Boxing Basics and Different Types of Boxing Gyms - Essay Example

BOXING BASICS Submitted Submitted by: 10/13/2009 ASSIGNMENT ONE (A PERSONAL ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT A BOXER REQUIRES A boxer requires the following basic personal equipments for his boxing sport: 1. Hand Wraps: A boxer requires hand wraps to protect his hands during boxing. These are cotton-based covers, which are usable and are available in various sizes and at different prices. 2. Bag Gloves: Bag gloves are the gloves, which that are worn over hand-wraps, and are applied during training at sand bags by the trainee boxers. 3. Jump Rope: Boxers require jump rope that supports in enhancement of their cardiovascular stamina. Different jump ropes are available containing handles and ball-bearing swivels. 4. Boxing Gloves: Boxing gloves are worn over hand-wraps during boxing, which are different from bag-gloves, as bag gloves are used during bag training. 5. Headgear: Headgear is helmet-type leather head covering that saves the boxers from bruises and head injuries during the boxing activity. 6. Mouthpiece: Mouthpiece is worn over lips, and protects chin and lips during sport. 7. Boxing Shoes: Boxers require the joggers-type shoes particularly prepared for the boxing activity. 8. Gym Bag: Gym bag is a sport kit that contains gloves, headgear and shoes etc. 9. Protective Cup: Protective cup protects the groins and guards the lower part. 10. Women’s Chest Guards: These are required by women during sparring practice. ASSIGNMENT ONE (B): GYM EQUIPMENTS REQUIRED BY BOXERS 1. Heavy Bag: Heavy bag is the most essential equipment in boxing sport, and is basic equipment for training. Made of leather, canvas or synthetic material, heavy bag is filled by fiber, water or sand and is hung vertically from the ceiling by a chain. 2. Speed Bag: Attached to a swivel on the bag platform, speed bags are eye-tear shaped bags, which are found in every boxing gym, and are used for maintaining hand and eye coordination levels on the one hand, and the developing boxers’ stamina on the other. 3. Double-End Bag: Double-end or reflex bag is also a speed bag that is attached by a chain from the ceiling to the floor with elastic cords, and reflexes back. It is therefore, it requires careful punching. It is highly supportive in throwing accurate punches as well as developing eye-hand coordination. 4. Uppercut Bag: Uppercut bag is found hanging horizontally in the wall, and is highly supportive for boxers in developing an ideal uppercuts practice. 5. Angle Bag: Hung vertically, an angle bag is wide at the top, but tapered and curved from the middle, which is helpful in developing uppercuts practice. 6. Medicine Ball: Carrying weight worth 8 to 20 pounds, medicine balls help the boxers in developing volatile force, suppleness, elasticity and patience. It increases arm stomach strengths to endure punches from opposite sides. 7. Slipping Bag: As the name reveals, slipping bag is hung from ceiling or doorway and is applied by the boxers in order to learn how an escape can be made from the opponent’s punches during boxing. Almost all boxing gyms contain slipping bags. 8. Hand Mitts: Hand pads or mitts are worn by the trainer in order to allow the trainee boxers punch on his hands. Mitts serve as one of the most imperative equipments in boxing support. ASSIGNMENT TWO: DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOXING GYMS Like other sports centers, boxing gyms also vary in coaching style, equipments, learning process and facilities. The present assignment focuses upon three different types of boxing gyms, which are as under: Executive Boxing Gym: Executive boxing gym contains almost all the equipments necessary for learning boxing sport including ring, bags, and proper training process, but the aim behind such learning is not entering into boxing competitions, sparring or intensive boxing career. On the contrary, such boxing gyms are established for fitness purposes, and are visited by the executive and corporate classes for amateur bouts. In other words, such boxing centers are established for the non-professional boxing lovers. Community Center: Community centers are found in almost all municipalities, which offer recreational activities to the community where these centers are situated. These types of centers offer variety of sports, games and activities to the members belonging to the specific community. Besides other sports activities, these community centers provide boxing facilities too to the members and visitors, and particularly encourage the youth participate in this healthy sport activity. Initial boxing learning facilities are available in the community centers, though the learners have to mobilize to some particular exclusive boxing club for professional boxing learning. Boxing Club: Boxing club refers to the sport center that offers exclusive boxing learning to its members. Boxing clubs contain almost all learning facilities as well as the essential equipments from basics to the most professional ones under an atmosphere where proficient trainers provide boxing training to the learners. In such clubs, intensive boxing, sparring and career-oriented trainings are also offered, though amateurs and novices are also allowed to participate in the sport at the club at different levels. Boxing clubs produce great names in boxing in future years to come. ASSIGNMENT THREE: PRIMARY PUNCHES Though there are many punches combinations in boxing sport, yet all the punches are derived from the four primary punches, which include Jab, Cross, Hook and Uppercut. Al Gotay (2008) has elaborated the most imperative things, which should be kept in view for each of these primary punches, which are as under: The Jab: The Jab is stated as the first of the primary punches the boxers learn while starting the boxing sport. Jab supports the boxers in establishing every next punch technique. It also serves as the first punch in the combination of punches. If applied accurately, it can hit the opponent making him blind to the next punch. Jab requires some specific elements, where position of hands, chin, eyes and feet maintain great significance. The thing imperative in the Jab include applying it in the standard on-guard position, with hands up, chin down and eyes fixed on the opponent. In addition, in this punch, left fist is snapped out, and speed of punch maintains significance in it leading towards recoiling of the boxer. Moving forward and backward swiftly are also essential things in the Jab punch, along with the position of both the hands while putting forward left foot and recoiling subsequently. The Cross: The Cross serves as the first knockout punch the boxers learn in the sport. Its combination with the Jab makes the opponent unable to observe the cross coming of fist. An imperative balance position of the boxer and strength of his fist makes the Cross decisive against the opponent. The Cross lays stress upon the straightness of the right hand and upward position of left hand, which can apply maximum power against the opponent. The swift and accurate movement of hands, chin, shoulder, torso and feet are also things to remember in the Cross punch. Dropping of fist must be avoided after delivering of the Cross. The Hook: Like the Jab punch, the Hook is also delivered with the forward hand, where it may serve as a knockout blow provided it is applied with imperative strength. It can be applied both close and from safe distance to the opponent. Leaning forward and dipping from the on-guard position are beneficial in the Hook. Position of ankle and torso along with the bending of arm and strength of the punch are things to be considered by the boxer. The position of arms should remain high in the Hook. The Uppercut: The uppercut is both the most aggressive and most defensive primary punch and serves as a surprising attack to the recipient, and may hit his jaw and head. On-guard position of the boxer and power of the blow are things to be kept in mind while applying the uppercut. Position of legs and simultaneous twisting of ankle and torso play significant role in the uppercut punch. While delivering the punch, the fists must move clockwise in both left and right uppercuts. ASSIGNMENT FOUR: CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE SPARRING LEVELS Though every boxer dreams of applying sparring in his boxing career, yet there are particular considerations regarding observing sparring at different levels, which are as following: Beginner Level: At beginner level, the boxer should wear all the equipments during sparring, without which the beginner may receive injuries while observing sparring. In addition, the beginners should do sparring under the control of the trainer, where the trainer may appoint an experienced boxer for involving into sparring with the beginner. Further, the beginner seeking sparring must have learnt some level of proficiency in the sport of boxing, so that he could escape injuries and apply dipping, slipping etc during sparring. Intermediate Level: At intermediate level, sparring becomes an important part of training. But even then the extreme and excessive sparring must be avoided by the boxers due to the very reality that undue sparring may cost the activeness and energy level of the boxers. In addition, sparring must be conducted on heavy bag, mitts and speed bags, so that it could improve the stamina of the boxer. Furthermore, the sparring at intermediate level must be conducted between the boxers of same levels, so that their skills could be improved. Advanced Level: Sparring must be made at advance level when the boxer is enjoying sound health. If the boxer is not fit physically, sparring may cost his health. In addition, the stress should be laid in the quality of rounds; thus the sparring rounds must be conducted within an adequate limit, so that performance of the boxer could be improved. An excessive and continuous sparring must be avoided even at advance level provided it may turn the boxer sluggish and laggard. REFERENCE Maps, Al Gotay Ma & Al Gotay Boxing Basics: The Techniques and Knowledge Needed to Excel in the Sport of Boxing. Outskirts Press Inc. 2008 1-122 Read More