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Although this generation is undoubtedly too young to remember, the world was crazy about boxing throughout the 1970s and well into the 90s. With real life champions like Muhammad Ali and award-winning underdog tales on the big screen like Rocky, boxing was in the air and there were kids in every tough neighborhood in the country pounding the heavy bag at the gym. A lot of the world has obviously changed today, and whether it’s for glory in the ring or for self-defense, the art of pugilism has taken somewhat of a back seat to more popular and undisciplined forms of boxing, like cage fighting and unlicensed boxing. However, millions out there are still trying to learn good old-fashioned boxing, and thus they need some beginning techniques. In this article, you’ll read about some techniques to try out if you’re a beginning boxer. Boxing Moves Every Beginner Should Know Getting the Right Stance Put your feet together and stand up straight. Now have someone hit you in the chest. (With gloves on, of course.) What’s going to happen? You’re going to fall like a dead tree in a storm, all because your balance is off. In boxing, it doesn’t matter how hard you hit, how quick you move or how long you can last. If your stance isn’t rock solid, the first little jab to even hit your guard is going to send you stumbling back, and if you’re off balance, you’re going down ! To work on getting the right stance, you must work on keeping your feet positioned. Stand on the balls of your feet and keep your strong foot behind you (for right-handed people, the right foot, and vice versa), with your opposite foot playing the lead. Whether hitting the heavy bag, the speed bag, or even walking through the grocery store, practice walking like this, with your feet about 24 to 30 inches apart. Jabbing in front of the Mirror Every boxer must learn a straight jab. It’s an incredibly important tool. The fist should come out turning counterclockwise about 45 degrees from the chest to its point of impact. It has to be quick – it has to slip in and snap. And before you can throw it at anyone, you have to know how to throw it. This is where techniques like mirror or shadow boxing come into play. Watch yourself in the mirror . Using the correct stance, stand in front of the mirror, with your fists rested near your chest under your chin, and start throwing jabs. Jabs in boxing set up the hooks and uppercuts and other power punches that most amateur boxers dream of landing. Jabs also keep opponents back and can work as a great defense just as much as a potent offense. So take your time to learn the jab. Marathon Man Although this is the third and last technique covered in this Blog, beginning boxers should only have to work on three things to start. Their stance, their jabbing, and their stamina. Speed and power can always be worked in later – technique is important right away, and thus stamina is needed. You can stand correctly and throw the most picturesque jab in history, but if you’re sucking wind after 2 rounds, you’re going down in 3. Never fail to focus on your conditioning. Always work on improving your cardio. You should be Skipping, running laps, doing Burpees , squats, and sparring in the ring. You want to work at least 100 rounds for every 1 round you’re going to fight. As stated above, there are a lot more than three techniques you’ll have to learn, but these three can get you started. Knowing how to stand, how to punch and how breathe in the ring will give you a puncher’s chance. Defense and speed and power and overall technique will be honed as you proceed.
A lot of people look at boxers and assume that they only really work when they’re fighting. However, as most boxers will tell you, the actual fight is like a half-day when compared to the extremely rigorous training that leads up to a fight. Because boxers train so incredibly hard, any fighter looking to do his best needs the proper diet and nutrition. Below we will touch on things a boxer should eat, and even when a boxer should eat, as in how many meals and at what time of day. What a Boxer Should Eat Carb-Loading You won’t find any boxer out there working on a low-carb diet. This is because carbohydrates are fuel for the body, and boxers definitely need fuel. Now, you do have to realize that we’re not talking about simple sugars (like fizzy drinks) and junk food (like fastfood, crisps cakes etc). Boxers should receive plenty of carbs by way of fresh fruits and veggies, whole wheat pasta and bread, bran products, and other healthier items containing carbohydrates. However, when a Boxer needs to shed a few pounds for fight, he needs to revert to a Protein, Fruit and Veg diet which will quickly get rid of the excess weight over a short period. Healthy Fats The body cannot function properly without fats. But with bad fats, such as trans fats, you’re looking at weight gain, high cholesterol, and a bunch of other problems. So a boxer needs to realize which fats to ingest. All animal fats are typically bad, unless you’re talking about fat from fish. Other than that, olive oil is great for you, along with fats from nuts and seeds. Mono and polyunsaturated fats will help to create energy, and it also strengthens the body’s immune system and its ability to repair itself. Proteins The building blocks of muscle, proteins are essential for not only a strong, active boxer, but also an energetic boxer. Protein is vital for training purposes. The muscles constantly rip and tear – that’s where the sore feeling comes from. Protein helps to repair the body. Lean meats, beans and legumes, are essential for a boxer in training. When a Boxer Should Eat It’s also important to know when to eat and how much to eat if you’re a boxer. Eating the right stuff is only half the battle. For a competitive boxer, you’re looking for a few things with your diet, including: An increased metabolism Consistent muscle development Lasting energy To achieve these three goals, you can’t rely on that three-meal-a-day plan. You need smaller meals at more frequently intervals throughout the day. Your metabolism has to be churning around the clock, and you have to receive bursts of energy consistently to keep from becoming fatigued. This ultimately means that you should eat six smaller meals throughout the day. One when you wake up, a snack about an hour or two later, a light lunch, a snack before dinner, and then a snack after dinner (but not too soon before you go to bed). Spreading the meals out will ensure that you stay energized, that you continue to build muscle, and that your metabolism is always running on high. With the constant training, this is exactly what your body needs. But always remember, everyone is different and you need to find out which combinations of eating and training are best for you…this blog is just a basic guideline…we will come up with other methods and ideas about Nutrition for training in future blogs. Just remember to learn how to read your own body signs and know your limitations.
