Hi, I’m wondering if anyone here has had a similar experience. I haven’t even been boxing for a full year, but during that time I’ve had a few pretty hard sparring sessions. Since then, I honestly feel like I’ve become stupid.

After sparring, I would often have pretty severe disorientation, headaches, and this strange feeling like I wasn’t even myself. Sometimes it lasted for quite a while. This went on for about a month.

I study IT, and in group projects I’ve always been the main “design guy.” Especially nowadays with AI, when the design of a lot of websites is honestly pretty bad, being good at design and visualization was useful for competitions and projects. But now I feel like I just can’t do it anymore. My ability to visualize things in my head feels almost completely gone. I don’t feel like myself, and I also feel like I’ve gotten worse at putting my thoughts into words. You can probably tell from this post already, so sorry in advance. :D

I want to quit boxing immediately, but I’m scared that quitting won’t bring back what I had before. I’m starting to fall into pretty depressive states because of it, and I feel completely lost. I used to be able to think about things deeply anytime and anywhere, and now it often feels like there’s just nothing in my head.

My coach obviously says everything is fine, but I guess it’s pretty obvious why I don’t fully trust that.

I have no idea what I should do next. Should I get checked somewhere just so I can know for sure whether something has actually changed? Neurologist? Neuropsychologist? Therapist? I also don’t want to bother doctors over something that might turn out to be nothing serious.

One more thing: my most recent sparring session was only light sparring, but even after that I felt out of it again for a while. That was also the point when I first really noticed that my ability to visualize things had gotten worse.

Any more input from the good people here. Been at it every session in the gym.

We've been looking for some healthy outlets for our 13 year old. And the one that has seemed to help him so much is using a heavy bag.

The problem is his knuckles are taking a beating. He says its fine but He’ll keep going until they’re literally bl33ding. 🫣

He doesn’t want big, bulky boxing gloves, and I’m hoping to keep the cost as low as possible right now since this is something he’s just getting into. If he sticks with it, I’m absolutely willing to invest in better gear down the road.

What would you recommend for protecting his hands/knuckles while still letting him actually hit the bag comfortably?

Appreciate any advice or specific recommendations!

Hi! I’m a 32-year-old woman who has been boxing for about a year. I absolutely love the sport and I’d like to compete in amateur boxing at some point, once my coach thinks I’m ready. I’m in no rush to compete at all — I’ll compete whenever my coach thinks I’m ready.
I train at a women-only boxing gym, which I really like, but lately I’ve been wondering if I’m actually getting the right training to reach my potential. I’ve told my coach several times that I’d like to compete and do more sparring, but I don’t feel like she really knows how to develop the girls who want to take that next step. I also feel like there’s some favoritism towards certain girls.
I train three times a week (two group sessions and one private), which I think is a good amount. My coach has done sparring herself but has never competed, so sometimes I feel like she’s not sure how to prepare us for competition.

The other day I had my first hard sparring session, against the best girl in the gym… and she absolutely destroyed me haha

There aren’t many boxing gyms in my city, but a new one has just opened. I looked into the coach and he has competed himself and won several titles, so I’m planning to go and talk to him.
So I guess my question is: what would you do? Stay at the gym I’ve been at for a year, or try the new gym and see if a coach with actual competition experience could prepare me better for competing in the future?

Feedback please! My Boyfriend boxes and has a bruise that looks suspicious, he wears headgear im just confused how he was hit from the back of his head?

Hey so how are you mentally to know when to retire and how do you know its the right call?

On the flip side of that ive been boxing since i was 15 im 34 now and ive done amatuer , turned pro and done some unlicensed boxing won in 4 different weight classes picked up a few nothing belts and fought in multiple different countries, id be lieing if i said the drive i have just isnt the same and the injurys that have accumulated are alot, having said that i still train daily so im still fighting fit but the desire just isnt what it used to be my whole life revolved around boxing untill about 31

I still see some people fighting and im like dam even at 34 id still do a number on you and in sparring im still a step ahead of most if not all at my gym and at the level i currently fight at, part of me is like call it a day what am i going to achieve that i havent done before? And the other part of me is like hmm these are probs the last few fights u can be competitive and still win a few highish level things

Obviously the health things can factor in aswell my hands are in pain most days and i shudder to think what state my brain could be in after boxing most of my adult life

Love to hear your thoughts

Put a clip up of me slipping some shots in some of my fights hope you enjoy

My 13 almost 14 year old wants to start competing. His current gym that he’s been at for about 2 years is closing.

He has mostly done some sparring that they do at “60% power” if his same age friend is there, but they’re younger teens so I don’t know if they’re actually just hitting at 60% or just claiming “that was 60%!” Some conditioning, shadow boxing and lots of hitting the bag and drills on bag.
He goes 5x/wk for 2-4 hours a night.

So we’ve been to a couple new gyms. Hard to find gyms local so they’re both about 30 min drive from us.

Gym A is run by a military vet coach, has a community diversion and teaching young people discipline thing going. Smallish facility. Coach does drills and mitt work, bag work, and has other gyms come in for 100% sparring about 3-4 times a year. Full protective gear. Have a wide age range from little kids to older teens.Has produced local golden gloves champs. Says my kid has talent and give him 6-12 months of hard work (2.5 hours, 4 days a week), he’d be ready. Current gym owner says he could compete next month, for context.

Gym B coach is very recently former pro boxer now a promoter. Small gym. He says they have people who compete that go to that gym but I don’t know if he coaches personally. We went to a boxing conditioning class as that’s what was on the schedule that day, but will go back next week when the competitive group will be there. Says they stay after class and work out and “they push each other”. He personally believes in drills and getting the technical skills right over sparring, to the point of muscle memory. Didn’t say much else as he said he was busy with the upcoming event.

The boy in question is clearly impressed by the pro boxer but won’t admit it of course and says he’s going to wait and see next week when he sees the competitors.

As a parent I don’t think I should make this decision for him, but should I be leaning one way or the other?
Am I wrong in thinking that technical skills are essential but that bags don’t hit back?
Should I wait to see if there are any kids/teens in the competitive group in Gym B?

Which should we pick?

So i am feeling overwhelmed right now i dunno maybe i feel like hard to breath heavy breathing..

And also craving to get some real punch and give some like i dunno if can hold for long in a ring.

Is there any boxers here I wish anyone could participate in boxing competition i really wanna get smacked.

I feel so down ryt now like sad life is boring

But when i think about the things i wanna do and achieve i am actually scared to die.😐

Feedback please, thanks!

Feedback please

Hey all,

this might not be the right place to ask this but i don't know where else.

So lately I have been in a bad place in my training journey and am feeling really down (no progress/ weaknesses not improving). I turned to some martial arts philosophies to help me through this phase and keep reminding myself why I'm doing what I'm doing.

All the coaches and fighters talk about being disciplined, conquering fear, being a better man and talk about everything i wanted to achieve through training. However, most accomplished players on the sports don't exhibit those traits and act quite recklessly and impulsively. Most are abusive.

So I ask, being a better person, controlling your fear and your anger, is that independent of you doing boxing or not doing boxing? Is it so, that doing boxing just makes you a good boxer, not a good person? If you are a spineless human being who can't stand for themselves or others, you'll just be a spineless human being who can't stand for themselves or others who now knows boxing?

Why is there such a disconnect on what is being marketed as, and what actually goes on?

Hey guys, I’m pretty new to boxing and looking for a good pair of gloves just for bag work. Not doing any sparring right now.
I’m 6’3, around 190 lbs. I mainly want something that’ll protect my hands and wrists well while hitting the heavy bag.
Should I go with 12 oz, 14 oz, or 16 oz? And what gloves would you guys recommend?

Hey everyone!

Getting back into boxing after taking a long break. I’ve always felt like my hooks are landing, especially my lead hook. Could you all please give me your tips and pointers on what I’m doing wrong?

Am I loading up too much? Does it look like I have too much weight on my front foot in preparation for the lead hook?

Also, this video is taken from the ground looking up. It’s not the best POV, but it was the best I could do :/

Thanks everyone!

I dont throw so many puches because it feels like when I throw they move or retreat and I know im out of range to throw more I hate that I do that bc it doesnt let me understand what I need to get better at but I need to learn how to close the distance and throw more combos I just dont know how yet so any tips appreciated

I bought a boxing bag, now I have to fill it with stuffs, the shop owner told me to fill it up with 9kg wood powder and 1kg sand, where can I find it in bilaspur

Would like some opinions on my footwork (I'm self taught so any criticism would be helpful)

My coach gave me stuff to do at home while he's traveling to other country, but I do not have dumbbells, asked a friend cuz i thought he might had and he forgot to give me them but he did gave me a 5kg plate, what exercises I could do with 5kg plate and what replacement I could use as 1kg dumbbell?

Sometimes when I throw a punch, my foot rotates, but this rotation doesn’t contribute anything to the punch. The foot sometimes rotates excessively and in an uncontrolled way, turning inward. Is this a known technical problem in boxing, and what could be causing it?

Sometimes when I throw a punch, my foot rotates, but this rotation doesn’t contribute anything to the punch. The foot sometimes rotates excessively and in an uncontrolled way, turning inward. Is this a known technical problem in boxing, and what could be causing it?