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Hi all,
I have been wondering about Boxing recently and have sparred a lot with a boxing friend of mine.
What got me wondering was a very interesting situation a doorman friend of mine got into when we were working. He is a very good boxer. He punched up a guy that was of similar size to him, but ended up getting thrown to the ground. This resulted in his head being split.
I have come to the conclusion that the methods used in modern boxing Alone are not of use for street defense.
Waaaa! I here you all cry. But here are my findings.
1. Buoyancy – Boxing stances are based around a notion of ease of maneuverability.
But they are also based on a stable and solid surface underfoot. This is obviously not the case ion the street
In order to achieve the ease of movement, boxing uses buoyant stances and bobbing footwork. This creates a distinct lack of dynamic / stationary balance. High levels of movement are achievable while dynamically balanced (off balance but centered) without a buoyant nature.
Being in this state of constant buoyancy creates an easily throw able target, against a fighter trained in throwing methods a boxer will often loose out.
2. How effective is the punching really??
I know that boxers can punch. I have been on the receiving end of many a boxers jab, cross combo. But I have NEVER ONCE felt that I could not continue fighting.
If we look at your average boxing bout, these people pound each other in the face for any number of rounds, the only real result being fatigue.
But KO’s occure. Yes the do. No denial. But mainly either very very early in a bout when a surprise, non classical attack is applied (prince naseem etc) or when one or the other fighter is to fatigued to effect a good defence.
Hence my point being, if someone can take boxing punches for even 5 minutes in the process of fighting is this really the superlative striking art that many believe.
3. Fitness equates fighting proficiency?
I do agree that in order to be an effective ring or competition fighter you must be at the peak of fitness, you must be as fit, or fitter, than your opponent, able to last the distance etc.
But on the street, you don’t want your fight to ‘last round, after round’. What you do need is highly effective simple methods to disable your opponent quickly.
Boxing quite simply does not train these methods, the methods that finish someone in a couple of shots. They teach to bob weave jab etc. These methods don’t finish things, they score points.
Regardless of your size or fitness level, if you cant finish an opponent quickly on the street you are going to be in trouble.
4. Training your striking implements?
Boxers tend to train on bags, focus mitts, speed balls etc.
From this a boxer can expect to increase the punching power of their shots and the fitness level of their body.
They can also expect to feel a similar impact from body shots. But most of the boxers I know go for head shots on the streets. The also break their knuckles.
Why is this? Boxers do not condition there striking implements of prepare them for the impact of hitting bone.
I study internal arts, this practice is also absent from these arts, BUT they do account for targeting specific areas, using appropriate weapons to target those areas. EG bony areas get struck by palm heel strikes, elbows etc.
5. Telegraph your intention?
It is a fundamental practice of street fighting that you never telegraph your intention to strike or your ability to inflict damage.
All boxers I have seen in a street situation have reverted to what they know and understand, Boxing guard, boxing stance. They normally end up with a major aggressive situation on their hands. This sort of preparation will trigger either a fight or flight response.
To your average street thug who thinks he has got big old balls – it will trigger a fight response.
Here I have outlined the flaws that I can see in boxing as a stand alone method. As a mixer it has its merits, but I am still unsure about the punching style itself.
I can look at the arts I practice such as Hsing I (most comparable due to its striking nature) and find favorable advantages to all the above, both in theory and application of basic techniques. I am not talking about hundreds of methods here. Hsing I has 5 basic methods.
Boxers are hard fit guys and in a ring I would back one over your average MAist.
But on the street, their art falls down with surprising and alarming regularity.
Now i know boxing is mainly a sport, but in my area many many people train it because they think it will give them the edge over the street thugs.
It is my distinct belief that it wont.
Just some thoughts.
Chris
I have been wondering about Boxing recently and have sparred a lot with a boxing friend of mine.
What got me wondering was a very interesting situation a doorman friend of mine got into when we were working. He is a very good boxer. He punched up a guy that was of similar size to him, but ended up getting thrown to the ground. This resulted in his head being split.
I have come to the conclusion that the methods used in modern boxing Alone are not of use for street defense.
Waaaa! I here you all cry. But here are my findings.
1. Buoyancy – Boxing stances are based around a notion of ease of maneuverability.
But they are also based on a stable and solid surface underfoot. This is obviously not the case ion the street
In order to achieve the ease of movement, boxing uses buoyant stances and bobbing footwork. This creates a distinct lack of dynamic / stationary balance. High levels of movement are achievable while dynamically balanced (off balance but centered) without a buoyant nature.
Being in this state of constant buoyancy creates an easily throw able target, against a fighter trained in throwing methods a boxer will often loose out.
2. How effective is the punching really??
I know that boxers can punch. I have been on the receiving end of many a boxers jab, cross combo. But I have NEVER ONCE felt that I could not continue fighting.
If we look at your average boxing bout, these people pound each other in the face for any number of rounds, the only real result being fatigue.
But KO’s occure. Yes the do. No denial. But mainly either very very early in a bout when a surprise, non classical attack is applied (prince naseem etc) or when one or the other fighter is to fatigued to effect a good defence.
Hence my point being, if someone can take boxing punches for even 5 minutes in the process of fighting is this really the superlative striking art that many believe.
3. Fitness equates fighting proficiency?
I do agree that in order to be an effective ring or competition fighter you must be at the peak of fitness, you must be as fit, or fitter, than your opponent, able to last the distance etc.
But on the street, you don’t want your fight to ‘last round, after round’. What you do need is highly effective simple methods to disable your opponent quickly.
Boxing quite simply does not train these methods, the methods that finish someone in a couple of shots. They teach to bob weave jab etc. These methods don’t finish things, they score points.
Regardless of your size or fitness level, if you cant finish an opponent quickly on the street you are going to be in trouble.
4. Training your striking implements?
Boxers tend to train on bags, focus mitts, speed balls etc.
From this a boxer can expect to increase the punching power of their shots and the fitness level of their body.
They can also expect to feel a similar impact from body shots. But most of the boxers I know go for head shots on the streets. The also break their knuckles.
Why is this? Boxers do not condition there striking implements of prepare them for the impact of hitting bone.
I study internal arts, this practice is also absent from these arts, BUT they do account for targeting specific areas, using appropriate weapons to target those areas. EG bony areas get struck by palm heel strikes, elbows etc.
5. Telegraph your intention?
It is a fundamental practice of street fighting that you never telegraph your intention to strike or your ability to inflict damage.
All boxers I have seen in a street situation have reverted to what they know and understand, Boxing guard, boxing stance. They normally end up with a major aggressive situation on their hands. This sort of preparation will trigger either a fight or flight response.
To your average street thug who thinks he has got big old balls – it will trigger a fight response.
Here I have outlined the flaws that I can see in boxing as a stand alone method. As a mixer it has its merits, but I am still unsure about the punching style itself.
I can look at the arts I practice such as Hsing I (most comparable due to its striking nature) and find favorable advantages to all the above, both in theory and application of basic techniques. I am not talking about hundreds of methods here. Hsing I has 5 basic methods.
Boxers are hard fit guys and in a ring I would back one over your average MAist.
But on the street, their art falls down with surprising and alarming regularity.
Now i know boxing is mainly a sport, but in my area many many people train it because they think it will give them the edge over the street thugs.
It is my distinct belief that it wont.
Just some thoughts.
Chris
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