Toying with boxing...!

[Mr Punch]

I'm wondering whether to do a bit of boxing.

I don't want to make my life out of it (wouldn't mind, but I'm kind of primarily concerned with keeping my noggin in full (?!) working order). I just want to get hardcore fit, and I like the idea of learning a sound ma while I'm doing it. I figure maybe a year or two initially.

However, when I do something, I do it. My main worries are:

1) I'm 6'1" and 145 lbs. I have reasonably useful muscles, trained only through martial arts. I am reasonably fit. But I'm one skinny ******* despite eating like a horse and training like a loony. Does this matter?

2) I don't mind taking all kinds of shots, but I want my brain to work as well as it does now (:rolleyes: ). What's the likelihood of winding up a cabbage?

Anyone any advice?

[dezhen2001]

Hi Mat :)

i thought you were training WC? Imhe it's best not to mix those up as some people say they are similar, but personally i found them to be very different...

Anyway, if u do go with it, boxing is certainly a great way of getting in shape fast! Of course i train 'internals' now, but admire the amount of training those guys have to put in.

good luck,
david

[Mr Punch]

First, I've never had a problem with cross-training... I know some people do, but I'm one of the lucky ones ;) ! My brain usually simply fails to confuse techniques, drills or energy/power generation! Knowing this, when I was training flat out for my aiki shodan some years ago, I took karate for 9 mths, and picked it up very very quickly. I find that knowing the basics (or hopefully having internalised some of the more advanced concepts) actually helps to pick up the basics of even very different arts, whether by contrast or comparison of similarity.

I do train wc. I've trained it religiously for the best part of four years. Now, however, my work is clashing with the kwoon, and there's a boxing gym with a good rep just opened near me, with accessible times.

I do and have done a few things! I stopped that karate school because I felt it didn't add anything to my mind, body, spirit, or skills. I still do Yang style taichi (which I learnt for three years, twice a week plus privates) most days, and the associated chikung nearly every day. I still practice aiki taisabaki, kata and air techniques. And I'm considering taking up BJJ!!! I am a consumate martial arts freak! If I had time and money I would practice from morning to night, in as many arts as I had access to. But I won't start anything half-heartedly, I will only continue things if I feel there is a benefit to me (the taichi, which I probably suck at makes me feel good, so I will do it on my own until I can take it up again - which may be never :( ) and I will stick at a couple of things which I really really love (like aiki and wing chun) for a very long time... arrogantly assuming I have a long time!:D

Excuse the personal history, please be patient!

I appreciate your post DZ, thanks mate, and would appreciate any more posts from anyone with experience in boxing.

I'd still like to know
(1) if a rake can survive,
(2) the danger factor (honestly, bearing in mind that I have practised all kinds of full-contact nastiness), and go on then
(3) martially (not fitness-wise), how would you sum up the advantages that boxing could give me?

[Ka]

Hey
Don't worry about your rake factor,when I trained boxing I was 63kg and under and it was not a problem.You will survive aslong as your fittness increases.Lighter Boxers often become very fast with practise.
Skill wise,I have to comment about the fittness,sorry because I sort of think that all the skills come from an offshoot of the training.
1 conditioning
2 speed and power
3 footwork
Danger
Like most places you can take it as far as you want too.Certianly with the new move towards Boxercise there is usually a crowd who are there for fittness alone,(usually women)and have no intention of gettin in the ring.but like a friend said "it better then staring at other guys each session"

Most typical advantage that I can see when compared to CMA is SPEED.That and the slip,bob and weave,which always come in handy if you are leading towards Comp fighting.

Hope thats usefull

[dezhen2001]

Hi Mat, no worries, just sharing my experiences :)

Actually, i never had much of that problem either... I used to mainly train Shotokan, but also Boxing, Muay Thai, Aikido and Shorinji Kempo all at different times during the week. After a while though, i moved more towards the Shorinji Kempo and Aikido, though the rest was still great!

Nowadays though, i only train in the skills from my Sifu: Hard Qigong, Wing Chun, soft Qigong and a little Shaolin (stretching etc. only).

Now on to boxing...

(1)I'm a rake 2 mate! Only 5'10 and 147lbs (66kg). I used to train pretty hard and actually developed a lot of penetrating power. The other good thing was that my footwork was fast and mobile also. I learned a lot about distance and being able to slip a good punch as well, which can only help...

(2) In a club generally when you spar you wear mouthguard and some sort of head protection. Also the gloves tend to be bigger than those when you compete. The conditioning and things you develop are also pretty useful, but i would say that they go against the aiki and wc ideas.. who knows? :) Are you wanting to compete or just do the training btw?

(3) It can give you advantages, but again depends on what you want. Killer punches and fast footwork. Again - you have other sytems to trian in that deal with kicks and grappling respectively, which is good. I'm sure it can only add to your overall understanding of the body :)

Another thing is that there is not really any 'mind' or 'spirit' skills, in the sense of what you might find in aikido etc. But it does develop hella determination and focus, as well as ability to take a hit which can't be underestimated.

why not try it and see if it does anything for ya? :)

david

[stoli]

Go for it Mat. Boxing will give you much, much more than you'd realise.

There really is no better way to develop your fitness, conditioning, co-ordination, power, footwork etc. etc. Don't worry about being a rake, go to any boxing gym and I guarantee you'll see guys who make you look like a pro wrestler!! Don't worry about the danger, a bloody nose and black eyes will be the worst you might get.

In case you hadn't guessed, big fan of boxing in the Martial Arts, should be compulsory for all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And by the way, dezhen you say boxing doesn't give you the 'mind' or 'spirit' skills, then say it gives "hella determination and focus" :confused: What are they if they're not mind and spirit skills ??? :)

[dezhen2001]

Hi Stoli, that part of my post was in reference to when Mat said:

I stopped that karate school because I felt it didn't add anything to my mind, body, spirit, or skills. I still do Yang style taichi (which I learnt for three years, twice a week plus privates) most days, and the associated chikung nearly every day. I still practice aiki taisabaki, kata and air techniques

Compared to something like Taijiquan and Aikido, Boxing develops a different kind of attitude... though as i said, hella determination and focus are found in all MA :)

david

[Mr Punch]

Still haven't checked out the gym: it occured to me that unlike most other martial arts, I have absolutely no idea what to look for in a good gym...:confused:

What equipment should it have?

What should I look for in a trainer?

What should I look for in a training programme?

Cheers.

[LEGEND]

I'd still like to know
(1) if a rake can survive,
(2) the danger factor (honestly, bearing in mind that I have practised all kinds of full-contact nastiness), and go on then
(3) martially (not fitness-wise), how would you sum up the advantages that boxing could give me?

"You'll be fine. I boxed before and was only 130lbs at the time. Due to a big headgear u'll be REQUIRED to where...and 16 oz gloves( big )...u prob. be ok...learn to BLOCK and ROLL with punches early. In terms of boxing as a martial art...if u train in wing chun u'll be only use to the wing chun punches during the chi sao practice. Most peeps use some sort of BOXING...by exposing yourself to feeling and seeing those blows...u'll be able to counter it."

What equipment should it have? " Numerous heavy bags...a ring...and some other equipments. Rent the ROCKY movies."

What should I look for in a trainer?
"Most boxing trainer have boxed before...just make sure he's a great motivator and communicator."

What should I look for in a training programme?
"Due to the nature of boxing...they don't go easy on the weak...they're usually weeded out right away...the training is just mad intense...all egos are settled in the RING...trash talking guys are usually shut rite away by the trainers or someone who trains there. Everyone usually there are SERIOUS. To be honest...it's more like a TRY OUT than a place to have FUN. It's extremely physically and emotionally demanding. I lasted 3 months. Just got tired of it. But u'll be able to STRIKE like no other MARTIAL ART. I too trained in wing chun before trying out boxing. BIGGGGGGGG DIFFERENCEEEEEEE. GOOD LUCK."

[Mr Punch]

Thanks Legend. Still haven't made it there yet...