A boxing sparring session is radically different than an actual match. If I had to choose between the two, sparring wins every time. It can be unbelievably beautiful to watch, particularly when the two boxers agree — implicitly or explicitly — to maintain a certain flow, to match and challenge each other but not overwhelm.
You see this kind of beauty in many professional fights, although not as much in amateurs since both fighters are jazzed on nerves and gunning for the knockout. It’s rarely as controlled.
Dave G. sent me the link to this incredible sparring session between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Vanes Martirosyan, and I’ve watched it several times now, just soaking up how fabulous it is.
But it’s clearly between pros who are at the top of their game and ungodly strong. Did you see all those uppercuts Martirosyan landed? Holy sh*t. Of course he got his nose bloodied by Chavez, but I’d rather have the bloody nose than have to take those punishing uppercuts.
And these guys are working for the cameras… This is not your average-Joe sparring session. (I’m fighting the urge to add “Do not try this at home, kids.”)
Dave asked a question about sparring, as well:
What is the damage you sustain after an average sparring session?
I sustained a bloody nose and again a bruised lip this week. Since a lot of the fighters matching my skill don’t show up anymore, it’s slim pickings. People tend to drop out a lot in martial arts I noticed.
Anyway, if I want to spar I have no choice but to fight against the competitive fighter who is always around. I outweigh him about 30 pounds, but he sure is fast.
I am aware that you seldom get out unscathed from a session, maybe I should switch to headgear with a nose guard but those seem way too bulky.
I’d love to hear your take on this!
The main injuries are fairly simple.
I often have a headache the next day after a hard sparring match, but it’s usually treatable with an ibuprofen or three. I don’t really count that as an injury, but it’s part of the package.
My single most common issue is bruised lips, which isn’t surprising, since your lips and nose are the least protected parts of your face when you’re wearing headgear.
I have a friend (Hi, Eric!) who seems to get nosebleeds a lot, and that’s not too unusual for the same reason. We both hate the headgear with the bar across the face because they are so bulky and they obstruct your vision more, but it’s an option.
The black eyes are less common, but I’ve had a few. I would guess that heavyweights get them more than lightweights like me; our punches just don’t pack the same kind of power. I got every single one of my black eyes when sparring with a heavyweight partner.
I also got my broken rib during sparring, but that was more unusual. I’ve only seen that happen two other times in the years I’ve been boxing.
There are several things that go into determining how much injury you commonly get during a sparring session.
- The weight match of the sparring partners. I typically expect bigger partners to control their shots so that I don’t get hurt, but it doesn’t always happen that way.
- How hard you both agree to work. It’s best if you can be explicit, but sometimes you think you have an agreement, but one person starts to increase their power. You have to continue to communicate — either with words or with force — or you can get in trouble here…
- Experience level (whether or not you have good control of your punches). Newbies are notorious for causing damage, but more experienced boxers should be able to move faster and avoid the damage. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t.
- What kind of gear you’re wearing. Like I mentioned, I hate the face-savers, but I love a no-foul. You can see that both boxers in the video above are wearing groin protectors and both of them got shots that landed on them. These take the edge off rib shots, too, not to mention the dreaded liver shot.
- The number and length of rounds you spar. I like being a part of a team session where we’re trading off rounds; you can endure for longer and get a lot of learning in. But there’s great value in sparring the same number and length of rounds you do in a fight, too. I almost never get to do this since I’m usually the only woman in the gym, and men’s rounds are 3 minutes rather than 2. But when I’m getting ready for a match I insist on 2 minute rounds so I can get used to the rhythm.
- What kind of trainer you have. Sometimes one or another coach who is overseeing the sparring is out for blood, and is urging their fighter to rip you to shreds. I hate being in that situation, but I’ve definitely been there. I try to avoid this kind of session and this kind of trainer; I don’t respond well to being screamed at. But you do see it in boxing gyms, that’s for sure.
The truth is that I try to avoid bad sparring matches, although I’ve had a few, and I will go out of my way to set up sessions with partners I know I can trust and get the best work with. I’ll travel to another gym if I can’t get good sparring where I am, and I really try to maintain good relationships with several area gyms so that I can do this.
I also don’t spar all that frequently, since it’s pretty hard on the body. At my last gym we sparred every Friday, and you better believe there were plenty of people who showed up once or twice for a Friday, then dropped out completely or only came on other team nights.
There’s a huge (huge!) difference between training for boxing and actually boxing, and it’s definitely a big hurdle for people. I completely understand why lots of people would not want to spar; I really do. It’s not for everyone.
But I think it could be for more people if gyms would set the right tone, and help make the matches better.
I’d love to hear what everyone else has to say; leave a comment below and let’s mix it up!
Related posts:
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Lisa, great to see you turned this into a topic
The bruised lips sound very familiar, since I’ve had corrective eye surgery I always spar with full face headgear and this prevents against a black eye. It does not prevent against a bloody and sore nose as I mentioned.
At first I thought I’d broken it but this seems not the case, just have to be careful when wiping my face and…kissing
My colleagues know that I box so I don’t have to explain each time I turn up with a fat lip. I have looked into the nose bar headgear and wouldn’t mind trying it, but I’m with you on the visibility issue.
Let’s accept the fact it’s boxing and get punched in the face
Hi, Dave — thanks for being the genesis of this post, and for always being game for a conversation about boxing.
I admit to some curiosity about the corrective eye surgery — so many boxers over 40 elect to have Lasik or, and here’s another big curiosity — botox (!), and I always wonder what the possible complications could be.
Btw, I don’t think I’ve ever met a female boxer who’s had botox or something similar; or at least I never knew about it. I think it is true that you can’t compete if you have breast implants… Lol, this is a funny subject. But I bet lots of women (and men) have wondered.
Re: the eye surgery. Did your doctor clear you to box? Is it something you worry about every time you step into the ring, even with the full-face protector? What are the possible repercussions of serious blow to the head?
Can you send a link to the full-face headgear you use? I’ve only ever boxed in the kind with the nose bar. I’ve tried on others that called themselves “full face” and I gotta tell you, I could barely see. But it sounds like you’ve found a way to make it work for you.
Here’s my big curiosity: I would love to do a round or two with someone I trust without headgear. Just to see what it’s like… (Don’t tell my mom, ha.) I got no interest in sparring in little 8 ounce gloves (been there, hated that), but doing a couple sans headgear like the pros… I’d love to try it.
When I had my physical for USA Masters Boxing, my doctor and I both had to sign off saying I had never had Lasik.
Amy Scheer recently posted Lab Mice
Hi Lisa,
to clear things up: I had corrective surgery in ’92 and back then, Lasik was a fairly new procedure, so the doctor at the time opted for Radial Keratotomy.
You can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_keratotomy
This is a procedure that is now seldom being performed, due to Lasik’s popularity. However, I am very happy with the result, and was lucky to have an excellent doctor who was very skilled.
I’ve done a lot of research on martial arts and corrective surgery and Lasik is considered to be ‘risky’ because of the flap that is created and that can possibly be dislocated after a direct and heavy blow. I’ve read on several forums that PRK is the procedure of choice for people that wish to engage in contact sports, but I would definitely consult a trained physician in case you should consider it.
I wouldn’t say that I was ‘cleared’, imagine walking into an optometrist’s office and asking advice on being punched in the face after having corrective surgery. Of course they will strongly advise to exercise caution. That being said, I specifically asked her and she’d seen 2 serious cases of eye injuries both caused by…a squash ball. Yes, due to the small size it directly hits the eye and causes more damage than a soccer ball or a boxing glove.
Nevertheless she advised to wear full face protection. I looked around a bit and first bought karate style headgear with a face mask. It sucked. The mask fogged up after a couple of minutes and the things was way too bulky. After that, I switched to more traditional headgear, this is the one: http://tinyurl.com/7tctfrd
A normal boxing glove can’t directly hit the eye because of the elevated cheek protectors. Mexican style headgear such as this http://tinyurl.com/7kbqavr also looks very nice.
Excellent protection for the eyes and cheeks.
So yes, there is a risk and yes, a serious blow to the head can cause a detached retina but that can also happen with people without corrective surgery. That is why I’m limiting myself to sparring sessions and always with the full face headgear.
Having said that, it doesn’t protect against nose injuries. I’ve bloodied my nose last week and it still hurts so I’m starting to suspect I might have a small fracture. I’m definitely not sparring for a couple of weeks, which sucks. Unless I temporarily switch to the the nose bar headgear.
I did notice that a lot of boxers do wear it when sparring. In the sparring video, Chavez is wearing it in the beginning, 2min20secs in he seemed to have switched to the open face type. So it must have some use. Cleto Reyes has a selection and I would like to get my hands on this model from Everlast, that looks very promising: http://tinyurl.com/7nbvrv2
@Amy: Now I need to go back and look and see if that’s in our regs, too… Don’t recall seeing it, but could be there for us too.
@DaveG: Lots of interesting stuff here. (Sorry it got flagged for a bit; that was due to the number of links included.)
I checked out your headgear links and I just wonder how hard it must be to spar with this kind of protection. But you’re smart to be cautious; your vision isn’t something to screw around with. But you’re having to work harder than I am, I think!
And I hear ya; I’ve yet to have a doctor who didn’t freak out just a bit over the whole boxing thing. I’ve learned to be cautious, and I work pretty hard to explain everything to their satisfaction. But it’s still not something most traditional doctors are going to be happy about. (I have a totally unsubstantiated view that they’re even more upset with us women than with you guys.)
A squash ball! Wow.
I love to watch sparring sessions and yes I agree that you can only see a more controlled fight in a professional match rather than in amateur ones. Sparring though has a lot of rules depending on why the sparring was held in the first place. I’d love to watch more of your fights. Keep it up.
Another great column, Lisa. Especially about ensuring that you agree to the level of effort with your sparring partner. There is nothing worse than getting in the ring expecting to fight at one level only to find yourself on the receiving end of an unplanned barrage.
Girlboxing recently posted Getting back in the swing!
Usually things like this do not make one mean. However it could bring out to a more full extent what was already there to begin with. Basically amplifying the problem. I know women who are cold like this, it is sad. Technically it is hard to say, brain damage can make you more impatient. It just depends on what part of the brain was affected.
Have a go without the headgear – well worth the pain for the buzz afterwards. Just make sure you’re not with some machismo who will hit you too hard just to prove a point. Would worry a little about the headaches though especially if you are getting them while wearing head-gear? What size gloves do you guys spar with?
I only get the headaches if I’m doing a lot of sparring in one night, or working with a heavyweight. I try not to spar with anyone wearing 12 ounces or below. Always prefer the 14s or 16s for sparring.
Thanks for the go-ahead — I think I know just the right sparring partner to work with! I’ll be curious to see if she’s willing to work with me…
Lisa,
I have a question when does a cut becomes so serious that a boxer can no longer compete in boxing?
Eh, boxers fight all the time with cuts. It’s just part of the deal.
How do they treat blood leakage/drippage/flowage? One of my friends used to fight (karate) and they would shut down a match if someone got a bloody nose for sanitary reasons. They would even go as far as to mop the gym floor with some kind of disinfectant or bleach solution. Just curious..
Sine B, so good to hear from you! I miss your regular biking updates… Great to have you stop in and say howdy.
And to your question:
In a pro fight, everyone has had a blood test and they can’t fight unless that comes up clean. And no bout will be stopped for blood, but since MMA fights tend to be bloodier than boxing matches, in NC you’ll see them have all the MMA fights first, then roll up the mat in the ring and have a fresh canvas under there for the boxers.
With regular sparring, it depends on the gym and how much blood there is.
Most of the gyms I’ve been in will (eventually) stop the bout, clean up the fighters, and then keep going. Minor blood isn’t typically a reason to act immediately, but at the bell it gets addressed. And by “addressed” I mean “wiped off.”
I hear myself saying all this, and I know very well the potential risks of blood-borne disease. However, it doesn’t seem to touch off massive alarm bells in boxing, maybe because it’s such a normal part of the ebb and flow of the sport.
Boxing isn’t clean in general. All that sweat and close bodily contact. All the bruising, cuts, and bloody noses. It’s incredibly germy, and definitely *not* for people who are deeply concerned about top-notch sanitary conditions.
Even if the people are clean, the equipment isn’t. Heavy bags get wiped down periodically, but what about the boxing gloves? I can’t remember the last time I wiped mine down. Although I *do* wash my wraps or hand gels (which go inside your gloves).
And if you’re boxing on an actual canvas (far preferable to a vinyl MMA mat) then you can’t even really clean the canvas up. They get sent out for cleaning maybe once every few years, but mostly they stay covered with blood drips and sweat stains, etc. They get swept off with a broom periodically.
Gym floors are a variety of surfaces, from carpet to concrete. At my current gym we have mostly concrete with areas that are covered by rubber mats. We hosed them down when we first moved in, but I have no idea if they are regularly cleaned. I’d be afraid to ask. Yikes.
Scary, when you think about it, right?
From a womans perspective I agree with you, I can’t help but wonderwhy anyone would want to put their body through such punishment or undertake the rist of permanent enjury to mind ore bod?. But then I am not a boxer, enlighten me.
One thing I hate from boxing is the general possibility of causing any damage, because even just in a sparring session some of the player is getting nose bleed and etc., Thanks for a lot of health information regarding with boxing…