How long would it take (to train at boxing) and be able to defend yourself?

[kyzz]

Let me preface this by saying that I have zero background in fighting (or any of the martial arts), I work out here and there but that's as far as that goes.

Over the last 4 months (that short of time) I've been involved in three fights with a bunch of dumb, ****phobic, usually (drunk) idiots, and after reading a lot of articles/interviews/etc I saw boxing recommended over and over (stuff like Muay Thai was too, but I'm really just concerned with being able to punch and take a punch).

So basically my question is how long will it take (assuming I join a club and go for 3 days a week) for me to be able to defend myself against 99% of thugs (who's lives consist of nothing more than starting **** with people). You know the kind of people I'm talking about....

Would I need to go hard and practice for, say, 3 months (3x a week)? 6 months (3x a week)? I just want to learn enough to defend myself and of course, after I reach that level, will probably go a few times a month to brush up on anything.

Thanks for the help

[fordhamboxing]

Six months of boxing consistently (depends on how easy you learn) and you'll hold your own. Two years and you'll **** up just about anybody but another, more experienced boxer. I've been boxing 2 years and I haven't gotten into a fist fight since I started. I've sparred friends though and it hasn't been pretty for them.

[Josh_Shing]

My suggestion, and i know from experience, try learning tactics and moves that will actually work in the street. I love boxing and i've always been interested in it since i was a kid, long before i learned some karate or when Pacquiao blazed the scene, but boxing is a sport and learning just boxing won't always work. It's different when you're fighting in the ring and when you're in the street. There's things you're not allowed to do in the ring and when you're in the street, you can do whatever that'll protect you from your attacker. Of course, boxing will toughen you up and it'll do a hell of a lot of good for you, but just remember that you can do a lot more in the street than just punch. What if the guy has a knife? If you're quick on your feet, it's best to run because maybe you can out run them and not need to fight. Because honestly, what are the chances your attacker is as conditioned as you are? But if it doesn't work, you gotta know how to block/parry/disarm someone with a knife. You also won't have any headgear or gloves when you're in the street (I assume) so blocking with your hands won't be quite as easy. I guess basically what i'm trying to say is, draw techniques from other fighting styles as well while you're learning boxing. Hell, i heard pacquiao has been practicing a punch from Bruce Lee (the quick, body strike you often see him do when he warms up) It's seen as 'dirty boxing', but the streets are dirty too.

But really, at all costs, especially if you're not really in to the fighting to spend years training, stay away from street fights. Just learn enough to defend yourself and try to gain respect in the hood you're in.

[Rockin']

6 months and your still a beginner. I would say that in my 4th year I became pretty confident about what I could do. In that time I had won titles in the Golden Gloves and Diamond Gloves in Detroit. There is alot to learn in the ring and alot of different styles that you will encounter and have to learn to deal with. Now later on when I turned pro I had full confidence in myself and my skills should I have ended up in a scrap. Now that took years and years of hard work and dedication.

If you are joining boxing so that you can learn to fight and then go into the streets and kick some ass you're going about it the wrong way. What's to gain in a street fight besides cracked knuckles and possibly getting shot or stabbed. You know that once you kick a bullies ass theres going to be one who is bigger and badder than the last who will step up and start with you, it's a never ending cycle. If you want to fight then fight in the ring where you can do it with pride and dignity. The fools who fight in the street only fight against people they figure don't know how to fight and people that they figure they can beat up. The people who really know how to fight will be down at a gym fighting other people who know how to fight. If those fools on the street could really fight then they would be in the gym fighting people who can fight.

Nothing will truely ever be gained from a street fight......Rockin'

[Rockin']

My suggestion, and i know from experience, try learning tactics and moves that will actually work in the street. I love boxing and i've always been interested in it since i was a kid, long before i learned some karate or when Pacquiao blazed the scene, but boxing is a sport and learning just boxing won't always work. It's different when you're fighting in the ring and when you're in the street. There's things you're not allowed to do in the ring and when you're in the street, you can do whatever that'll protect you from your attacker. Of course, boxing will toughen you up and it'll do a hell of a lot of good for you, but just remember that you can do a lot more in the street than just punch. What if the guy has a knife? If you're quick on your feet, it's best to run because maybe you can out run them and not need to fight. Because honestly, what are the chances your attacker is as conditioned as you are? But if it doesn't work, you gotta know how to block/parry/disarm someone with a knife. You also won't have any headgear or gloves when you're in the street (I assume) so blocking with your hands won't be quite as easy. I guess basically what i'm trying to say is, draw techniques from other fighting styles as well while you're learning boxing. Hell, i heard pacquiao has been practicing a punch from Bruce Lee (the quick, body strike you often see him do when he warms up) It's seen as 'dirty boxing', but the streets are dirty too.

with those words you're just:wank:................Rockin'

[kyzz]

If you are joining boxing so that you can learn to fight and then go into the streets and kick some ass you're going about it the wrong way. What's to gain in a street fight besides cracked knuckles and possibly getting shot or stabbed. You know that once you kick a bullies ass theres going to be one who is bigger and badder than the last who will step up and start with you, it's a never ending cycle. If you want to fight then fight in the ring where you can do it with pride and dignity. The fools who fight in the street only fight against people they figure don't know how to fight and people that they figure they can beat up. The people who really know how to fight will be down at a gym fighting other people who know how to fight. If those fools on the street could really fight then they would be in the gym fighting people who can fight.

Nothing will truely ever be gained from a street fight......Rockin'

Honestly I don't go out LOOKING for fights, I dont want to fight, I just want to learn to defend myself. I mean what do you do when some guy comes up to your table at a Pizza shop (for example) and tells you to "****ing get out of his seat" (when he never sat there to begin with). I suppose I could just leave and give him what he wants, but I'd rather give him what he deserves.

But of course, like Josh said, the best thing to do (in most cases) is to avoid the fight at all costs and that's something (whether I learn boxing or not) I will do.

[..David..]

Joining a boxing gym and seriously training for that purpose only ?

Buy yourself a tazer or a Baton and you will do better.

Learning the sweet science its not an easy task.

[Toy Story 3]

It all depends on how good you can focus and how fast you pick it up. Some learn faster than others. Don't worry about all that. Just go in there and take your time. It's a confidence you build from training and sparring. To learn how to take a good hit you gotta spar. Getting hit never feels good but sparring will toughin you up. Boxing helps with self defense but if the street fight goes to the ground, they have a weapon, or it's people tryna jump you, boxing may become irrelevant. It all depends on the situation.

[Josh_Shing]

with those words you're just:wank:................Rockin'

Seriously? You're going to reply with THAT? Rockin', listen, i respect you and thank you for giving me tips on my shadow boxing because you helped point out something i neglected to see, but with a reply like that you give me the vibe that you're just a kid. Maybe your head just wasn't on straight at the time, idk. I've got no serious beef with you even after you said that though, know that. kyzz just wants self-defense. He's not that in to learning the sweet science. What i said were just words that could maybe help him in his situation with a realistic point of view. If he wants, he can learn boxing and challenge his bullies to a fight in the ring instead of doing it in the street. That's a way for respect to be earned.

Honestly, i'm a little concerned for your sake kyzz. If you taze his ass in front of his friends, he might come back with a gun. Take care, peace.

[Rockin']

Seriously? You're going to reply with THAT? Rockin', listen, i respect you and thank you for giving me tips on my shadow boxing because you helped point out something i neglected to see, but with a reply like that you give me the vibe that you're just a kid. Maybe your head just wasn't on straight at the time, idk. I've got no serious beef with you even after you said that though, know that. kyzz just wants self-defense. He's not that in to learning the sweet science. What i said were just words that could maybe help him in his situation with a realistic point of view. If he wants, he can learn boxing and challenge his bullies to a fight in the ring instead of doing it in the street. That's a way for respect to be earned.

Honestly, i'm a little concerned for your sake kyzz. If you taze his ass in front of his friends, he might come back with a gun. Take care, peace.

In my opinion your telling him that he should learn different moves to go out and engage in these idiotic fights, almost encouraging him as though it can be done. And while it is possible that it could be done, it's essentially futile. "My suggestion, and i know from experience, try learning tactics and moves that will actually work in the street." I am no kid and while I may have shot back negatively with the comment and gesture I still feel I said what needed to be said, if it offended you then you understand how I felt reading your reply to him.

Why even try to put confidence in him when "knowing from experience" you know that fighting in the street is worthless. Beat his ass one day and he comes back with a knife. Beat his ass again and he comes back with 3 friends and a gun, it's never ending. If he is in a situation were he HAS to fight what will be will be. But there are truely few situations were fighting is the only option. I learned my trade so that I wouldn't have to fight in the streets. And you know what, I never really had too..........Rockin'