When it really comes down to it how much protection does headgear really give. It stops cuts and stuff but does it do anything in protecting the brain. Sorry the thread sounds a little homo but I have to put my mom's mind to rest. Thanks fellas.

Headgear does not protect you from the impact of being hit. The force is the same - if not more because of the extra weight of your sweat filled headguard. This means your head rocks back further when your skull is struck - causing the impact to be slightly greater.

headgear also is bad because it cuts down on the amount of peripheral vision a figher has, meaning that you are less likely to see a shot coming.

A headgear will only lower the risk of skin damage and facial wounds.



ps.

do not show your mum this post.

Edit: pps.

Do tell your mum, that aslong as your healthy and not dehydrating yourself substantially the risk of you gaining substantial or any noticible damage to your brain is incredibly slim. Then go on to tell her that many, many, many sports are more dangerous. - For deaths, mark - Horse Racing and Motorsports.

Thanks mickey. She's stopping me from fighting which sucks. She keeps telling me that Ali has brain damage so I will too. I'm trying to tell her I'll probably never go pro but she still have none of it. Hopefully this will help. Thanks.

Thanks mickey. She's stopping me from fighting which sucks. She keeps telling me that Ali has brain damage so I will too. I'm trying to tell her I'll probably never go pro but she still have none of it. Hopefully this will help. Thanks.

The risks are really minimal. My mum was worried too - but i told her the truth. That far from making me unhealthy - boxing had got me in the best physical shape in my life. So theres definately health benefits.

I doubt you will have as many fights as Ali, and as many wars. Besides the length of fights is shorter and Ali's health may not be linked to boxing at all.

Its upto you at the end of the day. Other sports are just as dangerous - i used to play a lot of rugby, i used to take alot more knocks playing that - its not unheard of for rugbys players to become wheel chair bound from bad tackles.

Yeah, I've heard many of times that Ali's disease or whatever could be a little bit from getting hit in the head so much, but it mostly has nothing do with boxing.

Thats what I hear alot anyways.

Yeah, I've heard many of times that Ali's disease or whatever could be a little bit from getting hit in the head so much, but it mostly has nothing do with boxing.

Thats what I hear alot anyways.


That actor ,Michael J Fox, has the same thing and I bet hes never been in a fight his whole life. Ali has parkinsons disease, I havent seen anyother fighter with shakes and stuff like him, not even McClellan does that.

Your mother might be concerned about post-concussion syndrome. You can do research and show her evidence that post-concussion syndrome is rare in retired amateur boxers.

To be fair, you could also do research and show her that post-concussion syndrome is fairly common in retired amateur boxers.

So, uh, choose your research wisely.

just tell her that Foreman is not punchdrunk and was smart enough to capitalize on the grill. Either that or tell you youre either gonna box or do drugs. :rofl:

Thanks guys. Your helping me out a ****load. Fraidycat thanks for the heads up. What is post-concussion syndrome. Oh yeah and Animal Squabbs I like that approach too.

What Ali got WAS proberbly down to the punishment he took over the years. Its called "pugilistic alzheimers" and it effects a few ex-pro's. ****... the most sad thing i saw was hearing Freddy Roach being interviewed when he was on 24/7. Poor bastard, he has really slowed down.

The game has risks, i'd be a cunt for saying otherwise because it would be a lie.

BUT....like many things in life- things that are dangerous can be very appealing ...i.e.. drugs, driving fast, joining the army and chasing dirty women.
Boxing is just another one of those things, that could **** you up, but you do it anyway because you got to push yourself to the limit.

Headgear decreases force in that you don't feel the knuckles as badly, so it wont hurt as bad and you wont be as likely to be knocked out or down.

think of it like this

hit with a baseball bat in the face at 8/10 power = without headgear
hit with a basebal bat with padding on it in the face at 8.2/10 power = with headgear

bad way to analyse it, but whatever.

Headgear decreases force in that you don't feel the knuckles as badly, so it wont hurt as bad and you wont be as likely to be knocked out or down.

think of it like this

hit with a baseball bat in the face at 8/10 power = without headgear
hit with a basebal bat with padding on it in the face at 8.2/10 power = with headgear

bad way to analyse it, but whatever.

your right, you won't FEEL the knuckles the same way, but the force is basically the same. The amount of force absorbed in the padding is really quite minimal, unless you all fight with feather pillows over your heads. Headgear reduces point of impact injuries especially. It's very unlikely to get cut, break a facial bone, or something like that in headgear. The force (and thus braindamage) isn't really reduced.

That being said, amateur bouts are only 3-4 rounds, so the risk isn't as bad as a 6-12 round pro fight, as as you get more fatigued (haha, and cracked in the head) each punch does more damage. That is to say, that a punch will actually cause more damage (internally, at least) in the 8th round, than the
2nd.

look, the bottom line is, headgears are so boxers can spar and and get ready for the fight without get cut, bruised or swell like they would when normally getting hit. You need sparring to be ready to fight but if your eye is closed from sparring or your cut you cant fight so headgear was made to prevent that as well as broken noses. It wasnt designed to prevent brain damage, your still getting hit repeatedly on the head and your brain is gonna be bouncing all around, it wont ba as bad as without headgear but its still bad.

it is called pugilistic dementia and the boxers that get it/got it are normally the ones that have been in WARS!!! quarry, ali, etc..As far as the head gear prtoecting you from brain trauma..sorry bud its gonna happen. Will be punch drunk from it...probably not bud. Tell your mom to chill, if you dont do what your heart desires you are going to be a bitter adult regretting your past. IMO

If only you guys could be here to tell her all that great ****. I think I'm starting to get to her though and I should be in the ring by July. Hopefully. I love the sport, my grandfather boxed, my dad boxed and I think I should but my parents are holding me back. I know the sport and the risk you take but I still have to get in the ring. I don't know why but I crave it. (The ladies love it too LOL). Thanks fellas.

You might want to look into getting a good mouthguard. I'm not sure statistics or anything but a lot of them, especially the double sided claim to absorb shock from punches and reduce the risk of concussions. The down side is they can make breathing tough... especially if you've got nose issues/ deviated septum or allergies even. If nothing else though a good 'shock doctor' double sided mouthpiece might make your mom feel a little better.


edit, I don't know if shock dr is better than any other brand, i just remember their packaging talking about the safety benefits.

I have a question for everyone!
If a 16 year old boxer with 8 months experience and weighs 158 and is in good shape, I spar 1-3 times a week and we spar at easy/mid power never 100% full power. I have no amatuer fights yet and I spar with really good padded headgear. What would you say my chances are of getting brain damage? Please try your best on awnsering this question?

You might want to look into getting a good mouthguard. I'm not sure statistics or anything but a lot of them, especially the double sided claim to absorb shock from punches and reduce the risk of concussions. The down side is they can make breathing tough... especially if you've got nose issues/ deviated septum or allergies even. If nothing else though a good 'shock doctor' double sided mouthpiece might make your mom feel a little better.


edit, I don't know if shock dr is better than any other brand, i just remember their packaging talking about the safety benefits.

The man speaks the truth, a good mouthguard will reduce braindamage (albeit not by a whole lot).

Boxingforever, if I were to smack you in the head right now, you'd get some braindamage. Every single punch kills off a few brain cells. Haha, so your chances of brain damage are 100% just like the rest of us. What are you chances of developing a brain disorder due to the trauma? At this point, obviously pretty slim, if that's what you're asking.

And to the OP,
I was in a similar situation, I come from quite the boxing family, but my mom was very against it. So much so I couldn't get into a gym and train everyday PROPERLY until I was 18 and got out of the house. Although basically since I was three I was learning all that I could, haha, behind my mom's back. As ***** as it may sound, some times you can't compete with a crazy mother.

I think with my mom it was more the social aspect of boxing that she hated, so try to show that you're not gonna be some thug... or something.

I donno, my 2 cents on your little issue.

punch drunk ex boxers are very common. I see them alot especially in the gyms. To be honest I think the the amateurs and sparring contribute alot to it maybe more than pro bouts. SOme guys have around 200 amateur fights, regardless of whether or not you have headgear think of all the times youd get hit in the head after 200 amateur bouts, that HAS to cause some damage. Plus some guys have gym wars almost everyday in sparring and if you spar 3 or 4 times a week for 4 weeks gettin ready for a fight those punches are gonna add up to alot more than what you will get in the fight.

Ive only been sparrin for about 3 months, but its been rough sparring and, Ive been in a lot of street fights and unfortunatly I think I might be feeling some effects already.