# Boxing for old guys



## Straight Blast (Jun 23, 2003)

I'm 47 yrs. old, in good shape, but 47 yrs old.   A local gym offers boxing instuction,  am I to old to be getting my head knocked around?    I feel boxing is a superior fighting art, they make contact and recieve contact and it's to the point.   Any advice would be appreciated.


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## MartialArtist (Jun 24, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Straight Blast _
> *I'm 47 yrs. old, in good shape, but 47 yrs old.   A local gym offers boxing instuction,  am I to old to be getting my head knocked around?    I feel boxing is a superior fighting art, they make contact and recieve contact and it's to the point.   Any advice would be appreciated. *


There is no such thing as a superior fighting art.  Before coming to such delusional conclusions, what exactly do you want advice on?  Kinda vague.


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## jukado1 (Jun 24, 2003)

Straight Blast:  boxing is an excellent exercise, sport, and hobby, if you start you should have a lot of fun, get a good workout, devlop speed, timing, power, a sense of distance, and a good trainer/teacher wont let you spar hard enough to get hurt intill your ready.  but in addition to boxing try to incorparate some other self-defense work,  adding kicks, hand weapons such as palm heels, chops, elbows, holds, locks, chokes, defense's ageinst back and weapons attacks,  chokes, and grabs,  ALSO make sure that you emphzies developing  a mindset that thinks about self-defense without being parinod, and is 47 to old to start?  well, the odds are you may not have time to win a world championship,  but it's never to late.   good luck,  train hard, train smart.


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## Straight Blast (Jun 24, 2003)

Martial artist;   Didn't mean boxing was superior to any other art, just  that it was an effective fighting system from what I've seen.                                                                                                  Judoka1   Thanks for the advice,  I may give Kun fu San Soo a try,  if it's not what I'm looking for,  boxing will probably be the way I go.


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## chaosomega (Jun 24, 2003)

I would suggest kickboxing. It's a more complete workout, as it involves the legs more, and gives you the advantage of kicks. Same punching curriculum as boxing. If you are willing to mix it up on the ground as well, I'd also suggest mixed martial arts. I've seen some guys about your age doing it. It's tons of fun. It'll keep you nice and fit. I know it did that for me. Good luck anyway!


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## MartialArtist (Jun 24, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Straight Blast _
> *Martial artist;   Didn't mean boxing was superior to any other art, just  that it was an effective fighting system from what I've seen.                                                                                                  Judoka1   Thanks for the advice,  I may give Kun fu San Soo a try,  if it's not what I'm looking for,  boxing will probably be the way I go. *


What you see is not always everything that is available and what something has to offer.  There are tons of variations for boxing, and if you like what you're doing, then continue.  I'm older than you and I boxed, but not to compete.  You don't see a lot of guys over 40 who box for either combat training (very few people train all out in hard arts after a certain point in life) or for competition.

What exactly are you looking for?  You're still vague on your questions.  Are you looking to get fit?  Looking for self-defense, what?


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## Box Out 2003 (Jun 25, 2003)

i talked about this with friends and many agree that boxing is a martial art and not only that it is one of the true arts that is put to use. sure it is a sport but it is more effectively trained than many karate guys will ever train. dont think that boxers don't know dirty fighting. we do. let those karate guys punch and kick air all day.


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## MartialArtist (Jun 30, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Box Out 2003 _
> *i talked about this with friends and many agree that boxing is a martial art and not only that it is one of the true arts that is put to use. sure it is a sport but it is more effectively trained than many karate guys will ever train. dont think that boxers don't know dirty fighting. we do. let those karate guys punch and kick air all day. *


 

You don't understand the first thing to "kar-a-tee".  You can talk all you want.  I'm sure your friends are experts on the matter as well with their extensive training in kar-a-tee.


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## Box Out 2003 (Jun 30, 2003)

i understand that you guys like to dance around in your pahjammahs beating up air.


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## MartialArtist (Jul 2, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Box Out 2003 _
> *i understand that you guys like to dance around in your pahjammahs beating up air. *


If you talk like that, with your ego blinding you, then what do you call shadow boxing?  You're hitting air too!


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## Box Out 2003 (Jul 6, 2003)

i guess you are right. you guys have to shadow box all the time because your stuff is too deadly. after all you all train for the street and we just train for the ring. i am just glad that all those times the chop socky guys came to the gym that i never knew how deadly they were when i was beating them up. if i knew that i never would have got into the ring with them. i must have got off lucky huh?


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## Straight Blast (Jul 17, 2003)

Amazing;   All I wanted to know was if I was to old to take up boxing, now were to my dad can beat-up your dad mentality. I'm really not hoping to beat people up,  I've been in fights, won some, lost some.   I enjoy combat arts, training, contact, exercise and most of the people involved.   I do want to be able to deliver devastating blows, when I really need to-  kick to the knee, poke in the eye, chop to the throat, right cross to the chin or any of the moves from any of the arts.   If its just about getting in fights or who I can beat when were sparing in the ring,   I don't need to waste that much time, there has to be more to it,


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## don bohrer (Jul 17, 2003)

Straight Blast,

I would join and mention to the trainer you are just trying boxing on to see if it fits you. Any good instructor should tailer the training to fit the student. If it turns out that some head strong young guy keeps laying the gloves upside your head and your body wont hang then you'll know.


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## Box Out 2003 (Jul 20, 2003)

i would say go to the gym and work out. you will find people more professional than others and different levels. work out with the group that is at the level you want to be at. is that good advice?


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## arnisador (Sep 2, 2003)

Did you end up doing some boxing?


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## cali_tkdbruin (Sep 3, 2003)

> _Originally posted by arnisador _
> *Did you end up doing some boxing? *



Cool avitar. I hope I'm around long enough to log 10K+...


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## arnisador (Sep 3, 2003)

You're nearly 12% of the way there!


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## MR. SERNA (Jun 28, 2022)

MartialArtist said:


> You don't understand the first thing to "kar-a-tee".  You can talk all you want.  I'm sure your friends are experts on the matter as well with their extensive training in kar-a-tee.


Boxing is a proven art science sport. And provides exciting exhibitions of skills in the sweet science of boxing.

The key word is sport. Martial arts is designed for sport fighting, and combative application for self defense. To make an argument as which art form is better does not make sense. 

Japanese style fighting again proven in sport and battle as history has shown. 

In Kungfu there are two levels. A level one boxer, and a level two boxer. And one learns the difference very quickly what that difference is.

Your show great potential as a true Martial Artist under the right tutor.  Unfortunately for you, the decision to expand your knowledge of Martial Arts keeps you limited to boxing and all that that implies.

It's not about fighting its about peace my friend.

Mr. Serna


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## drop bear (Jun 28, 2022)

MR. SERNA said:


> Boxing is a proven art science sport. And provides exciting exhibitions of skills in the sweet science of boxing.
> 
> The key word is sport. Martial arts is designed for sport fighting, and combative application for self defense. To make an argument as which art form is better does not make sense.
> 
> ...



No the key word is proven.


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## Olde Phart (Jul 1, 2022)

I know this is a little late in this thread, but it may help someone else out in the future.

What's your goal with taking up boxing, or anything else for that matter?  At this stage of the game, you're not gonna be a Bruce Lee or Muhammed Ali.  It'll either have to be about health and keeping fit or mastery of your physical and mental self.

I first tried the ABBA version of TKD about 40 years ago because I got punched in the head and didn't like it very much.  It eventually faded and other things took over my attention span.

Now (at 67), in an effort to keep some of my grandkids off of the street, I took up a different form (Kyudi-do) with them.  Made it to black belt tho they kinda faded by the wayside.  Kinda like me at that age.  Being older, you should have the ability to keep yourself motivated if you've really got a goal in mind.

ANY sport or art, if it's worth doing, is filled with hours of repetitious actions.  The victory in the ring, the advancement to the next belt, the "closing of the deal", is a moment in time based on lots of effort invested in the months/years prior.

I look back over the last few years and I can tell that there has been great improvement in the crispness and deliberate-ness of my martial arts form and style.  Learning how to box is far more than punching someone in the nose.  Part of my training right now involves boxing moves.  I'm always forgetting to keep my hands up.  I'll get it one of these days!  Sure, the youngsters around me can kick higher or do a tornado kick better than me (my balance is my enemy at times), but I am better for it.  Go for it.


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## drop bear (Jul 1, 2022)

Boxing is one of the few styles that provides avenues for older fighters to still compete. Win belts, win titles and all that high level martial arts stuff.

The pan pacific masters for example.


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