Reasons for starting boxing

[Paardekopski]

heheh, on a sidenote, when I was 9 years old, I had a fight on the schoolyard once, and I tried to punch the other guy in the face, but completely missed. He may have had the sensation of a gust of wind next to his ear. I think I made a facial expression to the likes of "next time I won't pretend" haha.
However completely unrelated to my reasons to pick up boxing, which is still for workout and fun...

[sterling]

i watched muhmmad ali on youtube then i went gym with my mate and found out they had a boxing gym then i hit the bag then the rest is history lol i started when i was 18 close to my 19th birthday i been boxing a year and a few months now im 20.

[Trrmo]

I remember watching Ali fight Larry Holmes on TV in 1980 when I was 8 years old, waiting for Ali to come back in the fight but never did - heartbreaking.

My dad bought me a punching bag to get rid of my aggression because of my bad temper (my sisters and I were constantly screaming at each other!), taught me a few moves.

At 12 I told my dad I wanted to box so he made me do the research until I found a gym. First day at the gym I was put in to body spar with the state junior champ who winded me with a good shot to my guts. Trainer wanted to test me I think, he said at the time and looking back makes me laugh that I ¨um well you have good footwork¨. I kept coming back after that though.

[Fidayin]

I remember watching Ali fight Larry Holmes on TV in 1980 when I was 8 years old, waiting for Ali to come back in the fight but never did - heartbreaking.

My dad bought me a punching bag to get rid of my aggression because of my bad temper (my sisters and I were constantly screaming at each other!), taught me a few moves.

At 12 I told my dad I wanted to box so he made me do the research until I found a gym. First day at the gym I was put in to body spar with the state junior champ who winded me with a good shot to my guts. Trainer wanted to test me I think, he said at the time and looking back makes me laugh that I ¨um well you have good footwork¨. I kept coming back after that though.

did you have a good amateur carreer and why did you take a break from boxing?

[Trrmo]

did you have a good amateur carreer and why did you take a break from boxing?

I fought from 12 until I was 17 and had 16 fights and a few exhibitions. Could have had alot more but I had trouble getting match-ups even though I used to weigh in at every tournament. I won 4 state junior titles in Australia, at 17 I had I very bad back strain, partly due to a spinal defect and partly due to not stretching enough and not allowing enough time to recover. Also starting drinking and partying.

I trained on and off until I was 21 and trained seriously hard under the national coach and had a fight lined up but a week before I got a cold (due to overtraining). But stupidly I kept training, and came down with the worse cold and case of bronchitis that I couldnt get rid of for months. That really got me down and I never got back into training seriously until 28 yrs old when I had two fights at middleweight which I won.

A long term relationship breakup and I started drinking, partying again and stopped boxing although I had the opportunity to box overseas. I trained on and off until getting back in it a few months ago because my lifestyle, drinking, smoking and worse was leading me on a downward spiral.

Now I dont drink or smoke at all. I feel stronger and fitter than ever and love training here in Ecuador. I am undecided yet but I would like to have a few last fights which will have to be pro.

So some lessons -
If you have an injury give it time to recover.
Dont drink or smoke or do drugs
Do alot of stretching especially the back of your legs for back problems
Remember to put vaseline on your face before your fight (my last fight which I won my face looked like I had been seriously assaulted)
Dont let injuries set you back
Dont overtrain thats when you get sick or injured
Dont waste great opportunities and leave it too late to comeback
but
Its never to late to train!

[Fidayin]

I fought from 12 until I was 17 and had 16 fights and a few exhibitions. Could have had alot more but I had trouble getting match-ups even though I used to weigh in at every tournament. I won 4 state junior titles in Australia, at 17 I had I very bad back strain, partly due to a spinal defect and partly due to not stretching enough and not allowing enough time to recover. Also starting drinking and partying.

I trained on and off until I was 21 and trained seriously hard under the national coach and had a fight lined up but a week before I got a cold (due to overtraining). But stupidly I kept training, and came down with the worse cold and case of bronchitis that I couldnt get rid of for months. That really got me down and I never got back into training seriously until 28 yrs old when I had two fights at middleweight which I won.

A long term relationship breakup and I started drinking, partying again and stopped boxing although I had the opportunity to box overseas. I trained on and off until getting back in it a few months ago because my lifestyle, drinking, smoking and worse was leading me on a downward spiral.

Now I dont drink or smoke at all. I feel stronger and fitter than ever and love training here in Ecuador. I am undecided yet but I would like to have a few last fights which will have to be pro.

So some lessons -
If you have an injury give it time to recover.
Dont drink or smoke or do drugs
Do alot of stretching especially the back of your legs for back problems
Remember to put vaseline on your face before your fight (my last fight which I won my face looked like I had been seriously assaulted)
Dont let injuries set you back
Dont overtrain thats when you get sick or injured
Dont waste great opportunities and leave it too late to comeback
but
Its never to late to train!

cool thanks for the story and advice.

[sukhenkoy]

I fought from 12 until I was 17 and had 16 fights and a few exhibitions. Could have had alot more but I had trouble getting match-ups even though I used to weigh in at every tournament. I won 4 state junior titles in Australia, at 17 I had I very bad back strain, partly due to a spinal defect and partly due to not stretching enough and not allowing enough time to recover. Also starting drinking and partying.

I trained on and off until I was 21 and trained seriously hard under the national coach and had a fight lined up but a week before I got a cold (due to overtraining). But stupidly I kept training, and came down with the worse cold and case of bronchitis that I couldnt get rid of for months. That really got me down and I never got back into training seriously until 28 yrs old when I had two fights at middleweight which I won.

A long term relationship breakup and I started drinking, partying again and stopped boxing although I had the opportunity to box overseas. I trained on and off until getting back in it a few months ago because my lifestyle, drinking, smoking and worse was leading me on a downward spiral.

Now I dont drink or smoke at all. I feel stronger and fitter than ever and love training here in Ecuador. I am undecided yet but I would like to have a few last fights which will have to be pro.

So some lessons -
If you have an injury give it time to recover.
Dont drink or smoke or do drugs
Do alot of stretching especially the back of your legs for back problems
Remember to put vaseline on your face before your fight (my last fight which I won my face looked like I had been seriously assaulted)
Dont let injuries set you back
Dont overtrain thats when you get sick or injured
Dont waste great opportunities and leave it too late to comeback
but
Its never to late to train!

Good story, trrmo. Shame about the booze and partying though...sounds like you could have gone pretty far if you stayed away from that ****. But, I guess now that you have experienced it, you know it doesn't do any good, and that probably makes you train even harder at this later age.

Great advice though. The drinking and smoking is crucial I think, as well as the overtraining (which I think for many is quite hard to avoid at times).

[KostyaTszyu44]

i started because i come from a boxing family and i wanted to do something different to rugby which i was playing at the time, and something that would get me respect and is a big test

[KostyaTszyu44]

I fought from 12 until I was 17 and had 16 fights and a few exhibitions. Could have had alot more but I had trouble getting match-ups even though I used to weigh in at every tournament. I won 4 state junior titles in Australia, at 17 I had I very bad back strain, partly due to a spinal defect and partly due to not stretching enough and not allowing enough time to recover. Also starting drinking and partying.

I trained on and off until I was 21 and trained seriously hard under the national coach and had a fight lined up but a week before I got a cold (due to overtraining). But stupidly I kept training, and came down with the worse cold and case of bronchitis that I couldnt get rid of for months. That really got me down and I never got back into training seriously until 28 yrs old when I had two fights at middleweight which I won.

A long term relationship breakup and I started drinking, partying again and stopped boxing although I had the opportunity to box overseas. I trained on and off until getting back in it a few months ago because my lifestyle, drinking, smoking and worse was leading me on a downward spiral.

Now I dont drink or smoke at all. I feel stronger and fitter than ever and love training here in Ecuador. I am undecided yet but I would like to have a few last fights which will have to be pro.

So some lessons -
If you have an injury give it time to recover.
Dont drink or smoke or do drugs
Do alot of stretching especially the back of your legs for back problems
Remember to put vaseline on your face before your fight (my last fight which I won my face looked like I had been seriously assaulted)
Dont let injuries set you back
Dont overtrain thats when you get sick or injured
Dont waste great opportunities and leave it too late to comeback
but
Its never to late to train!

hey im also an aussie

[DaveJH]

Started about 4 years ago I think. I always had an interest in boxing when I was little, as our window cleaner was a good amateur boxer and showed me a little bit when I was about 6. Then when I was 11 or 12 my old man offered to take me to a boxing gym so I could learn how to handle myself. That got me training regularly and now I love the fitness that boxing has brought me.
I was always a really shy lad when I was younger, but I think that boxing has helped to bring out more confidence in me now.