Box
Of all sports, boxing is one of the most physically demanding. It requires a blend of power and quickness combined with excellent overall conditioning. Professional boxers are continually perfecting their craft as they move up in rankings to face tougher opponents. If you want to learn how to box, follow these guidelines.
Steps
- Commit to a rigorous, comprehensive training regimen. Some boxing experts suggest that beginners train for 3 to 6 months before ever entering a ring. This allows fledgling fighters to reach peak physical condition and perfect basic techniques before suffering their first blow. Most physical-conditioning programs for boxers can be broken down into 3 categories: cardiovascular, core exercises and weight training.
- Cardiovascular exercises: Fatigued fighters tend to drop their gloves and leave their heads exposed. They also can't produce the energy to effectively counter punch in late rounds of a bout. That is why top professional fighters jog hundreds of miles of roadwork. Boxers need to not only have extreme endurance capabilities, but also summon short bursts of power at key moments in a bout. To meet these physical requirements, boxers will vary their roadwork programs. For example, boxers will vary the pace of their endurance-building runs to include brief, all-out sprints. This simulates the physical demands of fighting.
- Core exercises: Boxers generate much of their power from the core of the body. By performing exercises that involve many muscle groups, a prizefighter can build a powerful core that forces all parts of the body to work cohesively. Some of the most effective exercises include chin-ups and pull-ups, crunches, squats and thrusts. Do 3 sets of each with 1-minute breaks in between exercises. Chin-ups and pull-ups should be done until you can't do any more. Do 20 reps of the other exercises.
- Weight training: Weightlifting helps new boxers build strength and punching power. The chest, shoulders and arms are of particular importance. Upper-chest exercises include the flat bench press and dumbbell flies. Shoulder muscles can be targeted with dumbbell military presses and lateral raises. Biceps curls and triceps kickbacks help build upper arm strength needed to increase punching power. The key in weight training for boxers is to develop explosiveness. This means doing 6 to 8 reps of each exercise with the heaviest weight you can handle. Do 3 sets of each and vary the exercises so your muscles don't plateau. Alternate days between core and weight training.
- Learn boxing fundamentals.
- Stance: A strong, comfortable stance will enable you unleash powerful punches and swiftly evade blows from your opponent. If you're a right-handed fighter, the proper stance is to have your left foot in front of you, at a 45-degree angle from your opponent. Your left heel should line up with your right toe. Most of your weight should be on your back foot. Keep your elbows in and your hands up, with your left under your cheek and your right under your chin. Keep your chin down at all times.
- Footwork: Keep on your toes and keep moving. Never provide a stationary target. If you're facing a right-handed rival, move to your right. If you're facing a lefty, move to your left. This keeps a greater distance between you and your opponent's strong hand. Never cross-step. This can put you in an unbalanced, indefensible position.
- Practice punching. Successful boxers practice punching techniques long before they ever enter the ring. Whether shadow-boxing or using the heavy bag, new boxers must concentrate on using proper form when unleashing a blow. After they become adept at delivering a variety of punches, fighters usually develop combinations, in which they release a devastating flurry of blows on their opponent. Some of the most effective punches in boxing include:
- Jab: Usually done with the weaker, front hand, the jab helps keep your opponent away from you. The jab is a short punch. To maximize the effectiveness of the jab, professional boxers twist their arm and wrist just before making contact with their opponent.
- Cross: As opposed to a jab, which is thrown straight in front of the body, this punching technique is delivered by the strong hand in a slightly upward motion across the body. The shoulder helps power the cross.
- Hook: The hook can be delivered to the head or body of the opponent – whichever is unprotected. It is often used in combination with other punches. The sweeping delivery is its chief drawback, as it can leave you susceptible to a counterpunch.
- Throw an Uppercut in Boxing: This is an upward blow unleashed by either hand that is highly effective when in close quarters.
- Combinations: After you have mastered punching methods, you can work on combinations. The first combination most boxers learn is the old 1, 2 (a jab followed by a cross). Another effective combo adds a hook to the 1, 2. (If you're right-handed, this would be a left jab followed by a right cross and ending with a left hook.)
- Learn to take and block punches. Boxing isn't all about throwing punches; minimizing your opponent's blows is a vital part of the game too. Some of the standard evasive maneuvers in boxing include:
- Parry: After keeping your gloves up and chin down, the parry is probably the most basic defensive technique in boxing. To parry, you simply use your hands to slap your opponent's punches down as they arrive.
- Slip: The slip is performed by sharply rotating your hips and shoulders as your rival throws a punch aimed at your head.
- Block in Boxing: When blocking a punch, you make no effort to avoid contact. You're just absorbing impact with your gloves rather than your body.
- Bob and weave: The bob is executed by bending the legs to avoid a high blow, like a hook to the head. The weave often follows. It is executed by arching the body just out of range of your opponent's extended glove.
- Rolling: This is a technique often used by former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali. Press your gloves to your forehead, hold your elbows in against your body, and keep your chin against your chest. This provides little protection against side-body blows but is an effective defense against a barrage, as most of the impact is absorbed by your gloves and forearms.
Tips
- Tape your hands every time you spar. To wrap your hands, hook your thumb and pull the tape down and wrap your wrist 3 times. Then pull the tape up and wrap your hands 3 times. Bring the tape back down under the pad of your thumb. Then make Xs in the gaps between your fingers. Start with your pinky and ring fingers. Pull the tape through the gap, then twist it across the bottom of your hand along the upper pads. Cross the tape over the back of your hand from right to left and then go underneath. Repeat the process for the other gaps. When you've completed that, wrap around your thumb once and then around the back of your hand. Wrap your thumb again and then pull the tape across your palm. From here, wrap your knuckles 3 times and end by wrapping your wrist once.
- Stay in the center of the ring. Don't get trapped along the ropes or in a corner.
- To get out of the corner, be sure to block. Then bob and weave.
- Spar with experienced fighters. You may take a beating, but sparring against a superior fighter will help you learn how to box.
Things You'll Need
- Gloves
- Trunks
- Headgear
- Mouth guard
- Heavy bag
- Hand tape
- Boxing boots
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