Something Interesting About Boxing

[thedan]

I just watched a boxing training tape, where they were mostly working on basic punches. Nothing new or fancy. But there were a couple of places that made me stop and take notice.

First one was a boxer who was not taped and had no gloves on, striking a heavy bag. He was useing heel palm strikes, and they were pretty good, too. This was just to save his hands, I'm sure. But if he knows them in the gymn, he could know how to use them in a real fight.

A little later, a couple of boxers were working on hook punches. To get the technique down correct, they first worked out throwing good inward elbow strikes to the bag at head level. After that, they threw the punches, but with the elbows up as they should be in a good hook- which was the point of the drill with the elbow strike first. Here again, though, there is a strike being trained that you wouldn't expect to see from a boxer.

Just thought that was interesting.

Dan C

[amylong]

That's very interesting. Gives some ideas for stuff to do drills on in class.

Coming across a boxer on the street would be a scary thing. They're used to getting hit a lot and can hit really hard.

Apparently, they can elbow really well too.

Thanks for sharing it.

--Amy

[gimpat01]

One of my fellow classmates comes from a boxing back ground and he can hit and be hit in turn. CC has more knowledge of his experience than I do... maybe he can comment more on it.

[ronin6]

That's great info. It does make sense as to the angles. I'm thinking that by using the elbows your training yourself not to throw the hand out wide and to make the punch more compact and powerful. Hopefully, we have a member that is or was a boxer.

[thedan]

It does make sense as to the angles. I'm thinking that by using the elbows your training yourself not to throw the hand out wide and to make the punch more compact and powerful.

Exactly. It also ingrained proper footwork and posture/body torque. You can wing a hook a little with your arms. But to throw the elbow, everything has to be tight, right where it is supposed to be, with good timeing as well. They were slamming the elbows into the bag pretty good. Then, when they went back to punching, their hooks were tight and powerful as well.

Amy, your assesment was good too. I've tried to take a boxer head on withhands before, and got slaughtered. Fortunateely it was training. They have good mobility and own the upper body to the front. Get to his side and compromise his base. Don't play his game. You'll loose, or at least I allways did.

Dan C

[Martin Seck]

I just watched a boxing training tape, where they were mostly working on basic punches. Nothing new or fancy. But there were a couple of places that made me stop and take notice.

First one was a boxer who was not taped and had no gloves on, striking a heavy bag. He was useing heel palm strikes, and they were pretty good, too. This was just to save his hands, I'm sure. But if he knows them in the gymn, he could know how to use them in a real fight.

A little later, a couple of boxers were working on hook punches. To get the technique down correct, they first worked out throwing good inward elbow strikes to the bag at head level. After that, they threw the punches, but with the elbows up as they should be in a good hook- which was the point of the drill with the elbow strike first. Here again, though, there is a strike being trained that you wouldn't expect to see from a boxer.

Just thought that was interesting.

Dan C

They don't call it the sweet science for nothing.

[EndlessRising]

if you're gonna be going toe to toe and exchanging punches boxing is definately one of the best things to know. Boxers have superb technique and some of the best conditioning of any athlete (IMO) also they're tough as nails. The aspect I like the most about boxing is that in order to learn you have to take hits. Unfortunately not all martial arts share the same view.

[Celtic_Crippler]

Gimp is referring to Danny "The Mac" Myers. LOL. I'll let him tell you why I call him that. But his dad and grandfather were both boxers and they trained him as well. He has a nice uppercut and is an overall good puncher. I've picked up a couple of things watching him. Boxing is considered to ba a martial art and if you keep your eyes open, you can learn something from them all.

[execkenpo]

Exactly. It also ingrained proper footwork and posture/body torque. You can wing a hook a little with your arms. But to throw the elbow, everything has to be tight, right where it is supposed to be, with good timeing as well. They were slamming the elbows into the bag pretty good. Then, when they went back to punching, their hooks were tight and powerful as well.

Amy, your assesment was good too. I've tried to take a boxer head on withhands before, and got slaughtered. Fortunateely it was training. They have good mobility and own the upper body to the front. Get to his side and compromise his base. Don't play his game. You'll loose, or at least I allways did.

Dan C

This is where our kicking ability is invaluable. I know the fist thing I woudl be doing against a boxer is lowline kicks to the shins (remember hitting it on the bedframe?), inside of the knee joint, inner thigh, etc. Not only are the legs longer than his arms (except of course for that 7' tall Russian heavyweight), but these types of kicks would be totally unexpected, unlike an attempt to the groin. If I end up close enough to punch I'm going for the throat and side of the neck.

[Texas Kenpo]

Skilled boxers are definitely tough. My wife works with a guy who boxes competitively and his hand speed is phenomenal. The footwork and head movements they train to do make for difficult targets. The one thing he fears is our kicks. Get offline and use your legs a lot. Standing toe to toe you will probably get beat pretty bad.

[Mikael151]

There are some areas where I think boxing can really compliment Kenpo. If I had time to cross-train with a good boxer, I would.

[execkenpo]

There are some areas where I think boxing can really compliment Kenpo. If I had time to cross-train with a good boxer, I would.

I hear you! I really admire the boxers slippery head movement. We work on slips, bobs, etc, but I think the boxer really has these skills very highly developed.

[NickName99]

Did any one see that fight science program a few months back.
Man, did that boxer ever pwned that crash test dummy

[Sentinel]

Also interesting is the fact that Muhammad Ali used to train with George Dillman.

Boxing has some important ideas to draw from, including how essential it is to have the ability to control the distance between you and your opponent by using footwork.

[akskarate1]

Dear Sentinnel:

I found your comment about Ali training with Dillman to be quite interesting. Do you have source info that you could share about this.
I have a buddy who has been in his system for many years. He will be teaching a seminar in my area soon and I'm looking forward to his insights.

I think the "real" get down fighters are boxers by the way. The "heart" that many display in combat should be a lesson to us all.

Nelson

There is a some info about Ali on Dillman's site. What I found interesting to activate most of the points the twist occurs at the end of the punch on the surface of the skin, and if Ali didn't K.O. his opponent he would win by technical K.O. because he would cut his opponents face twisting the leather on the skin.

[Mikael151]

Over the weekend, ESPN was showing some footage on Ali. In one particular fight, Ali knocked his opponent out with a short twist punch. After the fight, there was some controversy about the fight being fixed because no one thought the guy could be knocked out with such a short punch. I think it was one of the Ali-Sonny Liston fights.

[Celtic_Crippler]

There is a some info about Ali on Dillman's site. What I found interesting to activate most of the points the twist occurs at the end of the punch on the surface of the skin, and if Ali didn't K.O. his opponent he would win by technical K.O. because he would cut his opponents face twisting the leather on the skin.

You can achieve the same thing with bare knuckles.

[Sentinel]

Dear Sentinnel:

I found your commenta about Ali training with Dillman to be quite interesting. Do you have source info that you could share about this.
I have a buddy who has been in his system for many years. He will be teaching a seminar in my area soon and I'm looking forward to his insights.

I think the "real" get down fighters are boxers by the way. The "heart" that many display in combat should be a lesson to us all.

Nelson

Here's a link to a page on George Dillman's website for a bed & breakfast at the site where they used to train: http://www.dillman.com/bandb.asp

[akskarate1]

another neat thing if you try it or watch Ali do it depending on the way you twist your hand helps you retract your punch to set up for your next move being a strike or checking the line of entry of the attacker. IF you stay relaxed enough your body will also follow.