Boxing Mistakes You Might Be Making

Martial arts have a specific appeal that is easy to see. It creates space to vent the aggression that comes naturally to many people while teaching discipline, order, and respect. It's an excellent form of exercise that gives people a little more creativity than hitting the weight machine does. And when a person gets good enough, it can even become a form of cardio that relies on body awareness.

Unfortunately it is this awareness that most people skip over when they join a martial arts practice. They focus strictly on learning as much as they can as fast as they can without slowing down to understand the foundations of the movements. This not only limits their practice but can open them up for injuries as well.

In the world of boxing, this is most evident when someone rushes through their training. Someone might start boxing with the misunderstanding that it's easy because it's "just punching" or because they've seen one too many sports movies. But there is no rushing the learning process, and when boxers try, they end up with bad footwork and sloppy punches (via MixedMartialArts.Life).

Rushed training can look like flat feet in the ring or a fighter tight with tension. It can also look like punches that fall short and people who don't pay attention to their feet. None of these make for a good boxer. But worse yet they might be signs that the boxer is making an even bigger mistake.

The biggest issue, as explained by Evolve MMA, is that rushed training causes people to punch using only their arms. They see their trainers and fellow boxers relying on their hands and arms, but don't realize that real power comes from the lower body. In order to throw a good punch, a boxer has to start from the legs, twist the hips and torso, then channel all that energy into their fist. Relying solely on the arms can lead to both shoulder and back injuries, not to mention a weaker jab.

Expert Boxing also points out that boxers who don't take their training seriously can flinch from incoming punches and will look away when they strike at an opponent. In both cases the boxer is setting themselves up. Either they won't be able to avoid the incoming punch or their opponent will block them, turning the match in the opponent's favor. It's human nature to flinch from incoming attacks, but in martial arts it is a mistake that can cost a person their match.

Flinching can be solved by shadow boxing with an opponent and facing down their punches, knowing that they won't make contact. But the other issues require a boxer to focus on the depth of their training. Without it, as Be Happy Boxing points out, a boxer may get so frustrated with their performance that they end up quitting entirely.