5 Beginner Boxing Mistakes you MUST Avoid
Mick Conlan [9(6)-0]
Boxing is not just a popular sport, it is one that provides a great deal of essential exercise in keeping the body fit, and also enhances the used of the mind. The skills needed to succeed in the ring are among the most varied of any sport, and it’s not just about speed and determination. Concentration, selecting your movement and moment, footwork and more are among the techniques you will learn if you train with someone who is competent and respected, so to help you beginners, we thought we’d look at some of the most commonly made beginners mistakes.
1: Wanting Too Much Too Soon
Becoming a competent boxer is not something that happens overnight. It takes a lot of effort learning, bit by bit, all the elements that make up a good boxer before you get to bring them all together. Of course you want to get into the ring and start sparring as quickly as you can, and then, when you do, you want to do better all the time. The trick is not to overdo things in the early days. Let your trainer guide you as to where you are at in your development – everyone comes on at a different rate – and don’t be tempted to jump the gun thinking you’re ready – the chances are you’ll do yourself more damage than good.
2: Use Your Eyes
Now this may sound like common sense, but all too often novice boxers have a problem in overcoming what is a natural reaction – to close your eyes in the face of danger! It’s what we do, it’s how we react, but in boxing, it’s not what you want to be doing in any way, shape or form. One of the most important beginners tips is that you need to be able to see what is happening next at any moment; even the blink of an eye can leave you unwittingly off-guard. You need to train your eyes to be watching, to be averse to the danger. It’s one of the biggest mistakes to make – don’t forget your eyes.
3: Be Comfortable with your Kit
You don’t wear uncomfortable clothes on a day to day basis, so why should you be uncomfortable in your boxing gear? One major mistake made by beginners is to buy shoes that are at the right price, and hope they do the job. Here’s the thing – they won’t, and you will be a poorer boxer because of it. Search and try the best shoes you can afford, check every boxing shoes review you can and make sure you get a pair you are comfortable with. It makes a lot of sense and you’ll find it a great improvement.
4: It’s Not Just About the Upper Body
Watch a boxer in action – one with experience – and you’ll immediately see that there is more to boxing than just using the upper body. It’s about using the entire body, every moving part, in one package, and this is what a good boxing trainer will teach you how to do. It’s a common trait for newcomers to want to get those punches in more than anything else, yet that is just one component of a good boxing technique. Without the movement afforded by your legs and lower body, you won’t be going anywhere soon. Take the time, and co-ordinate all your movements in one.
5: Don’t Force it – Feel it
This is a difficult one for an absolute beginner to understand, but believe us when we say you will know exactly what we mean when it finally clicks. It will take some time, and as we said that’s something you need to understand, but once you have everything in place, you will begin to feel the next move, and feel instinctively what you need to do, and where you need to be, rather than forcing yourself into those positions. It will, and we really mean it, come naturally when you take advantage of a good trainer, and you will understand the second it all comes together.
That’s just a few tips we have for you on how to overcome the basic beginners mistakes, but it is perhaps the first one – trying to get to where you want to be too quickly – that will be most problematic at first. You want to get out there, in the ring, and show that you can do it, but if you bear with and let the trainer guide you, you will be a better person when you get there.
