Does Boxing Work as a Self-Defense Style
Most people consider boxing more as a sport than as a self-defense discipline. Thanks to the studied elegance of the sport and the big-name athletes associated with it, boxing is not always viewed as a useful self-defense style. However, this is inaccurate. Boxing can be very effective for self-defense. In fact, some aspects of it were even incorporated by the late Bruce Lee into his martial arts discipline, Jeet Kune Do. It’s only a matter of understanding how the principles of this discipline work and how to use them in case of an attack.
Here are some of the most important technical aspects of boxing:
The punches
There are 3 kinds of punches in boxing that may be used for self-defense. These are:
Straight punch. This is executed usually when the opponent is at arm’s length or a bit further. The straight punch is simply that – a straight blow with a closed fist, with the striking arm a little closer to the body.
If you’re standing head to head with your opponent, the straight punch should hit him on the bridge of the nose or the cheeks. It could also be used to hit an opponent’s chest or stomach.
Uppercut. The uppercut is a strike executed with a closed fist coming from the side of the body and moving up. This will land on the jaw, knocking the opponent backwards.
Hook. The hook is also known as the side winder or the side punch. It is made using a closed fist, with the striking arm coming at the opponent from the waist or slightly above it. It then curves to hit the opponent from the side.
Footwork
If you’ve watched boxers fight on the ring, you’ve probably noticed that they are constantly moving. This is to make them more difficult to attack and to allow them to move more quickly into a defensive or an offensive position.
When using boxing as a self-defense style, it’s important to remember to keep moving forward and backward and side to side. Use your movement not just to confuse your opponent but also to assess their next move. Footwork is also important for evading blows.
Strike points
When using boxing as a self-defense tactic, attacks should be considered based on the most vulnerable parts of the opponent’s body. These include:
- eyes
- jaw
- nose (especially the bridge)
- sternum
- sides of the torso
- groin (illegal in professional boxing but works well for street fights)
Tags: boxing, Martial Arts, self-defense style
December 6th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Great Post!
Boxing is actually an excellent base for self defense training.
Bruce Lee closely studied the works of Jack Dempsey, who was an experienced street scrapper and viewed boxing as a form of self defense.
Of course everything has to be taken into perspective as well, and the self defense starts in the brain with awareness and common sense.
In Health,
Nhan
http://www.nkhuong.com
http://www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com