So...a friend and I, a bit bored I guess after working a heavy bag with wraps on, decided to semi contact spar. Well, one thing I realized pretty quickly was that without gloves, the hitting dynamic changes ALOT! Second, suddenly the idea of just "absorbing" the blow isn't nearly as attractive...even getting drilled in the shoulder by a powerful cross after whiffing a hook seems painful. So how can you condition yourself for this aspect of boxing? A gloved punch to the gut can hurt, but without the glove, while the other guy theoretically could break his hand, it's going to cause some serious pain. And I've been taught to absorb blows coming for the head by putting your hands up to the side of your head, with elbows tucked in. Again, great when there are gloves. Without gloves, getting punched square in the back of the hand hurts like a #####. Obviously better than getting drilled in the temple by a bare fist, but it seems like it could take that hand out of commission. Any thoughts? Ideas?
If you look at older bareknuckle boxing photos or pictures, you will see the boxers don't have the same hand positions as a modern boxer. It is not because they didn't know any better, it makes more sense without the gloves. Holding your hands up in front of your face is a good way to get a thumb in the eye(your own). changing your defensive posture will help ou get tagged less often. How to help get over being hit? Work with a GOOD partner, start with light contact, and work up to hitting harder. Rodny "Chico" King has a great DVD series on boxing for the street which will help you make the transition from gloved boxing to bareknuckle.
i agree with hand and body positioning, but you need to sort out ya conditioning either way, cos you are going to get hit, whether this be in the face or on the arms, and slapping can hurt just as much when applied correctly
Which would be why I suggested starting with light contact and building up. If he is already boxing, we can assume a reasonable amount of conditioning already. Yes, slamming a medicine ball into your ribs and belly for hours on end can help condition, but you still have to get hit to understand what it feels like to get hit.
i didnt say what kind of conditioning, i am all for gradual progression from slqapping to punching on any part of the body. i started getting coditioned by being the demo guy for my instructor and then filtering that into standard drills then invrease contact, it worked for me
Neck training is one of the most important conditioning drills you can do for boxing. It will help absorbe the shock of a blow and stop you getting ko'd as easily. Crazy monkey is the best way to defend barenuckle blows. I used it long before I trained in MA because a mate of mine taught it to me to help when street fighting. Basically try things out, try sparing without gloves and build up the intensity. BUT BE BLOODY CAREFUL!
if the neck is built up it will not jerk back so much after a punch to the face, but i've always wondered if that flexing back is to prevent vibration/shock going to the brain? like the head is a ball on a big spring, if you push it it will spring back. replace the spring with something more solid and firm, will the shock be absorbed primarily in the head instead?
i've read books by Roy shaw and Lenny McClean, both were the best bare knuckle boxers in britain. they used to have alot of broken hands/knuckles after fights so be be careful on wrapping your hands. Once the bones in the hand are broken, i've heard that they heal softer
I dont think they would heal softer, just look at thoes crazy Karate conditioners. Its probably the calcium building up in the joints after a break thats doing the real damage. Dont be a fool. Wrap your tool.
lol, but we dont want another "hand conditioning" thread/flame'fest to erupt i have broken the knuckle on the finger next to the index and it breaks easily now, its twice the size of my other one wrapping the hands serves the purpose of protecting the skin on the knuckles, protecting the wrist from jerk movements and and when you clench the fist with a tight wrap, the pressure created also serves to protect the fist.
Of course. Its never good to smash a part of your unprotected body into something hard. Excuse the obvious inuendos
You can also try some of the burmese lethwei bare knuckle techs or the bare knuckle muay thai techs which will integrate into your kick, punch, eblow knee arsenal well. For a reference try this dvd, www.ancientmuay.com.
I box like that all the time and eventualy you absorb everything and dont feel any pain at all. You feel the bruises after the fight, but no pain during the fight.
