# Shadow boxing. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 13, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shadow-boxing/496243 "2009-05-13T01:59:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shadow-boxing/496243/1 "2009-05-13T01:59:30Z")
I boxed in high school, and was pretty good at it. But I got kicked out because I lacked perhaps the most important skill - self control. If my opponent punched me in the head (headgear to be honest) I’d get pissed. Can’t do that. 😉 Anyway, I didn’t understand the need for shadow boxing. Sparring, heavy bag and speed bag, even jumprope. But dancing around while feinting punches at imaginary opponents honestly never made sense. Sparring (tapping, not punching) was good, and really built skill. “Practice”, said the coach. I should practice throwing sissy punches and making those funny _phhhttt_ noises with my mouth? He made me do it anyway. :rolleyes: I fixed him, I pinned him in front of about 40 guys in a match in PE class. 🆒 He called me a “wet dishrag” in front of the same class. So, you wanna be pugilists out there, why shadow box? BTW; I’m 64 yrs now, and fat. So you can’t hit me. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shadow-boxing/496243/2 "2009-05-13T02:25:47Z")
> [@](#): > > It is used mainly to prepare the muscles before the person training engages in stronger physical activity. > [@](#): > > The main purpose of this exercise, apart from getting the muscles ready for other activity, is usually to maintain a fighter’s rhythm and show the fighter how they would look at that stage of training against a certain opponent. This could be important as fighters envision themselves facing their immediate future opponents: it usually gives fighters an idea of what is, and what is not, to be fixed. > **[Shadowboxing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadowboxing)** > > Shadowboxing is a combat sport exercise in which a person throws punches at the air as though there is an opponent. Practised primarily in boxing, it is used mainly to prepare the muscles before the person training engages in stronger physical activity. Muhammad Ali once performed a now famous shadowboxing routine next to Howard Cosell for ABC's Wide World of Sports television cameras. Black Nova Scotian boxer George Dixon is widely credited for developing the technique. > Most boxing trainers pre... YouTube video: ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZUJDKUDI0cY/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZUJDKUDI0cY?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shadow-boxing/496243/3 "2009-05-13T03:05:55Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > [Shadowboxing - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadowboxing) > > YouTube video: > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUJDKUDI0cY](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUJDKUDI0cY) Did you hear that? that funny sound he made? 😛 Anyway, I get the mirror thing, and your coach or another boxer watching and talking you through. I mean the while running, or on the gym floor by yourself, that kind of thing. I had already had some one on one instruction, long before, in the 5th and 6th grade. We didn’t do that “Rocky” stuff. We sparred, and worked the bags. We did run. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shadow-boxing/496243/4 "2009-05-13T05:41:38Z")
I dated a boxer two BF’s ago. > [@mangeorge](#): > > I fixed him, I pinned him in front of about 40 guys in a match in PE class. Wait, I thought you said boxing, not MMA… Boxing is a sport. With rules. You were a hot head who apparently didn’t understand that. Shadow boxing builds skill, speed and timing. All of the boxers who succeed in the sport practice it, there must be something to it, no? > [@](#): > > BTW; I’m 64 yrs now, and fat. So you can’t hit me. > Peace, > mangeorge “I was so bad ass - take my word for it, now get off my lawn” Peace, Jain 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shadow-boxing/496243/5 "2009-05-13T08:56:16Z")
Shadowboxing is all about maintaining proper stance and balance at all times. A common mistake is throwing a punch too far and hard which results getting yourself out of balance and losing your footing. Your opponent then will beat you to a pulp. Another common mistake is keeping your hands down after throwing a punch or not bringing them back up quickly enough which is also a recipe for disaster. With shadowboxing you are repeating those moves over and over again so eventually your hands and feet start moving naturally on their own accord, without having to think about it. Also making “funny noises with your mouth”. You need to exhale sharply so then you inhale. Else you’ll forget to breathe and faint out. I agree, all these look retarded to a casual observer but there’s no doubt that shadowboxing works. Even the pros are doing it. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shadow-boxing/496243/6 "2009-05-13T12:47:11Z")
Sometimes long held givens turn out to be pure bunk. Ask [this guy](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/27/60minutes/main3974752.shtml) and his converts. And I ain’t no hothead. Wanna step outside? Fffft fffft ffft. ffft fffft. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shadow-boxing/496243/7 "2009-05-13T15:09:59Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > Sometimes long held givens turn out to be pure bunk. Ask [this guy](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/27/60minutes/main3974752.shtml) and his converts. > And I ain’t no hothead. Wanna step outside? > Fffft fffft ffft. ffft fffft. > 😃 True. For example, James has made the point that trends toward one-handed catching in the 60s and 70s, decried by traditionalists because it “wasn’t the right way” to catch the ball, actually led to better fielding and quicker reactions. Vic Power was James’ prime example. Power was labeled a hot dog for his one-handed catches, but he was the best first baseman in the league doing it, and eventually it caught on. That being said, if you can find me a set of successful young fighters (either boxing or MMA) who say shadow-boxing is irrelevant, then you’re on the road to making your case. Otherwise, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shadow-boxing/496243/8 "2009-05-13T15:28:13Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > Did you hear that? that funny sound he made? 😛 Making funny sounds while striking is taught in multiple disciplines of self-defense. Here’s another quote.: > [@](#): > > **Breathing** > > Exhale as you deliver all your punches in short, spitting wheezes. Believe it or not, the tendency is to hold your breath when punching. Perhaps it’s the excitement, but at any rate, not breathing is a bad habit to get into. [http://cutespz.com/boxing-punches/default.htm](http://cutespz.com/boxing-punches/default.htm) ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shadow-boxing/496243/9 "2009-05-13T15:43:28Z")
> [@stuthehistoryguy](#): > > True. For example, James has made the point that trends toward one-handed catching in the 60s and 70s, decried by traditionalists because it “wasn’t the right way” to catch the ball, actually led to better fielding and quicker reactions. Vic Power was James’ prime example. Power was labeled a hot dog for his one-handed catches, but he was the best first baseman in the league doing it, and eventually it caught on. > > That being said, if you can find me a set of successful young fighters (either boxing or MMA) who say shadow-boxing is irrelevant, then you’re on the road to making your case. Otherwise, not so much. True, but that would be akin to proving a negative. You’d have to find a few very promising fighters who are willing to give up that part of shadow boxing (no mirror, no coaching, etc which one does unwatched and unsupervised. I don’t know of a serious boxer, or his manager, who would accept that risk. Plus, he wouldn’t be likely to _gain_ anything by doing so. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shadow-boxing/496243/10 "2009-05-13T15:46:26Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > Making funny sounds while striking is taught in multiple disciplines of self-defense. Here’s another quote.: > [http://cutespz.com/boxing-punches/default.htm](http://cutespz.com/boxing-punches/default.htm) I know that. I was taugt the same thing (in the 5th grade), whether sparring, bagging, or in an actual fight.