Boxing is one of the most demanding sports because it requires speed, strength, quickness, balance and hand-eye coordination. An individual who is going to get into the ring and challenge another fighter must get himself in top condition because your opponent is trying to hurt you with hard punches while you do the same to him. The possibility of getting seriously injured always exists in this sport.
Cardiovascular Conditioning
One of boxing's top benefits is that a fighter who trains hard for the sport will significantly improve his cardiovascular conditioning. Boxers do a variety of cardiovascular training exercises, including roadwork to get in shape. Roadwork means running for distance. When boxers are in training, they will run three to five miles four times a week. Boxers will also jump rope to get in shape and improve quickness. Boxers will jump rope for five to seven three-minute rounds. Hitting the speed bag will also help boxers improve cardiovascular conditioning and sharpen punching skills.
Strength Training
Modern boxers devote much of their ability to functional strength training. This will improve their power in the ring. Boxers work on strength training by hitting the heavy bag, weight training with free weights and medicine ball workouts. The heavy bag helps build strength and punching power. Working with free weights builds stronger muscles in the chest, shoulders, legs and glutes. Medicine ball workouts build stronger core muscles. This will help fighters withstand punches to the midsection and help them throw harder shots.
Confidence
When a fighter trains hard for a fight and works on cardiovascular conditioning, strength training and his punching skills, he will be confident when he steps into the ring against a live opponent. That does not mean you will be successful. Your opponent may beat you if he is stronger, quicker, more athletic or employs a better strategy. However, you will be in position to give your best effort.
Pain and Suffering
You are going to attempt to hit your opponent with hard punches. He is going to try to do the same against you. If he connects with hard punches to your head or body, it will likely cause pain and possibly do serious damage. Facial punches can result in cuts and other injuries like a broken nose, black eye or broken jaw. Hard punches to the body can damage ribs. You will need time to recover from these injuries and you may feel pain for several days or weeks. On rare occasions, boxers who get hit very hard can suffer a fatal injury in the ring. The referee is in the ring to prevent such an accident from occurring after an accumulation of blows, but fighters like Benny "Kid" Paret and Deuk Koo Kim are examples of fighters who died from their injuries sustained during a fight.
Long-Term Damage
Boxers have been known to suffer from concussions and forms of dementia from getting hit in the head with too many punches over a long career. This is not true with all boxers. Some suffer no signs of being "punch drunk" and live into old age. Others suffer damage to their brain and find it difficult to talk without slurring words or do simple tasks.
Posted in: Boxing