I love this question, and coaches enjoy arguing about it. We’re naturally argumentative. We’ll punch you, if needed.
Seriously. If you make the transition from boxing fitness to sparring, you’re almost always going to be asking yourself the question “Should I compete?” And if you decide to compete, how do you know when you’re ready? Is there a physical bar? Is it about conditioning, or skills? Or is it primarily mental? A mix of both? (more…)
When you’re training for boxing, you’ll probably wear regular boxing wraps or gel gloves underneath your boxing gloves for protection and support.
When you compete under the USA Boxing sanction, the rules on what you can use to wrap your hands, and how you must wrap them, are very specific.
Ringside did a particularly good video on this, and it’s well worth watching the entire 16 minute video (and there’s a funny treat at the end). (more…)
Getting a good amateur boxing match together is never, ever a blissfully effortless ride on the pugilistic merry-go-round. It’s the most complex, chaotic, and frequently emotional mess you ever did see.
If all you ever do is show up to enjoy a local fight night it might look smooth, from the outside. But it absolutely isn’t. For the 4 to 6 hours prior to the doors opening at the average amateur boxing evening, there is more anarchy and disarray than a high school cafeteria lunch period on homecoming Friday with no teachers. (Sorry, did I just give you a flashback?)
Since I’m usually officiating, I’m not the one who packs the gym bag to take our competitive boxing team to their events, but sometimes I pitch in to help the other coaches remember everything we need.
And finally I wrote it all down, since that’s infinitely preferable to madly scrambling around at the last minute, trying to remember what all our boxing team will need once they get to the competitive arena.
Btw, I searched the internet and didn’t find ANYTHING to help you pack your competition bag, so if you happen so see something, please link it in the comments. Just the fact that I couldn’t find anything made me wonder if I was missing something…
Of course, this will be the ONLY post on the subject to include toilet paper, sparkly elves, chainsaws, and Nicki Minaj. Read on.(more…)
At most boxing gyms you’ll hear coaches tell you to stay off the ropes and control the center of the ring during your rounds. And that’s sound advice.
But there’s also some good things to be said about being the kind of fighter who can perform well against the ropes, and even win a fight using rope skills. Here’s what I mean.
The transition from the floor of the gym to the boxing ring can be a bitch. When you’re new, you can barely tell a jab from a cross; the prospect of live sparring feels like being dropped into a pit with Jabba the Hutt’s Rancor (pictured above, nomming someone’s arm).
So how the hell do you know what to ask for or expect in a sparring partner? Well, you ask someone who’s been doing it a while. I’ll tell you my experience with it, and then you can ask someone else. Find your tribe and they’ll help you get through this.
Because an amateur boxer’s passbook runs from January to December, there’s a lotta “getting ready to fight” going on in boxing during the last few months of the year. You need to be in good condition and getting close to your weight category position.
And Thor knows you want to get that first looming match over with, out of your system, and finished with (for good or ill) so that you can move the hell on and start to settle into the competition groove.
Because the truth is that you operate at about half — or less — of your usual power at your first show. Why? Because of the intensity, the anxiety, and all the (normal) insanity of a boxing event. Plus it’s just fucking scary, that’s what.
So here’s how to dremel the killing edge right off that wicked blade, and make it a weapon that works for you, rather than slicing you to the bone when you go to pick it up. (more…)
Remember Zoltar, from the Tom Hanks movie “Big”? You gotta watch out for those crazy boardwalk games, they will flat mess with your life.
Wanna know how Crista Orefice, 37-year-old board-certified music therapist and a singer/songwriter from New Jersey got her start in amateur boxing? Wait. I’ll let her tell it.
Ummmm, boardwalk games and boxing, Crista? WTF?
Last summer, my boyfriend and I went to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. At the beach there was the usual boardwalk with an arcade. Well, in this particular arcade stood a video game that changed my life.
It was a boxing game. You put on these heavy plastic “gloves” and “boxed” with an opponent on the computer screen. As I played this game, throwing a ton of punches, something ignited in me. It was exhilarating! I wanted to play the game again and again.
It didn’t take me long to make the next step. On the way home, while my boyfriend was driving I was looking up local boxing gyms, and I found one 20 minutes from where I live. Now Dover Boxing Club is more or less my second home.
Crista’s Grandfather
And the coolest thing of all is that I learned shortly afterwards that my grandfather, who died before I was born, was an amateur boxer and Golden Gloves champion. And he was also a southpaw just like me! He was known as “The Southpaw Wizard.”
What a great story! My grandfather was a Golden Gloves boxer, too. What other sort of responses did you encounter when you first started boxing?
Many people were kind of shocked that I took up this sport. People have said things like:
“Boxing? You? No way!”
“Oh, please be careful!”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“You don’t look like a boxer!”
I understand where the responses are coming from, and I am small in stature; people don’t want me to get hurt. But I also think many people believe I’m more docile than I really am. In boxing, I am learning to tap into my strength, confidence, and assertiveness.
Share a little bit about how you train.
I train 3 to 4 times each week. My normal routine consists of running, jumping rope, shadow boxing, and bag work. One night a week, there is a class that focuses on plyometrics (like box jumps, etc.), duck walks, and calisthenics (jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers, bicycle crunches, push-ups, and leg lifts). I also use a 13 lb. resistance ball alone or with a partner and drop it on my abs and/ or have someone throw it onto my obliques with some pressure in order to strengthen those muscles so that I will better be able to handle punches to the body.
There is also this killer drill we do called the Gauntlet which involves a couple of minutes at various stations (e.g., fast feet, shadowboxing, heavy bag, uppercut bag, etc.) – it is brutal but great for stamina and endurance.
I also do mitt work with my coach as well as defensive drills with a partner. And we have one night of the week designated specifically for sparring.
What do you love or hate most about boxing? What’s your biggest fear about it?
At times, I do hate being small – it can get frustrating, since most people have a longer jab than I do. I am learning to work more on the inside which involves getting right in there and not being able to sort of “hide” behind a long jab.
My biggest fear is something severe happening to my nose, which would impede my ability to sing!
I know I am taking a risk, but I am working on not letting my fear stop me from trying. Boxing allows you the opportunity to face your fears head on (pun intended); it lets you learn to take punches or learn that you may be able to handle more than you realized. I love the empowerment and the self-confidence boxing builds.
Building up the skill and technique of boxing is deeply satisfying. This is not brawling. It is a sweet science. It requires thinking and strategy as much as it does conditioning and strength. It’s been stimulating to learn something new and outside of my comfort zone.
Do you feel accepted and welcomed into the boxing life? Have you encountered prejudices as a woman or an outsider?
When I first came to the boxing club a little over a year ago, I was mostly the only woman there, but I never felt like I was not accepted by any of the guys there. My coach is so welcoming to both men and women in his gym. He’s had female amateur champions under his wing, so I was not the first woman to set foot in there.
Recently my coach paired me up to to spar against this young man who had 30 plus pounds on me. He said to him, “Now, just because she is a girl does not mean she can’t fight – she can fight! So don’t hold back with her.” And while he didn’t have us go on like that for too long, he gave me an opportunity to hold my own, and he has commended me for handling strong punches.
For a while, I was sparring only guys. But now we have about five other women who come and train regularly, so it has been great for me to have other females to spar with, and to whom I can relate on a different level. The guys watch our sparring sessions and offer encouragement.
You’re training for your first match! How is that changing things for you?
I am very excited and a little nervous, too! I intend to give it my best. I have been training for over a year pretty consistently. I know it is for real now, so the level of pressure to succeed has increased.
At each training session, I am trying to absorb everything that my coach teaches and spar as much as I can. In my humble opinion, sparring is the only way to truly up your game and really learn about your strengths and your weaknesses both within offense and defense.
What phrases are starting to come up on your “Boxing Manifesto”?
“Protect yourself at all times!”
“Stay in your rhythm!”
“It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward.” (from Rocky Balboa, of course)
Have you seen particular ways that boxing relates to life, in your experience?
Boxing, like life, is about resilience. You stay “on your toes” and learn to “roll with the punches.” You adapt to whatever comes your way. You learn to dig deeper and offer more, even when you’re tired. The courage you discover within yourself allows you to go after what you want and won’t let you be stopped by taking some hits or some falls. Even if you lose the round, you can still win the fight.
Got any advice for someone thinking about taking up boxing?
I say try it! Members at my boxing club range in age from 8 to 78. You will eventually know if it is your thing or not. Boxing doesn’t mean that you have to become a professional fighter or even an amateur fighter; it has so much to offer even if you only do it as a workout routine. It conditions your entire body. But whether you do it for the workout or to build your skills in boxing, I suggest finding a gym that really teaches the technique, because bad habits won’t help you (and may hurt you) if you do decide to step into the ring. Good luck and keep punching!
Power is an open secret in boxing, and most fighters hear their coaches talking about “punching through” and “putting your body behind” a solid, powerful shot.
But there is another, sneakier and equally effective method to score punches, intimidate an opponent, and win your game, and that’s in developing a stinging snap in your punch; particularly your jab.
A regular jab can be used for a variety of purposes in the boxing ring. It can measure the distance between you and your opponent or it can open the way for a power shot, among other things. But it can be a devastating shot all on its own if you can make it into a snapping whip of a shot, the kind of punch that comes out of nowhere, hits like an electric shock, and disappears before your opponent can even register its presence.
What gives a punch snap
A snapping punch is created out of speed and minimal contact. It’s a punch that goes out fast and returns fast. You have to turn it over (right at the end of the shot), touch with sting, and bring it back to guard position in rapid-fire succession.
A well-landed shot of any kind has a distinctive sound on the heavy bag or mitts. There’s a particular thwack or pop that gives you the feedback you need to know you’ve scored with precision and pain. But a snapping punch has a higher sound, almost like a dry stick being cracked in two.
The advantages of snap jabs
1. They save your power.
When you’re punching for power alone, you will burn a lot of energy quickly, and you run the risk of gassing out. You can’t launch bomb shots rapidly, either. Nor can you spend the entire fight throwing one knockout punch after another; there’s a dance, a balance to be maintained. Boxing is a conscious mental play of the game pieces, and rather than blindly launching everything you have at once, you have to choose your shots.
2. They’re fast! They buy you valuable time.
A snapping punch has the great advantage of being incredibly fast. When you get one off, you startle your opponent and buy yourself even more time to launch and score again before they recover. It also allows you to throw more shots than you could if you were loading up power hits one after the other.
3. They preserve your guard.
Because your return to guard so much faster, you’re more protected than if you’re leaving yourself open during a push-through or penetrating power hit.
How to throw a snapping punch
You have to have your distance exactly right. Throw some measuring jabs out there, and once you know the range for a snap-touch, fire a couple off. If you’re advancing on the jab, you have to put that into your calculations. Try from your stable stance before tossing in an advance, because advance-jabs tend to be more “punch through” than snapping jabs.
But the biggest secret to throwing a snapping punch is relaxing. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it’s absolutely necessary. Think about a coiled whip. The stiffer the braided leather is, the less bite the tip will have when it makes contact. But if it’s supple and loose, Indiana Jones is going to make you cry.
If you ask any ten boxers what the most important rule in boxing is you’ll hear things like “wear the right protective gear,” “find a coach you can trust,” or “learn the straight punches.” And all of those are important in learning to box.
But as I work each week with the new fighters at my gym, I see one major factor dividing the up-and-coming boxers from the ones who will never make it far in boxing…
These things are important
In no way am I trying to diminish the critical nature of the boxing advice you hear online, from other coaches, or even here on The Glowing Edge. Boxing is an enormous, complex sport, and there’s just no way to accomplish much in it without years of solid training and practice. Here’s a list of some great boxing tips, and you’ll get plenty of oil to grease your boxing engine if you follow them:
So day after day I’m in the boxing gym, training, coaching, and watching other boxers. And there is one factor that tells me whether or not someone is willing to do the real work of boxing. One single thing.
And that’s training to the bell.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen guys belly up to the heavy bag, fire off a handful of full-power combos, and then sit back in sheer self-appreciation and deep personal satisfaction.
Of course it feels great to blast the bag a few times. And there are plenty of days when you want to use every ounce of strength you have, play it all out to see what it feels like.
But being able to throw 15 hard punches means absolutely zero, zip, nada in boxing.
Strutting around the gym dabbling here and there is worse than useless — you’re actually in the way of serious boxers and you’re a distraction and bad example to other beginners. It would be better for everyone if you’d just go home and nurse your boxing fantasy in front of your mirror while the rest of us get the real work of boxing done.
(I so wanted to find a picture of a guy posing in front of his mirror at home, enjoying his boxing superstar fantasy. Go find one and post the link in the comments so we can have a good chortle.)
If you want to box, train to the bell
If you can’t go a single full round (2 or 3 minutes) of doing something — punching, footwork, jump rope, shadowboxing, padwork, running, agility dots, slipping, rope work, ring slides, planks, or some other fight-related action — you have not even begun to work at boxing.
There should be a round timer going in your gym most of the time. If there isn’t, get yourself a timer, or learn to set your watch/phone/music player to time your rounds. Do every single training exercise in rounds of 2 or 3 minutes, with 30 second recoveries. If your round timer has a 30-second bell (which rings to indicate there are 30 seconds left in the round before it ends), use that time to double your efforts and power your way toward the bell.
If you take a round off, be back at the bags, on the mat, or in the ring and ready to roll when the bell rings. That bell going off should not be your reminder to put down your water bottle and saunter over to the speed bag to resume your work; you should already be there ready and waiting to get the first shot in.
If you’re running or jumping rope and planning to go multiple rounds, keep going during the 30-second recovery period, but slow down to an easy coast. Then rev back up when the timer sounds the new round.
If you can’t do a single serious round out of the ring, you have no business getting in the ring.
If I have any single rule at the very top of the pile, it’s this one. Drill in rounds, practice in rounds, sprint in rounds. Do all your training in rounds, and your transition into the ring will be much faster and better.
Yes? No? Maybe? Fire away.
Your turn. What’s your top rule for boxing training? Leave me a comment below!
You’re training for your first match! How is that changing things for you?
