Thoughts on Casual Boxing/Training

[CasualBoxing]

Hello all! Thought this would be the best forum for my questions and comments, if a Mod disagrees than I guess do what you will with it.

Just a quick bit about myself. Im 21, 5'10" and 145 (kind of scrawny lol) and just watched my first live boxing match the oher day, Mayweather vs Pacquiao. I have been looking for a way to workout wihout the gym (overcrowded and dont enjoy going). After watching the fight, and some pre fight training videos of the two... I got to like the idea of shadowboxing. Anyways, before I drag on for too long, I also knocked my friends 100lb (too big for me) heavy bag with gloves and definitely enjoyed that as well.

Besides the obvious questions like what name brands are best, cheaper preferred, with or without a stand, yada yada yada... But my main questions are the following;

- is it odd to just want to do boxing workouts and learn the techniques (punches and footwork) without doing the fighting (never was a fighter, never fought in my life)? I play hockey, but not competitively anymore, just recreationally. Stuff like shadowboxing and workouts involving the heavy bag (and maybe speedball in the future).

Second, I broke my right collarbone (strong arm) when I was 13, so a long time ago, but never got surgery or did PT. about two years ago a doctor recommended an MRI and possibly surgery to repair what he thought was a possibly torn ligament around my rotator cuff (not the actual rotator cuff, albeit we dont really know). I read online this could be aggravated with jabs and hooks, how true is this? After hitting the bag for a solid half hour (on and off, still learning the techniques) and two minute rounds of power and speed punches, it didnt seem to hurt much at all. Obviously I will try everything out and see how much it hurts, just curious before I go off and drop 150-200 on equipment to train with (heavy bag, stand (maybe), gloves, wraps, jump rope).

Id love to discuss everything anyone is willing, but am about to leave for work. Can answer from work occasionally, but not often... Only a five hour shift though so no biggie.

Beforehand though, thanks for any responses! Any advice and comments? Again, thanks!

[Hype job]

Perfect thread title to username correlation.

[Rockin']

Hello all! Thought this would be the best forum for my questions and comments, if a Mod disagrees than I guess do what you will with it.

Just a quick bit about myself. Im 21, 5'10" and 145 (kind of scrawny lol) and just watched my first live boxing match the oher day, Mayweather vs Pacquiao. I have been looking for a way to workout wihout the gym (overcrowded and dont enjoy going). After watching the fight, and some pre fight training videos of the two... I got to like the idea of shadowboxing. Anyways, before I drag on for too long, I also knocked my friends 100lb (too big for me) heavy bag with gloves and definitely enjoyed that as well.

Besides the obvious questions like what name brands are best, cheaper preferred, with or without a stand, yada yada yada... But my main questions are the following;

- is it odd to just want to do boxing workouts and learn the techniques (punches and footwork) without doing the fighting (never was a fighter, never fought in my life)? I play hockey, but not competitively anymore, just recreationally. Stuff like shadowboxing and workouts involving the heavy bag (and maybe speedball in the future).

Second, I broke my right collarbone (strong arm) when I was 13, so a long time ago, but never got surgery or did PT. about two years ago a doctor recommended an MRI and possibly surgery to repair what he thought was a possibly torn ligament around my rotator cuff (not the actual rotator cuff, albeit we dont really know). I read online this could be aggravated with jabs and hooks, how true is this? After hitting the bag for a solid half hour (on and off, still learning the techniques) and two minute rounds of power and speed punches, it didnt seem to hurt much at all. Obviously I will try everything out and see how much it hurts, just curious before I go off and drop 150-200 on equipment to train with (heavy bag, stand (maybe), gloves, wraps, jump rope).

Id love to discuss everything anyone is willing, but am about to leave for work. Can answer from work occasionally, but not often... Only a five hour shift though so no biggie.

Beforehand though, thanks for any responses! Any advice and comments? Again, thanks!

Get checked by a doctor and continue only with his approval.

If you're doing this for fitness than you will end up in shape if you work.

If you're doing this to actually learn to fight, without actually boxing, than you will be just wasting your time.

Buy Ringside equipment, professional quality at reasonable prices. Look it up on line.,

[CasualBoxing]

Perfect thread title to username correlation.

haha gotta start off right.

[CasualBoxing]

Get checked by a doctor and continue only with his approval.

If you're doing this for fitness than you will end up in shape if you work.

If you're doing this to actually learn to fight, without actually boxing, than you will be just wasting your time.

Buy Ringside equipment, professional quality at reasonable prices. Look it up on line.,

definitely for fitness, but learning the technique and workouts would also be for fun. mostly to get in shape and keep busy when i get bored, which at this point is often. so far I found a heavy bag 80lbs, stand, rope, gloves, and wraps for150 from Walmart. for me it seems right, perhaps a bit cheap. it is Everlast.

also with concerns to the doctor, my question was mainly would boxing exercises and workouts agitate my rotator cuff ligaments moreso than usual? not that it has hurt so far, but if im not fighting, and it is at my own pace, I guess it is just a see how it goes kind of thing? just wondering if ant experienced boxers have noticed others or themselves having shoulder issues.

[CasualBoxing]

just as an idea... for my first workout without a heavy bag as I dont own one yet, im going to stick to shadowboxing.

ill google around unless anyone has a website for me to specifically use, and learn the basic punches. i suppose thats jabs, hooks, etc. (sorry dont know terminology yet). do a bunch of rounds of that, jump rope, run, and push ups and sit up.

would it be best to mix them all together or separate them? go straight through or take breaks? one entire workout period or multiple throughout the day?

again i take interest in the fitness aspect and not so much the fighting aspect. perhaps the self defense concept intrigues me as I am not big, but also getting back into shape means a lot as well.

thanks again for anyone who can help me out. i figured instead of just googling ill get opinions from those who know it better than I.

[RAV3N]

Dont get cheap gloves, they wont last.

Like rockin said, buy some bag gloves from ringside.

[theGr8test]

Sure you can casually box, but i'll say this..

don't expect to become some amazing boxer unless you find out you're just a natural. Most people have been boxing since a young age and always sparring You can't become a good boxer by not sparring. It's simple..

You can Box as a hobby or whatever, but realize you'll likely not get THAT good unless you're in the gym at least 5 days a week and that doesn't account for the extra stuff like roadwork on the side you have to do. The thing with Boxing is, a lot of these kids in the gym, it's their LIFE. I boxed for a year at your typical old school smelly boxing gym and the 12-18 years olds lived and breathed it. It's not like BJJ where you go to a gym and most of the guys are doing it as a fun hobby after work and stuff. It's just not like that in a real boxing environment.

[Redd Foxx]

Get cleared by your doc, then go to a gym and see a coach for at least a month, preferably three. After that, train at home if you like. You want to see a coach because you'll never develop proper form otherwise. You simply can't know if you're leaning, using correct footwork, throwing correctly, etc without someone observing and giving feedback. Once you understand those principles you can monitor yourself to some extent. Why is that important? Because it makes the experience more enjoyable but, more importantly, proper form is the key to avoiding injury. Even hitting heavy bag is rife with potential injury. You want to learn proper form.

[Amazinger]

When you are cleared by your doctor, Get yourself a large mirror so that you can do your shadow boxing. You use them to see your techniques not to admire yourself....