Boxing Should Be Your Next Sport
One of the toughest and most exciting sports in the world is boxing. The metaphor also applies to life.
One of the toughest and most exciting sports in the world is boxing. The metaphor also applies to life. Modern Boxing with more than 200 years is the quintessential sport when it comes to evoking words and phrases applicable to both sports and everyday life.
You probably know expressions like “against the ropes,” “throw in the towel,” “throw one’s hat in the ring,” “below the belt,” “go the distance,” and “roll with the punches.” Boxing idioms have become common cultural references for challenges on the playing field, in the boardroom, and in everyday life.
Benefits of Boxing
But boxing is more than just its memorable slogans and vivid metaphors. Boxing is a top-notch sport, martial art, and workout.
While boxing terminology is still commonly used, the “sweet science” as a sport has fallen out of favor in favor of other more conventional sports and pastimes.
Boxing isn’t going anywhere, though it may never recapture public interest as it did in its 1950s heyday. In a way, boxing as a spectator sport is even experiencing a slight revival thanks to the success of mixed martial arts.
Popular or not, if you’ve never tried boxing and are willing to roll up your sleeves for a new challenge, here’s why it might make sense for you.
You’ll learn rhythm with boxing. In all the years I practiced kung fu, I was terrible at keeping my hands up. My frustrated sifu suggested I try boxing after I didn’t get the message. I quickly got good at keeping my hands up, but it was the addictive rhythm of boxing that made me fall in love with the sport. Boxing’s rhythm is unlike that of any other sport or martial art. Jazz is the genre that most resembles boxing; it’s chaotic, spontaneous, and furious but also smooth and rhythmic. Boxing teaches you the grace, rhythm, and cadence of good movement, unlike many sports and hobbies that teach you to go forward or in a choreographed manner.
Boxing teaches real-world self-defense. Like it or not, everyone experiences “taking hits” in life. In a civilized society, hitting things or people isn’t exactly acceptable, but there has never been more evidence of repressed anger. Road rage incidents are at an all-time high, and we often see disturbing images of shootings and police brutality.
The ability to maintain composure in the face of life’s turbulence is essential for self-defense. An alpine skier traveling at 90 mph, a boxer in a title fight, and a surfer have something in common: the ability to maintain composure in extreme adversity.
Since doing so goes against our inherent fight-or-flight predisposition, it must be learned and then perfected. Boxing will help you develop the strength to maintain composure, “roll with the punches,” and prepare for the inevitable possibility of “taking a hit.”
Boxing can get you in shape. In a busy life, it can be challenging to include all types of training (endurance, strength, power, flexibility, aerobic, and anaerobic). Boxing is considered the toughest sport in the world because it requires mastering each of these aspects. Boxing is a combination of strength, speed, and endurance. It is also the most intense sport out there. For an 80-kilogram person, boxing in a ring burns 981 calories in an hour. Only strenuous exercises like cross-country skiing or intense running require more calories.
Boxing improves strength. Boxing fosters self-awareness, self-confidence, and humility. Engaging in sparring, fighting, or competing in the ring takes a lot of courage (and confidence). However, you quickly discover that your toughest fights are almost always fought internally when you’re in the ring. Many people overlook the fact that boxing is, ultimately, a martial art in addition to being a challenging sport and great exercise. Working on both the internal and external aspects is a necessary component of the martial arts experience. Boxing will teach you to slow down and focus on breathing, in addition to teaching you the physical technique of punches, slips, and blocks.
Boxing improves mental fitness. “Chessboxing” is one of the strangest sports to have developed recently. What could chess and a neighborhood sport like soccer have in common? In reality, it makes a lot of sense. Success in the ring depends on understanding the opponent and devising a plan, just like in chess. Does your opponent telegraph their punches? Does your opponent’s movement in the ring always follow the same path? When your opponent throws their left hand, do they also throw their right? Boxing will enhance both your physical and mental resilience.
What to Do First
Here are some tips to get started before joining your local martial arts or boxing gym:
Find a good school and a good coach and start slowly. Before entering any gym or school, research and get to know the people working there. Make sure they prioritize your safety and be cautious of ego and attitude.
Gear matters. Invest in quality equipment as a favor to yourself. A mouthguard, headgear, groin protection for sparring, hand wraps, 12-14 ounce gloves for training, and 16-ounce gloves are the absolute minimum requirements.
Avoid fights for at least six months. Negative experiences in early fights are the most discouraging factor for people to practice boxing. Before entering a boxing ring, you should practice a lot. Do your research before choosing a sparring partner, and plan to be a student for at least six months. Make sure you commit to doing a “good job” and prioritize safety above all else.
The “exercise” component of boxing alone is perfectly acceptable. Look into local cardio kickboxing classes if all you want to do is exercise the physical aspect of boxing.
Additionally, many franchise programs, such as Title Boxing and 9Round, offer exercise-only courses. These are calorie-burning exercises, but a warning: boxing is 50% offense and 50% defense.
You can’t learn to box or protect yourself if you don’t learn to take hits. That being said, not everyone appreciates or is willing to take punches, so it’s your decision if you just want to put on some gloves and exercise.
Fall in Love with Boxing
The sweet science of boxing has many attractive aspects, including discipline, mental and physical concentration, even ritual and rhythm.
Boxing is not for everyone, so take all necessary safety measures before donning the gloves and stepping into the ring.
Depending on your needs, boxing can be applied in many ways. Without sparring, some people study boxing for years. Some people enroll in boxing and MMA programs solely to stay in shape.
Some will fight, compete, and become lifelong learners. Boxing