Quote: (08-01-2018 02:27 PM)Vienna Wrote:  

I started boxing this week. Gonna have 2 classes every week from now on, together with weightlifting.

Used to thaibox 3 years ago but old school boxing is something different. I'm rusty as hell.

What's the most fundamental part to master/get down first in boxing in your opinion TravelerKai? Something that will enable exponential growth?

Just curious, how old are you? Do you plan on competing in boxing? I was looking to get into it (I currently do Judo now and will plan to continue with it) but I heard that boxing trainers usually don't work with people over 25 if they are trying to be competitive. I am 33 and want to do competitive boxing.

I don't know about the US but here in the UK there's an age limit for amateur boxing of 35.

Getting a pro licence here is also tricky as you get older (see recent failure of former elite soccer player Rio Ferdinand, although I'm not entirely sure what his issue was...probably being rubbish).

That just leaves "white collar" which is a shitshow in these parts.


Boxing exposes literally every single physical weakness when competing with a good opponent. I think 33 is probably too old to really achieve much to be honest. By the time you're half decent your body won't be up to it anyway.

Quote: (10-20-2018 06:20 PM)Saweeep Wrote:  

I don't know about the US but here in the UK there's an age limit for amateur boxing of 35.

Getting a pro licence here is also tricky as you get older (see recent failure of former elite soccer player Rio Ferdinand, although I'm not entirely sure what his issue was...probably being rubbish).

That just leaves "white collar" which is a shitshow in these parts.


Boxing exposes literally every single physical weakness when competing with a good opponent. I think 33 is probably too old to really achieve much to be honest. By the time you're half decent your body won't be up to it anyway.

Yeah, I see what you are saying. My biggest motivation is self defense but would like to compete also to sharpen my skills.

Quote: (10-20-2018 06:34 PM)MdWanderer Wrote:  

Quote: (10-20-2018 06:20 PM)Saweeep Wrote:  

I don't know about the US but here in the UK there's an age limit for amateur boxing of 35.

Getting a pro licence here is also tricky as you get older (see recent failure of former elite soccer player Rio Ferdinand, although I'm not entirely sure what his issue was...probably being rubbish).

That just leaves "white collar" which is a shitshow in these parts.


Boxing exposes literally every single physical weakness when competing with a good opponent. I think 33 is probably too old to really achieve much to be honest. By the time you're half decent your body won't be up to it anyway.

Yeah, I see what you are saying. My biggest motivation is self defense but would like to compete also to sharpen my skills.

You should probably train for a few months under different coaches to see if you even enjoy the sport before you commit the effort necessary to compete. Hitting mitts is fun, but most people don't enjoy getting punched in the face that much.

Quote: (10-20-2018 06:34 PM)MdWanderer Wrote:  

Quote: (10-20-2018 06:20 PM)Saweeep Wrote:  

I don't know about the US but here in the UK there's an age limit for amateur boxing of 35.

Getting a pro licence here is also tricky as you get older (see recent failure of former elite soccer player Rio Ferdinand, although I'm not entirely sure what his issue was...probably being rubbish).

That just leaves "white collar" which is a shitshow in these parts.


Boxing exposes literally every single physical weakness when competing with a good opponent. I think 33 is probably too old to really achieve much to be honest. By the time you're half decent your body won't be up to it anyway.

Yeah, I see what you are saying. My biggest motivation is self defense but would like to compete also to sharpen my skills.

If you are too old for Muay Thai at 30, Boxing is the same at 35-40. By then you need to be out of the sport or training for personal fitness maintenance.

You can get sharp and improve by sparring. You do not need actual official pro ring matches to get better. Amateur matches either.

I don't think some of you know how dangerous fighting is, especially boxing. Plenty of you would lose your insurance policies if they find out you had a blood vessel rupture/swell that hospitalized you or killed you.

Young men with high testosterone could break your jaw at the low end of what could happen to you. You might as well be a woman fighting a grown man. Your bone density may not be dense enough to handle that. Get your T levels and bone density levels checked first if you still want to fight so badly. You don't have to piss test to spar at a gym either. If you want focus mitt training, find someone that will take your money for private lessons. You don't need time with Freddy Roach. Plenty of trainers or other former pros train people for money.

If you want self defense skills for the street, boxing does not supply that. Learn something else instead. Fight smarter not harder.

I love boxing so much - there are not many things that did more for me growing up. I would never get back into it. I would never recommend anyone get into it past the age of about 20. It takes a huge toll physically and mentally. Even at 20, it was such a hard sport. Repeated head trauma, gruelling conditioning, and the mental stress of sparring hard (and anticipating it) several times a week. It is a very tough sport. My feeling is honestly that if you're already in your 30s the chance has been and gone, and you should give it a miss. If you want to fight, personally I would say BJJ is much, much more forgiving, less mentally stressful, and still very useful and competitive. It is a much easier sport to enjoy. People love it for all sorts of reasons.

Quote: (10-22-2018 03:43 PM)H1N1 Wrote:  

I love boxing so much - there are not many things that did more for me growing up. I would never get back into it. I would never recommend anyone get into it past the age of about 20. It takes a huge toll physically and mentally. Even at 20, it was such a hard sport. Repeated head trauma, gruelling conditioning, and the mental stress of sparring hard (and anticipating it) several times a week. It is a very tough sport. My feeling is honestly that if you're already in your 30s the chance has been and gone, and you should give it a miss. If you want to fight, personally I would say BJJ is much, much more forgiving, less mentally stressful, and still very useful and competitive. It is a much easier sport to enjoy. People love it for all sorts of reasons.

Agreed. I have my own CTE related worries and issues. Last thing I could ever do is recommend that to other people. Men need to be ready to hit their stride in life ~40. Makes no sense to get broken up for a narcissistic reason.

BJJ, Judo, JJJ, Krav Maga, Silat/FMA, Systema, handgun/rifle shooting/CQC stuff is infinitely more useful at an older age than intense boxing regimens.

On boxing for self defense, as Ive mentioned my roomate is a skilled boxer. In light sparring against bigger opponent he said there's very little he can do unless the guy is a total noob aka not keeping his hands up.
Plus, we discuss this often and we all come into the conclusion that boxing/striking is next to useless if you got a bigger guy flatly charges/bulldoze you.

Last time in HEMA when I didnt get out of the way of a charging juggernaut I got fucking blasted off my feet and end up at the other side of the room. If I was really really good at Judo/Aikido I MIGHT have a slight chance of throwing him using his own momentum, but if I only know a striking art I'll just get flattened. Not sure just how good you gotta be to get to that level though.

I know the whole skills vs size has been beaten to death, but came across this:






Basically, it's full of guys who are bigger and stronger challenging pro fighters and get KO.

I guess it's another argument for learning how to fight, though I still would not like to think skills can trump size.

Im the smallest in my aikido class and also one of the senior students. Every now and then Ill run into some newbies who are bigger and have less experience with combat, but are aggressive. Its almost impossible to perform a techniques on them without going for the occasional punch.

Yeah, I'd forget about competing in Boxing or even Judo past a certain age. Just isn't worth it. I loved Judo but it's fucked me up permanently health-wise. I have friends who've boxed and they have torn retinas and broken hands and god knows what else. You can still have loads of fun training without competing.

I've still got the bug and am itching to get into Aikido or something less full-contact just for the learning and camaraderie that I miss from Judo. I'm torn between Kendo, Aikido or Archery; all clubs in my area. But with kids (their clubs) and work I only have one free night a week and am trying to work it out. Most of these places say on their websites that they want you there twice or even three times a week! Fuck that, maybe in my 20's (then I would have done all three of them!)

Dalaran1991, yeah the Skill vs Size thing has been done to death, but it's still fun to debate it! Anyway, what else would we talk about! Personally, the 'good big-'un beats a good little-un' maxim still holds true, with the proviso that a good little-'un can still beat a bad big-'un on his day. Styles-wise; with all things being equal a good grappler will (eventually) beat a good striker providing he doesn't get knocked out early (though they may have to eat a few punches). I've seen decent boxers on the ground in street-fights look totally lost! Even against total dick-heads. But they have been big, heavy dick-heads! Other than that, it mostly boils down to 'the Artist, not the Art'. 'Eye of the Tiger' and all that!

I recently discovered this guy's Youtube Channel. A lot of down to earth, no nonsense advice about martial arts.

This video was particularly interesting to me, a sit goes into the whole "art vs weight lifting" debate.

My 3 Laws of Muay Thai in Thailand that apply to non Thais:


1) The number of tattoos is inversely proportional to the fighting ability of an attendee

2) The fattest people train the least hours

3) Guys that look like bodybuilders struggle to throw a punch properly


I'd say after all these years that all 3 laws hold in 90% of cases

Quote: (10-30-2018 09:23 AM)Atticus Wrote:  

I recently discovered this guy's Youtube Channel. A lot of down to earth, no nonsense advice about martial arts.

This video was particularly interesting to me, a sit goes into the whole "art vs weight lifting" debate.

That guy is very hit and miss on stuff on his videos.

He is right about the need to get physically stronger, but the likelihood that you will run into a 1%'er, in terms of powerlifters or pro athletes, in street altercation is microscopic low.

In fact, I would venture to say that if you need enough power to get a guy of that caliber off of you, you fucked up somewhere long before that guy grabs you. Like that story I told in this thread about the roided up 300 pound skinhead that I jumped in my car to get away from, if you see someone like that about to cause trouble, 9 times out of 10, you can get away from him long before he can grab you.

Guys like that do not exactly sneak up on people.

A desperate, skinny, and hungry dude at night with a knife or a cheap pistol, wearing a hoodie, is more likely your biggest threat.

If you are going to bars where there are tons of jacked up guys and bad tempers are prevalent, the issue is not your right to enjoy a pint at a fine establishment. The issue is that you are doing that at the wrong establishment. If an entire rugby team is in a bar you would not want to get into an altercation with even one team member. How many of his mates are there? Is there a chance of getting glassed or hit by a chair? Can I bolt to an exit without getting blocked by the crowd? Is there enough room for egress to move around?

Then there is thirsty beta male issues and pussy inside male spaces. Women of "ill repute" have gotten more men fucked up and killed than probably anything else aside from money. A loud slutty woman with orbiters/idiots could be a risk just by standing nearby her. One dude gets salty and swings at another guy but you get KOd because the guy missed.

Where this video maker has not quite understood why his change of opinion from 10 years ago has happened, is that he is beginning to realize that Risk Management and Assessment is the actual 800 pound gorilla in the room, not the perceived potential gorilla looking for a fight. Once he figures that out, I am sure he will make a video and break that down better. Nobody in the history of mankind spent their entire life training for the day a guy like Jon Jones had decided to kick their ass in the middle of the street. Bruce Lee may have, but that is also why he is dead too.

Martial arts is what you need when everything else, including weapons, conflict resolution, and proper risk assessment, has failed and you need an out.

Quote: (10-21-2018 07:06 PM)TravelerKai Wrote:  

Quote: (10-20-2018 06:34 PM)MdWanderer Wrote:  

Quote: (10-20-2018 06:20 PM)Saweeep Wrote:  

I don't know about the US but here in the UK there's an age limit for amateur boxing of 35.

Getting a pro licence here is also tricky as you get older (see recent failure of former elite soccer player Rio Ferdinand, although I'm not entirely sure what his issue was...probably being rubbish).

That just leaves "white collar" which is a shitshow in these parts.


Boxing exposes literally every single physical weakness when competing with a good opponent. I think 33 is probably too old to really achieve much to be honest. By the time you're half decent your body won't be up to it anyway.

Yeah, I see what you are saying. My biggest motivation is self defense but would like to compete also to sharpen my skills.

If you are too old for Muay Thai at 30, Boxing is the same at 35-40. By then you need to be out of the sport or training for personal fitness maintenance.

You can get sharp and improve by sparring. You do not need actual official pro ring matches to get better. Amateur matches either.

I don't think some of you know how dangerous fighting is, especially boxing. Plenty of you would lose your insurance policies if they find out you had a blood vessel rupture/swell that hospitalized you or killed you.

Young men with high testosterone could break your jaw at the low end of what could happen to you. You might as well be a woman fighting a grown man. Your bone density may not be dense enough to handle that. Get your T levels and bone density levels checked first if you still want to fight so badly. You don't have to piss test to spar at a gym either. If you want focus mitt training, find someone that will take your money for private lessons. You don't need time with Freddy Roach. Plenty of trainers or other former pros train people for money.

If you want self defense skills for the street, boxing does not supply that. Learn something else instead. Fight smarter not harder.

I'm going to respectfully disagree on that, one of the most useful ones IMO.

Quote: (10-30-2018 10:16 AM)DarkTriad Wrote:  

Quote: (10-21-2018 07:06 PM)TravelerKai Wrote:  

Quote: (10-20-2018 06:34 PM)MdWanderer Wrote:  

Quote: (10-20-2018 06:20 PM)Saweeep Wrote:  

I don't know about the US but here in the UK there's an age limit for amateur boxing of 35.

Getting a pro licence here is also tricky as you get older (see recent failure of former elite soccer player Rio Ferdinand, although I'm not entirely sure what his issue was...probably being rubbish).

That just leaves "white collar" which is a shitshow in these parts.


Boxing exposes literally every single physical weakness when competing with a good opponent. I think 33 is probably too old to really achieve much to be honest. By the time you're half decent your body won't be up to it anyway.

Yeah, I see what you are saying. My biggest motivation is self defense but would like to compete also to sharpen my skills.

If you are too old for Muay Thai at 30, Boxing is the same at 35-40. By then you need to be out of the sport or training for personal fitness maintenance.

You can get sharp and improve by sparring. You do not need actual official pro ring matches to get better. Amateur matches either.

I don't think some of you know how dangerous fighting is, especially boxing. Plenty of you would lose your insurance policies if they find out you had a blood vessel rupture/swell that hospitalized you or killed you.

Young men with high testosterone could break your jaw at the low end of what could happen to you. You might as well be a woman fighting a grown man. Your bone density may not be dense enough to handle that. Get your T levels and bone density levels checked first if you still want to fight so badly. You don't have to piss test to spar at a gym either. If you want focus mitt training, find someone that will take your money for private lessons. You don't need time with Freddy Roach. Plenty of trainers or other former pros train people for money.

If you want self defense skills for the street, boxing does not supply that. Learn something else instead. Fight smarter not harder.

I'm going to respectfully disagree on that, one of the most useful ones IMO.

Right because you can always punch your way out of getting tackled, getting stabbed by a knife, getting hit by a glass bottle, or anything else by bobbing and weaving jabbing and hooks. Look this is not a matter of sheer opinion like pretending your gender is a helicopter. Let's not be intellectually dishonest here.

I am thinking to drop gi training all together for a couple of reasons:
- I have been training solidly for a few years, can take 50% or more of the blue belt I train with but have not been promoted yet due to all the travelling and not having a stable home base gym. I have had people accusing me of faking my belt when visiting new gyms (like why the fuck would I do that, this is normal training not competition).
- When you stay less than 6 months in a place is a pain travel with the gi, washing it everytime and dry it since you only have one etc. Buying a new one everytime can get expensive too. Just so much easier to pop a couple of rash guards in the suitcase and be done.

What are your guys thought? I love gi and I am worried this might fireback as when I will decide to be more stable and train consistently in a gym I would be left behind..

Quote: (10-21-2018 07:06 PM)TravelerKai Wrote:  

I don't think some of you know how dangerous fighting is, especially boxing. Plenty of you would lose your insurance policies if they find out you had a blood vessel rupture/swell that hospitalized you or killed you.

If you want self defense skills for the street, boxing does not supply that. Learn something else instead. Fight smarter not harder.

Yes, I second that. I thought I was fit once, due to training in a basketball team for many years, and a friend who was a professional boxer decided to take me to the gym to train. Those kids in the gym, their fitness was just on another level altogether. I had no doubt that in a ring those kids would easily win and I did not complain when my buddy, in his wisdom, had me mostly mirror sparring.

Quote: (10-30-2018 10:03 AM)TravelerKai Wrote:  

Where this video maker has not quite understood why his change of opinion from 10 years ago has happened, is that he is beginning to realize that Risk Management and Assessment is the actual 800 pound gorilla in the room, not the perceived potential gorilla looking for a fight.

Right after reading this, I happened upon this video.

If an insane east coast Irishman like Bill Burr can learn to de-escalate, anyone should be able to.

(If a fight is avoided, and no one loses face, you just won.)






Part of it is Burr is a parent. Just having kids around, even if they aren't yours, changes the equation almost by itself.

I have had people threaten me a few times when my step kids were in tow. Both times in parking lots funnily enough, so, be aware, that is an odd hotspot.

I had a guy once where he was waiting for a spot, but I didn't see him and I took the spot when the other car left, so he hopped out of his car and flipped out on me.

I told him I didn't see him, which made him even madder. I pointed out that there were plenty of other spots available. (This was in New Mexico, where some of the craziest drivers on the planet live. You are only supposed to flip out if the other car takes the only available spot. It just doesn't have the same justified urgency if there are plenty of other spots just as close. They can't even get road rage right there.)

Finally I offered to move and give him the spot and he still just kept up with his threats and his insults. So I shrugged and said, don't know what else you want me to do, and went in the store with the kids.

They were both kind of shell shocked, and the younger one said, "I have never heard grownups talk like that." And it was a good opportunity to explain to them that the best thing to do is be reasonable, don't get angry back, and just walk away.

I think in both cases, the cars were waiting a long distance from the spot, so you didn't automatically register that they were there and what they were doing.

Could have been a scam of some sort, or just low class people looking for excuses to take their lives out on a stranger.

Quote: (10-30-2018 02:49 PM)wellrockthecity Wrote:  

I am thinking to drop gi training all together for a couple of reasons:
- I have been training solidly for a few years, can take 50% or more of the blue belt I train with but have not been promoted yet due to all the travelling and not having a stable home base gym. I have had people accusing me of faking my belt when visiting new gyms (like why the fuck would I do that, this is normal training not competition).
- When you stay less than 6 months in a place is a pain travel with the gi, washing it everytime and dry it since you only have one etc. Buying a new one everytime can get expensive too. Just so much easier to pop a couple of rash guards in the suitcase and be done.

What are your guys thought? I love gi and I am worried this might fireback as when I will decide to be more stable and train consistently in a gym I would be left behind..

You need to take your gi and belt with you, go to the head instructor and tell him what your background is first and ask him if it is disrespectful to wear your gi and belt rank from another school there. He may ask you to wear your white belt instead, so bring both your white or blue.

I usually wear a white belt out of respect when going to a new place to roll, but I grab the teacher there and tell him my background and experience and ask him permission to participate in his dojo as well as if he wants me to wear my black belt and not the white.

I get all kinds of answers so it really depends. You just have to ask. Some teachers, especially Gracie affiliates do not want outside black belts walking around in their dojo. They also make you start from scratch if you transfer. Some may not even want you there depending upon who you are and what fighting camps you come from, although alot of that has been toned down nowadays. Rivalries are not that heated anymore, but if you are a professional (UFC, Bellator, Local MMA fighter) you still need to stick to your affiliate networks to avoid uncomfortable situations.

The courtesy for rolling with others when visiting a BJJ gym is to introduce yourself as a visitor and what your previous rank was so that nobody is embarrassed or caught off guard. For me, I shake their hand and say "Hey I am TK, I am a black belt from xxx BJJ school and I am new here (or just visiting). Wait for them to respond to the greeting or answer a question they may have, then proceed to roll.

You don't want to discourage the white belts by rolling them up easily when they are trying very hard against what they think is another on their level. It is tough to get white belts to stick with BJJ early on. Lots of people quit.

It is also a good idea to walk up to the brown belts and other black belts and introduce yourself to them so that they do not see you rolling up the beginners and get upset with you (happens more than you think). You gotta remember they are the assistant coaches there. If a blue or purple stripe is teaching the white belts, go introduce yourself to him as well. Often times head/chief instructors are in the office doing paperwork, taking payments, or talking to parents.

Cliff Notes: Speak to everyone and introduce yourself properly with the best manners you have.

Quote: (10-30-2018 03:20 PM)debeguiled Wrote:  

Quote: (10-30-2018 10:03 AM)TravelerKai Wrote:  

Where this video maker has not quite understood why his change of opinion from 10 years ago has happened, is that he is beginning to realize that Risk Management and Assessment is the actual 800 pound gorilla in the room, not the perceived potential gorilla looking for a fight.

Right after reading this, I happened upon this video.

If an insane east coast Irishman like Bill Burr can learn to de-escalate, anyone should be able to.

(If a fight is avoided, and no one loses face, you just won.)

Part of it is Burr is a parent. Just having kids around, even if they aren't yours, changes the equation almost by itself.

I have had people threaten me a few times when my step kids were in tow. Both times in parking lots funnily enough, so, be aware, that is an odd hotspot.

I had a guy once where he was waiting for a spot, but I didn't see him and I took the spot when the other car left, so he hopped out of his car and flipped out on me.

I told him I didn't see him, which made him even madder. I pointed out that there were plenty of other spots available. (This was in New Mexico, where some of the craziest drivers on the planet live. You are only supposed to flip out if the other car takes the only available spot. It just doesn't have the same justified urgency if there are plenty of other spots just as close. They can't even get road rage right there.)

Finally I offered to move and give him the spot and he still just kept up with his threats and his insults. So I shrugged and said, don't know what else you want me to do, and went in the store with the kids.

They were both kind of shell shocked, and the younger one said, "I have never heard grownups talk like that." And it was a good opportunity to explain to them that the best thing to do is be reasonable, don't get angry back, and just walk away.

I think in both cases, the cars were waiting a long distance from the spot, so you didn't automatically register that they were there and what they were doing.

Could have been a scam of some sort, or just low class people looking for excuses to take their lives out on a stranger.

That's good work.

Word of caution though, road rage in America is at an all time high. Some killings are reported pretty much every month now.

Keep your firearm on your person at all times, not locked inside your glove compartment. New Mexico allows concealed carry so there is no excuse there. Parking lots are transitional spaces so constant inflow of people is bound to bring in riff raff and trash constantly.

I don't know how close this person got in your face, but do not let others get too close to you if they are shouting and cursing you out. Stick an arm out slightly and place a foot back to brace yourself incase they rush or swing a sucker punch. Never stand flat footed with heels together. Don't kick your back foot out too far either because that is not de-escalating the situation and makes them more hostile. Put down bags or children if they are in your gun hand.

The older we get the more cautious we have to be with these lunatics because you may not always be able to fight an idiot off of you or be able to dodge a sucker punch.

Lastly, know your state laws. Some states you can brandish your firearm to de-escalate a confrontation if they threaten you too much (eg. Imma kick your fucking ass!). Unfortunately in some states, like mine, that will get you an automatic aggravated assault /w deadly weapon charge or terroristic threat charge at the worse case. Sucks for me, but if that is okay in your state, that is an excellent way to stop a potential attacker that is bigger and younger than you are. Only downside is that you have to call the police etc. and deal with all the file a report, etc.

Quote: (10-30-2018 02:18 PM)TravelerKai Wrote:  

Quote: (10-30-2018 10:16 AM)DarkTriad Wrote:  

Quote: (10-21-2018 07:06 PM)TravelerKai Wrote:  

Quote: (10-20-2018 06:34 PM)MdWanderer Wrote:  

Quote: (10-20-2018 06:20 PM)Saweeep Wrote:  

I don't know about the US but here in the UK there's an age limit for amateur boxing of 35.

Getting a pro licence here is also tricky as you get older (see recent failure of former elite soccer player Rio Ferdinand, although I'm not entirely sure what his issue was...probably being rubbish).

That just leaves "white collar" which is a shitshow in these parts.


Boxing exposes literally every single physical weakness when competing with a good opponent. I think 33 is probably too old to really achieve much to be honest. By the time you're half decent your body won't be up to it anyway.

Yeah, I see what you are saying. My biggest motivation is self defense but would like to compete also to sharpen my skills.

If you are too old for Muay Thai at 30, Boxing is the same at 35-40. By then you need to be out of the sport or training for personal fitness maintenance.

You can get sharp and improve by sparring. You do not need actual official pro ring matches to get better. Amateur matches either.

I don't think some of you know how dangerous fighting is, especially boxing. Plenty of you would lose your insurance policies if they find out you had a blood vessel rupture/swell that hospitalized you or killed you.

Young men with high testosterone could break your jaw at the low end of what could happen to you. You might as well be a woman fighting a grown man. Your bone density may not be dense enough to handle that. Get your T levels and bone density levels checked first if you still want to fight so badly. You don't have to piss test to spar at a gym either. If you want focus mitt training, find someone that will take your money for private lessons. You don't need time with Freddy Roach. Plenty of trainers or other former pros train people for money.

If you want self defense skills for the street, boxing does not supply that. Learn something else instead. Fight smarter not harder.

I'm going to respectfully disagree on that, one of the most useful ones IMO.

Right because you can always punch your way out of getting tackled, getting stabbed by a knife, getting hit by a glass bottle, or anything else by bobbing and weaving jabbing and hooks. Look this is not a matter of sheer opinion like pretending your gender is a helicopter. Let's not be intellectually dishonest here.

If you don't want any intellectual dishonesty here, don't stawman me. I didn't say it was the perfect solution for everything, but it's absolutely one of the most efficient means of self defense. If want to debate the point, here are a bunch of examples of boxing working VERY effectively on the street.

[video=youtube]http://[/video]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5eKUs3pZTk

Old boxer vs. Gangbanger

Another quick multiple opponent scenario.

[video=youtube]http://[/video]

One of my personal favorites.

Quote: (10-30-2018 02:18 PM)TravelerKai Wrote:  

Quote: (10-30-2018 10:16 AM)DarkTriad Wrote:  

Quote: (10-21-2018 07:06 PM)TravelerKai Wrote:  

Quote: (10-20-2018 06:34 PM)MdWanderer Wrote:  

Quote: (10-20-2018 06:20 PM)Saweeep Wrote:  

I don't know about the US but here in the UK there's an age limit for amateur boxing of 35.

Getting a pro licence here is also tricky as you get older (see recent failure of former elite soccer player Rio Ferdinand, although I'm not entirely sure what his issue was...probably being rubbish).

That just leaves "white collar" which is a shitshow in these parts.


Boxing exposes literally every single physical weakness when competing with a good opponent. I think 33 is probably too old to really achieve much to be honest. By the time you're half decent your body won't be up to it anyway.

Yeah, I see what you are saying. My biggest motivation is self defense but would like to compete also to sharpen my skills.

If you are too old for Muay Thai at 30, Boxing is the same at 35-40. By then you need to be out of the sport or training for personal fitness maintenance.

You can get sharp and improve by sparring. You do not need actual official pro ring matches to get better. Amateur matches either.

I don't think some of you know how dangerous fighting is, especially boxing. Plenty of you would lose your insurance policies if they find out you had a blood vessel rupture/swell that hospitalized you or killed you.

Young men with high testosterone could break your jaw at the low end of what could happen to you. You might as well be a woman fighting a grown man. Your bone density may not be dense enough to handle that. Get your T levels and bone density levels checked first if you still want to fight so badly. You don't have to piss test to spar at a gym either. If you want focus mitt training, find someone that will take your money for private lessons. You don't need time with Freddy Roach. Plenty of trainers or other former pros train people for money.

If you want self defense skills for the street, boxing does not supply that. Learn something else instead. Fight smarter not harder.

I'm going to respectfully disagree on that, one of the most useful ones IMO.

Right because you can always punch your way out of getting tackled, getting stabbed by a knife, getting hit by a glass bottle, or anything else by bobbing and weaving jabbing and hooks. Look this is not a matter of sheer opinion like pretending your gender is a helicopter. Let's not be intellectually dishonest here.

TK, I've got 30 years of boxing, wrestling and various fighting arts, my street experience in some VERY tough neighborhoods with very dangerous people, over 20 years of police work, 10 of it where I was in some kind of hand to hand combat at least 3 times a week (and sometimes 3 times a night).

You've got a LOT of knowledge and some great insights, but there are certain ends of the game I'm going to understand better than you and this is one of them.

Even when I wasn't directly using boxing (which as you can see, works very effectively on it's own) it made almost every kind of stand up fighting I did that much more effective. It made everything I did faster, hit harder etc.. Anything that involves timing, distancing, any time some one is trying punch you, you can handle it that much better. It's a concept SBGI's Matt Thornton calls "Aliveness".

I've had many students over the years, and a lot of the most street effective stuff I can teach them is going to be boxing. It's one of the most intuitive and efficient things you can show anyone. And if you read a lot of the old boxing manuals, it was traditionally taught as self defense (the "Manly Art of Self Defense" to be specific) as much as sport, with all kinds of street specific self defense aspects that a lot of people don't fully appreciate.

And I'm not trying to Anonymous Internet Big Ball you, my privacy is important but you're a very respected guy and I'm happy to PM my real name with searchable records of a lot high level competition and training, and you can decide yourself if I've got the competence to be talking about the stuff I am.