or Right Cross – The Natural Punch!
I’m sure you will love this one. It is the most natural and a power punch as it involves a relocation of weight. But you need to be careful when you use it for the reason that whenever you redistribute your weight, you are in a vulnerable position for the split second when your weight is in transfer. So, in case your opponent times it right…well!!! . To Deliver From your natural stance, your right hand flies towards the target in a straight line from your chin. But it’s different from a jab. Here, as your arm goes, your torso torques to the left and you spin on the ball of your back foot. This brings your weight forward into the punch. After the hit, get your right hand back to the guard and the original stance back as fast as possible. Remember… speed up ……SNAP…..get back. When you throw the straight right, don’t dip your shoulder or wrap up. The Left Hook –the infamous one!This is an inside power punch ..a tricky one..and you need to learn to do it correctly. You can say, it’s a punch which is delivered by the entire side of your body. Here, your arm and fist are like the tip of the sword which makes the bang. So, there is a weight transfer. Again, you have to be careful as the moment you transfer weight you are unbalanced for a fraction of a second.In order to deliver a left hook, get your elbow parallel to the floor. Once you have your arm in place, torque your left side, pivoting on the front left foot. This is a powerful, rapid turn that involves your leg, trunk arm and fist. Like all punches, keep your fist relaxed. When your front left foot centers, think of it as if you are smashing something under.When you follow through with your hook, torque your body around and end up getting your fist to your chest as your elbow points to the target. This protects your head from a possible a left hook from your opponent and also in case you miss with your fist, your elbow will hit the target. From there… recover. accelerate through the punch………BREAK……… accelerate back.
The Uppercut
This punch is used when you are just too close to your opponent…what you call the “inside fighting”. They’re very effective and come from below .This punch initially targets the sternum i.e. the center of the chest. The follow through can get your opponent on the chin, and if hit right, simply knocks him out. To DeliverTo deliver a left uppercut, you need to dip your elbow towards your hips that brings your head forward and down. Simultaneously, you rotate your palm in, bend your legs, reach the target pushing up off the floor and bring your fist to land in the sternum. Don’t stop there and keep your fist moving up to hit the head as a secondary target. The right uppercut is just a mirror image of the left. Here, the power of the punch comes from the legs when you push up. Your feet actually never leave the floor, but you may have such feeling. And, here too, don’t forget to RECOVER quickly. That’s your offence in a nutshell. The Art of CounterpunchingThis is the link between offence and defense. An effective counterpunch is the one which helps you to recoup and put the fight in your favor. Counterpunching is an approach of its own.
To learn counterpunch, you have to do the following:
- Keep your eyes pinned at your opponent’s hands- To pick a spot on his chest and use your tangential vision to tune into his hands can be a good idea.
- Anticipate signs of an incoming punch.
- Envisage and time your punches to the perfection.
- Never move backwards..
Application
For you, here are some situations and your possible counterpunches:-
| Situation | Your Counterpunch |
| Jab | Jab |
| Jab | Slip, Left Hook |
| Jab | Slip, Left Hook to Body |
| Jab | Step Left, Straight Right to Head or Body |
| Straight Right | Dodge the Punch, Straight Right |
| Straight Right | Left Hook |
| Straight Right | Slip, Straight Right |
| Left Hook | Left Hook (likely both punches will land) |
| Left Hook | Duck, Jab |
| Uppercut | Step Left or right, Jab or any punch. |
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Learn to protect yourself against the bout
It may so happen that you fight with someone whose arms swing wildly, with sense of nothing you thought a boxer should have. Whenever your opponent does this, remember, he is soon going to apply a cartload of energy. A well timed counterpunch can end that flurry just as speedily as it began. As said above, never back up. Stick to your floor, cover up if needed, but never take your eyes off of him. You may get hit a few times, but keep looking for the opening and the moment it comes, hit back hard.
When you see your opponent in that blind fury, remember, they are not thinking at all. When you pick your opening and hit back, they would get stunned. And for a split second, the advantage is yours. Letting them to continue with their flurry let’s them control the fight and that’s not definitely the way you want.
When someone sees a flurry coming… 99% of people begin to move backwards and take a self-protective stance. Instead, what you need to do is ..pose yourself like a matador waiting for the bull to charge in. In such situation, step aside or slip and then punch. So, to win through…Control your fear and panic. Chapter 5 Boxing Styles: The Three Main Types
There are three main styles:-The first style is the Brawler. This type of boxer throws single and powerful punches against their opponent. The second style is of the Inside Fighter. This style is played very forcefully and involves lot of aggression.The third style is that of the Outside Fighter. Those who use this style generally stay at the outside of the ring and keep their opponents away from them. The strategy here is to tire out your opponent rather than knock him out. Chapter 6 Top 4 most powerful punches
Accuracy and Timing are the buzzwords of getting a “knockout” win rather than raw power.
- DOUBLE LEG TAKE DOWN- What you need to do is make a fist like a hammer.. raise your arm… get your fist down just like a hammer… and hit with the bottom of your fist. It can be thrown straight or at an angle. The ninjas call this. “The Death Touch”.
- When you come to boxing, a clean and effective punch is the name of the game. The left hook thrown tight on the inside is a punch that opponents seldom see coming because of its distance and angle. The right uppercut is another punch very useful for knockouts.
- Another punch is like a cross with an upright hook… done in a manner so that the blow lands from a vertical angle rather than a flat one. This involves inclining the upper body sideways and rotating the punching arm towards the target.
- A good overhand punch is another one. It’s like plunging a softball in a route where it will land 6 inches in front of your lead foot. It’s a punch that converts your body mass into technique. It’s most effective when your opponent expects more “orthodox” punches.
Chapter 7 Tips of explosive punches
Boxing is indeed a sweet science, no doubt about it. The feints…footwork…. hooks….jabs ….uppercuts that flow in sequence and the dazzling pace and accuracy. But can you deny the fact that in boxing nothing jacks the crowd more than a thundering knock that suddenly ends a fight!
Have you ever thought as what gave the legendary Rocky Marciano that fearsome knockout punch? And how can you get one too, for when you are forced to defend yourself and your loved ones?
Here are your tips:-
· Apply plyometrics like passing a medicine ball, sprinting, ballistic pushups and skipping to your workout routine. This builds up your fast-twitch muscle fibers, which render more explosive power.
· Do squats and deadlifts. Also, lift weights, and compound exercises that build true power.
· Go all out with a punching bag.. punch it as hard and long as you can …, and remember, do it bare handed.
· When you throw a punch keep your feet flat on the ground. Use the earth below for traction and power.
· Breathe in while you load up, and exhale when you strike. This method is used in martial arts as well, is known as a kihap.
· Visualize your fist punch through the object rather than punching on it. Chapter 8 The Self-DefenseThere are several methods you can use in order to dodge or block punches.Here are a few:· Slip – Just rotate the body to let go an incoming punch. As the opponent’s punch comes, you rotate the hips and shoulders. This turns your chin sideways and the punch “slips” past.
· Sway – Move the upper body or head to your back so that the punch from your opponent misses.
· Duck – To drop down with the back straight so that a punch aimed at the head misses entirely.
- Bob – Move the head laterally and below an incoming punch. As your opponent’s punch arrives, bend the legs quickly and at the same time shift your body either right or left. Once you evade the punch, come back to an upright position. When you move inside the opponent’s extended arm, it’s called “bobbing to the inside” and when you move outside the opponent’s extended arm, you call it “bobbing to the outside”.
- Parry/Block – Here you use your shoulder, hands or arms as defensive gears to protect yourself. Generally a block receives a punch while a parry deflects it.
- The Cover-Up – This is the last opportunity you have to save your unprotected face or body. In this case, you hold the hands high to protect your head and chin. And you tuck your forearms against the torso to impede body shots. While protecting your body, you rotate the hips and allow the incoming punches “roll” off the guard. But remember, this type of guard is weak against attacks from below.
- The Clinch – This is a rough form of grappling and you do it when you are too close to your opponent to employ straight punches. Here, you try to “tie up” the opponent’s hands in a way that he is unable to throw hooks or uppercuts. To do so, you loop both hands around the opponent’s shoulders, scoop back under his forearms to grasp the opponent’s arms tightly against his own body. But this is only a temporary match state and is quickly dissipated by the referee.
The Guard you should have
There can be several defensive positions which you might use in boxing. Each style has its own variation and you can adapt anyone in accordance with the situation:-
- Crouch fighters use the “peek-a-boo” or “earmuffs” style. Here, your hands are placed next to each other in front of your face and elbows are kept tight to the body. This style is what you learn when you begin to box and it’s actually a “middle-of-the-road” style in terms of counterpunching.
- Cross-armed – For this guard, you place your forearms on top of each other horizontally in front of the face with the glove of one arm being on the top of the elbow of the other arm. This is the most effective method to minimize your head damage.
· Philly Shell or Crab – In this style, you position the lead arm across the torso usually somewhere between the belly button and chest. Your lead hand rests on the opposite side of the fighter’s trunk and the back hand is placed on the side of the face. You can go for this style when you decide to counterpunch as it allows you to slip punches by rotating and dipping your upper body and striking blows to glance off the fighter. But remember, this style has a hole. Here, when you are static and not rotating he is open to be hit. Learn Ring GeneralshipIt’s nothing but the strategy you adapt to position yourself in the ring.Strategically, it’s the ring’s centre that most boxers prefer from where he can force the opponent to circle around him. When in the centre, the boxer is also less likely to get knocked backwards against the ropes. So, to corner opponents, the centre of the ring is always the best location. Moreover, when a boxer moves around you, he makes himself vulnerable to shots thrown at good angles. Some less common strategies in boxing include “rope-a-dope” used by Mohammad Ali against George Foreman in 1974 and “bolo punch” seen in Olympic boxing.
Chapter 9
Know the Medical concerns
Let me tell you that knocking a person unconscious may cause permanent brain damage. Furthermore, there is no clear division between the force required to knockout a person and the force likely to kill him. Do you know that since 1980 more than 200 amateur and professional boxers have died either in the ring or training injuries?
The Journal of the American Medical Association called for a ban on boxing in 1983. There were similar calls to ban boxing by the British Canadian and Australian Medical Associations as well.
Boxing is the only sport where hurting the opponent is the goal, said the supporters of the ban. As said by Dr. Bill O’Neill, boxing spokesman for the British Medical Association,: “It is the only sport where the intention is to inflict serious injury on your opponent, and we feel that we must have a total ban on boxing.”
A study on amateur boxers done in 2007 revealed that even protective headgear isn’t enough to prevent brain damage.
In 1997, the American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians was established to create medical protocols through research and education to prevent injuries in boxing.Professional boxing is banned in Norway, Iceland, Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Chapter 10 The Endurance part
How powerful and perfect your offence might be, you need to possess an impeccable endurance if you really intend to make any impact in the ring.
You may follow these tips and know how to go about it:
Benefits of Roadwork
You might get a fairly good conditioning from other forms of boxing training such as sparring, working on bags or skipping but there is no alternative to a properly designed running program that would enhance that conditioning.
Remember that, there is specifically designed roadwork for specific for each individual.
If you want to know of an effective running technique, here it is:-:
The head should be upright and the chin in a neutral position.
Keep your shoulders relaxed and down.
Your elbows should be at 90 degrees and hands partially open.
Swing your arms straight, forward and back and minimize its crossing the body.
See that your hips lean upwards, with the torso giving support to the lower back.
Your knee should move as straight as possible
Don’t do too much of up-and-down movement.
Allow your foot to fall directly below your knee, and then swing it forward.
Take due care to minimize the contact time of your foot and ground.
It’s better if you start with a running schedule at an easy pace for at least 6 to 8 weeks and slowly increase the distance you run.
Stretching Techniques
Do stretching everyday. It helps in proper alignment of the muscle tissues and expansion of muscles that are tight.
Start with a warm-up stretch. This takes your muscle and joints through a full range of motion. Grasp this stretch for 10 to 15 seconds.
Remember that, slow static stretching is effectual in dropping the muscle pains that can happen after the exercise. Hold this one for 30 to 40 seconds, clutching it at a point where tension is felt… relax … then move a fraction further into the stretch.
Don’t forget to do stretching in a relaxed environment. Never bounce into a stretch or overdo it. It won’t increase your flexibility.
To improve flexibility do stretching on a regular basis and relax your muscle tissues…that’s most important.
Some more important points:-
Boxing is a sporadic sport and requires a good amount of anaerobic fitness which is estimated to be 70-80%.This sport’s work/rest ratio is 3:1. Here as a boxer, you need to sustain power at a high percentage of V02 max. When you condition yourself, your aim should be to delay the fatigue. This can be done by raising the tolerance to lactic acid build-up, increasing provisions of phospho-creatine to create ATP, delaying the pre-mature use of the lactic acid system, improving effectiveness of oxygen use and recovery between powerful bursts of activity.
Let me now take you through a short tour of the energy system:
· Remember..ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is your foundation of energy for all muscle contractions.
· Your energy is released when your ATP is broken down into ADP (adenosine diphosphate).
· Let me tell you that, whether an exercise or sport, it’s fueled by three different energy systems namely the aerobic system, the lactic acid system (anaerobic glycolysis) and the ATP-PC system. The aerobic pathway is a long-term energy system, while the other two are of short terms.
Aerobic System
Aerobic glycolysis takes place when oxygen is readily available to break down pyruvate into ATP.
This is a complex process having three stages:-
- breakdown of glucose
- The Krebs Cycle
- The Electron Transfer Chain
Here the motive is to increase the working capacity of the heart and its ability to deliver oxygen to the muscles.
You can go for the following methods to develop aerobic stamina:
- Steady-state continuous runs: 5-10km.
- Long duration interval training: 4-6 sets of 2-5 minute intervals (work/rest ratio being 1:1 or 1:2)
Lactic Acid System
You can define this as the incomplete breakdown of glycogen due to lack of oxygen.
This can happen during exercise periods of around 90 seconds, and ranges from 15 seconds to 2 minutes. This pathway gets off in the way as the aerobic pathway. The only difference is the breakdown of glucose into pyruvic acid
It is from pyruvate that Lactate is produced and transformed to lactic acid.
ATP-PC System
Here, Creatine Phosphate is used to generate intense bursts of activity, which can last up to 10-15 seconds.
This particular training develops your tolerance to muscular fatigue.
It is performed with intervals ranging from 15-40 seconds to 40-90 seconds.
In this type of training, recovery periods are long because the lactic acid leads to exhaustion.
Also, let me tell you that this training is physically hard and can radically decrease the store of glycogen.
1. 20 sets of 20m sprints (work/rest ratio of 1:4)
Chapter 11
Conditioning
Your ideal way to condition for is to form an interval running that imitates the work/rest ratios involved. The intervals should match the duration of a round (maybe of 2 – 3 minutes), with a 1 minute rest period.You can also perform situational exercises, lasting 30-60 seconds for 6-8 sets
You have to remember that a sound aerobic base is necessary to develop an anaerobic fitness
An aerobic fitness base helps to recover between intense bursts of activity and improves lactate threshold.
You should remember here to prioritize between aerobic and anaerobic training.
As Ross Enamait says in his article on periodization, “A proper strength-training program for boxing involves much more than simply walking into the gym and grabbing a pair of dumbbells. Boxing is a complex sport. To be successful, your training must be equally complex…How do we maximize each component of strength? The answer lies in a cycled training approach, also known as periodization” ..you may follow the same for edurance training as well, which too could be cycled.You can divide an endurance program into 3 phases namely Preparation, Pre-Competition and Competition.
The time-frame for each period depends on your fight schedules and fitness level. The
However, you may go through the general time frames for each cycle as given below:
Preparation period of 6-8 weeks
Pre-competition period of 8-12 weeks
And Competition period lasting 2-4 weeks .
Chapter 12StanceThis is the basic, probably where you start from. Let me tell you that the modern stance which has a upright vertical armed guard differs a lot from the stances of the 19th and early 20th centuries. This is how an ideal stance should be like:-
- You stand with your legs apart at shoulder-width and your rear foot a half-step behind your lead foot.
- If you are right-handed lead with the left foot and fist. Keep both of your feet pointed slightly inward and make it sure that the right heel is off the ground.
- Hold your lead fist vertically, maybe, six inches in front of the face at eye level.
- Hold the rear fist beside the chin.
- Tuck the elbow against the ribcage to protect the body.
- Enfold the chin is into the chest to avoid punches to the jaw, as that may knock you out.
- Keep your back foot kept at a 45-degree angle.
- Shift weight to the balls of your feet.
- Keep your knees bent and distribute weight equally between the feet.
- To protect your vital organs, bend elbows and tuck them into the sides
- Place your fists at cheekbone level, with left hand somewhat out, poised to jab as you bring arms into sides.
- Keep your chin down and look up.
- Roll your shoulders forward.
- Position your body partly to one side with left shoulder and hand slightly closer opponent.
If you are Left-handed, just use a mirror image of the orthodox stance. Remember, the southpaw stance is vulnerable to a straight right hand.During a long bout, tapping your cheeks or foreheads with your fists to remind yourself to keep your hands up, is also a good idea.To move effectively in the ring, you need to learn to push off with your feet in order to move effectively. Lift your lead leg and push with the rear one for a forward motion and just the reverse for a rearward motion.
Chapter 13 To get some explosiveness out of your boxing follow these weight exercises… Specific Weight Exercises for Boxing Power
This routine targets all your muscle groups, and at the same time, it saves your energy and does over burn your capacity to recover.
Warm up thoroughly before you start this program, and do not undertake it in case you don’t have at least a six-month background in weight-training.
Dumbbell Uppercuts
These movements add power to your uppercut punch and also increase power to your the biceps, shoulder and back. It also develops your stability.
Steps:
- Stand in fighting stance while holding a 1 – 5kg dumbbell in the hand of the upper cutting arm – then begin with the left arm.
- Adopt the uppercut stance (basically fighting stance with elbows dipped toward the hip).
- Execute uppercut, with weight.
- Complete three sets of 10-15 repetitions, with one minute rest between sets.
- Upon completing set with left arm, switch to right arm. Do not turn to south paw stance if the conventional stance is natural for you, and vi
Straight PunchingDo straight punching with dumbbells. This will develop your power in both the straight right and left jab in addition to punches. This particular exercise will put up muscle and power in your shoulders. And, would stress-up your arms and chest which is necessary for you to withstand a continued workload.Execution:
Bench Press
You say term this drill at the top of all upper-body exercises.
This develops power to all muscles crucial for boxing success through your shoulders, chest, arms and neck.
Steps:
-
- Lie on bench.
- Grab the bar.
- Release from rack and lower.
- Ensure that there is enough weight to complete the preferred number of repetitions on the descent.
- Complete three sets. Each set should be of ten repetitions.
- Rest for a minute after completion of a set.
Here, what you should aim at is to bring down the weight slowly and power it up with maximum speed.
Shoulder Press.
This as you understand will strengthen your shoulder which would enhance your punching power. Shoulder strength is also the key for keeping your guard as weak shoulders could mean disaster for any boxer. Steps:
-
- Sit on the bench.
- Hold the dumbbells in your front.
- Bring dumbbells to the height of your shoulder.
- Press them until they touch the top.
- Get the dumbbell back to the initial position.
- Complete three sets which should be of ten repetitions each.
- Take a minute’s between every set.
One-Arm cross Pullbacks.
Do this exercise to develop the lateral muscles of your back. Here, the pulling is almost like pulling of a punch in boxing.
Your back strength has a lot to do to help in keeping your hands at the guard position. Also, it gives a good degree of power to your punch, as most of your power of a punch you deliver is generated through your legs and then back to your shoulders and arms.
iat sides holding two-five kg dumbbells. Steps:
-
- Take the stance in front of the lateral pull-down machine.
- Grab the rope or pulley attachment.
- Start to jab and see that there is enough weight to complete the number of repetitions.
- Extend your arm and pull back with force.
- Repeat this in a right cross motion.
- Complete three sets. Each of 10 to 15 repetitions. Take a minute’s rest between every set.
- Keep your arms up in the way that the palms look the sides of face.
- Push your arms out in the motion of a punch. Remember to push one arm at a time.
Depth Jumps with Dumbbells.These are kinds of plyometric movements that generate explosive power through your legs. This also enhances your muscular speed by through stretch-shortening-cycle improvement. This comes through an amplified force of the muscles as through this drill the elastic properties of your muscles are utilized. Try to perform this exercise without weights, due to the force it will have on your joints. However, you can try 12.5 pound dumbbells to maximize your power generating capacities. If performed correctly there shouldn’t be any injury problem. Given much of the power of any punch, not to mention footwork (which plays an important role in landing these punches), requires explosive power through the legs, it is pertinent to focus on leg exercises emphasizing power – plyometrics are among the best at doing this. Steps:
-
- Get up on a box or a sturdy bench of 30-40cm high.
- Hold dumbbells of 1-5kg.
- Step off the bench and very quickly jump up vertically, as high as you can.
- Minimize your ground contact time. Remember not to sink down into a deep crouch before jumping up.
- Do 3 sets, each of 12-15 repetitions. Take a minute’s rest in between.
Single Leg Hops with Dumbbells.This is another plyometric movement. It is single leg hops that would help you in the development of both leg power and balance, which is vital to execute a perfectly timed punch. Usually, when you are hit, you go off balance for a moment. With this exercise, you develop the ability to recover fast and throw punches from this susceptible position.Steps:
-
- Stand on one leg and then slightly bend your knee.
- Hold the 2kg dumbbells.
- Being in that position, try to get the maximum possible height and distance with each hop.
- Keep your ground contact time to the minimum.
- Repeat with the opposite leg.
- Complete three sets each of 15 repetitions. Take one minute rest between sets.
And, here is the summary in a nutshell:
- Warm-up: five minutes on bike, followed by joint rotations and stretching.
- Dumbbell uppercuts with 1-5kg weights, complete 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
- Straight punching with 2-5kg dumbbells, complete 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
- Bench presses: Complete 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
- Shoulder presses: Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
- One-arm lateral pullbacks: Complete 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
- Depth jumps with 1-5kg dumbbells: Do 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions.
- Single leg hops with 2kg dumbbells: Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
- Close with five minutes on the bike and full body stretching.
- Follow this routine 2 days a week on your non-boxing training days.
-
- Complete three sets of ten-15 repetitions, with one minute rest between sets.
Chapter 14 Governing and sanctioning bodies
Governing BodyBritish Boxing Board of Control Nevada State Athletic CommissionAmerican Association of Professional Ringside Physicians Sanctioning Body World Boxing Association (W.B.A.)World Boxing Council (W.B.C.)International Boxing Federation (I.B.F.)World Boxing Organization (W.B.O.)International Boxing Organization (I.B.O.)North American Boxing Council (N.A.B.C.)
