Millions of devoted fans watch boxing on a regular basis. It’s not football, and it doesn’t involve a point guard or free throws. In fact, this particular sport doesn’t involve a ball of any kind. It only takes two in order to play and all you need is a pair of gloves. If you didn’t already guess it, I’m talking about boxing. This is a westernized form of stand-up self-defense, but is more commonly thought of as a sport. It’s all in how you train and what you make of it. Personally I would be much more apt to learn boxing for self-defense purposes, rather than trying my hand at the pro circuit. Few and far between are skilled enough for that route. Having said the obvious, who’s up for a boxing lesson or two? This form of self-defense/exercise can really benefit your overall lifestyle.
I received my first lesson in boxing from a customer in the video store I used to work at. This was about four years back. At the time, he was just entering the pro circuit. I was more than happy for him to pass me the boxing basics. It’s awesome to learn boxing or any martial art from someone who excels at it to his level. He first informed me that there are four basic punches in boxing. The first and foremost of these is the jab. This is the first and most crucial strike his trainer taught him. It’s often used to stun, set-up, confuse, or distract your opponent. It basically paves the way for more vicious attacks. Secondly you have the strait punch or cross. This particular punch begins at your face and blows straight through to your opponents. You’ll see it over and over in professional boxing matches. Then you have the hook punch. This one is a great follow-up to a jab. Stun then demolish your opponent with a fierce right hook. And finally there is the upper-cut. This is probably the least used, but most powerful of punches. If you can slip one in and make decent contact, you can do some real damage in a fight. Just be sure you don’t toss it out of nowhere. A boxer would see it coming and dodge, then attack. Now, whether you wanted to learn boxing or not, you just got your first taste.
I chose to learn boxing for self-defense purposes. I had already studied Chinese boxing for years. It was time to add a western flare to my eclectic style of self-defense. Check out your local gym today, and get that first in-person boxing lesson started.