Should an old fart like me take up boxing?

In My Humble Opinion
21

I don’t have much to add, but having boxed a bit in my youth (nothing fancy, just in local gyms), I think the physical fitness comes first. Not only because that’s what you listed as your primary reason for boxing, but because you need to be fit already if you want to start boxing. The reason I say that is, coming in at 29 years of age, there are a lot of guys out there already in your weight class that are very fit and that will take your head off if you’re not ready for it.

So get fit first, and after that if you want to box go for it.

Otherwise take up Aikido or something.

22

I took up martial arts around your age and did it pretty seriously for about 15 years. I’d recommend it. But don’t be stupid like me. I stopped mainly due to 2 injuries. Shattered my left wrist just throwing a sloppy hook into a (thai) pad - then proceded to train/fight with the broken wrist for a couple of years. Then repeatedly hyperextended my right big toe during BJJ/grappling. Again, continued to work out/compete without getting any treatment.

Training full contact involves some real risk of injury. But IMO you need at least some full (or close to full) contact work to truly develop any ability.

IMO if I were to train one martial art for practical self defense, it would probably be boxing. You will encounter VERY few people who can successfully deal with the combination of quick hands, power from both sides, excellent footwork, and evasion - which are the keys of boxing.

Unfortunately, one aspect of learning to defend yourself is learning to recover after being hit. It is a pretty unigue experience to take a hard shot to the head or elsewhere, and realize that you HAVE to avoid taking another shot like that, while at the same time trying it inflict as much injury on the other guy. Also, to some extent taking a hard shot gives you the surest feedback on how hard your shots feel to the other guy.

Having said that, a lot of boxing gyms teach boxing irresponsibly. Rather than spending endless hours up front on mechanics, they tend to toss guys into the ring too quickly. You can get a TON of benefit from “sparring” at 1/2 or 3/4 speed/power, limiting targets to below the head, or imposing other restrictions. Learn how to wrap your wrists correctly. Buy and wear good quality gloves, mouthpiece, and headgear.

For pure fitness, I’ve done marathons, trained and competed in boxing, kickboxing, BJJ and NHB, and done a lot of other demanding things, but I cannot think of anything I’ve done that was more demanding than our workouts that simulated 10 3-minute rounds with 1 minute off in between. The combination of physical exertion, combined with the mental effort of trying to hit while avoiding being hit - and keeping that up when exhausted - is unlike anything else I have experienced or could imagine.

Speaking of krav maga - I’m a big fan of mixed martial arts. The guys I used to work with were more along the lines of JKD/FMA/BJJ, but similar idea. But realize that with everything there are good and bad instructors/schools. Right now at the gym I work out there is a guy who works out regularly on the heavy bag. Works REALLY hard, and wears t-shirts that say krav maga. But seriously, if that poor boy wanted to train at how to get the shit kicked out of him, he’d have a hard time doing better. Every punch is telegraphed, and he consistently drops his guard. Unless he has the doubleleg takedown of an NCAA wrassler, any moderately skilled boxer would take him apart.

Also - be very wary of cardi-kickboxing. A rare few are conducted by folk who know how to box/kickbox. In those classes you can gain some real skills in addition to fitness benefit. But IME by far the majority of such classes are taught by folk with little or no experience with effective boxing/kickboxing/self defense. Not that they aren’t fun classes or good for you. Just don’t think they are training you to be Bruce Lee.

23

My late paternal grandfather was a local boxing champion on the semipro circuit in central PA. And I’d love to tell you all the stories he told me about going on the road, into little high school arenas to fight the hometown heroes, and about going to Rockview State Prison to “train” against the prisoners at the lockup gym.

But, he didn’t tell me those stories. I heard them all second-hand, because by the time I got old enough to want to hear them, my granddad was in a home. I don’t think he said more than a few intelligible words over the last eight years of his life. His doctor told us he had a fantastic variety of brain injuries.

So, from all personal experience, I would warn against actual boxing. But the training, yeah. Granddad was one strong guy, almost all the way to the end.

24

Most of the warnings you’re receving vis-a-vis puglistic dementia and/or Mickey Rourkian facial rearrangement are concerns in professional boxing, but the differences between pro boxing and boxing training, or even amateur level boxing, are comparable to the differences between dragster racing and go-karts. Amatuer boxing has a safety record comparable to high school football, although I’m not sure whether that’s a defense of amatuer boxing or an indictment of high school football. :wink: There’s a risk, to be sure, but there’s a risk in any contact sport.

At 29, you’re probably too old to be a pro boxer, perhaps luckily. You’re certainly not too old to train in boxing and even to fight in some local smokers against guys around your age and skill level, should you decide to. If you do, I’d echo Dinsdale’s admonishment to learn how to wrap your wrists correctly, and get good quality gloves, mouthpiece, and headgear. Even if if you never compete, it’s a great workout and great for self defense.

25

UPDATE:

I started boxing training two weeks ago. I haven’t got gloves or any other gear because my trainer says I won’t need them for some time. For the time being the training is mainly shadowboxing, maintaining proper stance and breathing, aerobic exercises like rope jumping and strength building exercises with those sand-filled balls.

I really like it so far. Besides, it adds some variation to my regular training.

26

Good for you.
Yeah - boxers are the best rope jumpers!
Amazing how god a workout you can get out of shadow-boxing, no?
Let us know what you start working on the speedbag and double-ended ball.
Fun - and TOUGH!

27

Take up Tai Kwan Do and cross train with racketball. The violence of boxing makes it a no brainer. Which is what you might wins up with.

28

Yeah - TKD can’t be beat if you want to be able to do the splits and defend yourself against someone brandishing a board! :smiley:

29

Good grief, of COURSE you should. :slight_smile:

As long as you go to an actual boxing coach and not an old buddy who has a pair of old boxing gloves from when he was in the marines, you’re fine.

I go to a Bally’s Total Fitness and they have a boxing program. I see young kids, old people over 65 and everyone in between both sexes.

Anything that gets you up and active is worth it.

Again, if you got a certified trainer and a reputable program, go for it and have fun.

The trainer will only give you what you’re ready for, it’s really not about age but rather skill level. Either boxing, or Tae Kwan Do or any program is fine as long as you get a good trainer

30

I just spoke to my old BJJ instructor the other day. The guy who I thought was a few years older than me, who would come in for 90 minutes of boxing instruction and then turn around and do another 90 mins of BJJ, is actually 72 years old (he started about the same time I did about a year ago) and he’s tapping out guys 1/3 his age.

So yeah, you can certainly do it. Depends on how you want to do it - as those with actual boxing experience have said there’s a difference between actually getting in the ring and taking shots to the head repeatedly versus a more “non contact” form (speedwork, heavy bag, skills & drills, etc).

31

Thanks for the replies. This is the gym I go to: http://www.mmagym.gr/

Yes! Even if it looks like just moving around and throwing some punches in the air, after some rounds of shadowboxing I will be all sweaty and pumped up. Ok, it is not as demanding as other cardio exercises, but there’s definitely more than meets the eye.

Board? What are you talking about?

32

I started martial arts when I was 17. Quit when I was 19, started back up when I was 38. I’m now 60, a 5th Degree Black Belt and I teach classes every week.

But I wouldn’t limit yourself to boxing. Check out Taekwondo or karate; I think they will give you a much better workout. YMMV.

33

I suggest watching Farang Ba (Crazy White Foreigner), a documentary about a middle-aged farang (Westerner) Thai boxer/cancer victim who routinely wins matches against opponents half his age. See here and here. Unseen by me, but I’ve heard good things and know it by reputation.