Hi guys, I've been training boxing and muay thai for about 6 weeks and was wondering how much training do most people actually need to be able to remain composed and keep their fighting techniques in actual fights?

The reason I asked is that when I had my first backyard boxing fight recently I realised that the moment I get clocked in the face by a full-strength swing, all my training and techniques just went out the window and it's all instinct, which didn't help much at all lol.

*edit*
from the full contact fight session I reaslied I probably need to get into more of these fights (with friends) to get used to performing under physical threat

Hi guys, I've been training boxing and muay thai for about 6 weeks and was wondering how much training do most people actually need to be able to remain composed and keep their fighting techniques in actual fights?

The reason I asked is that when I had my first backyard boxing fight recently I realised that the moment I get clocked in the face by a full-strength swing, all my training and techniques just went out the window and it's all instinct, which didn't help much at all lol.

*edit*
from the full contact fight session I reaslied I probably need to get into more of these fights (with friends) to get used to performing under physical threat

In answer to your original question, it depends upon the individual. Probably about 6 months after you start sparring in the gym.

Which is what you need more of. Sparring in the gym. Your coach will see you make mistakes, and help you. You will get nothing out of your back yard boxing sessions. It may be fun, but you will not learn to fight.

There are no short cuts. Get back in the gym and train.

Getting into more of those backyard fights at this stage of your training is only going to slow down your overall progression due to injuries.

You are right thinking that you need more exposure to the adrenaline rush and stress of a real fight before you can realize most of your technique but the sad fact is that with only 3 weeks training you don't have any technique to realize.

If your goal is to beat up your untrained friends 6 months oh 4 nights a week training should cover it if you are not undersized.

Getting into more of those backyard fights at this stage of your training is only going to slow down your overall progression due to injuries.

You are right thinking that you need more exposure to the adrenaline rush and stress of a real fight before you can realize most of your technique but the sad fact is that with only 3 weeks training you don't have any technique to realize.

If your goal is to beat up your untrained friends 6 months oh 4 nights a week training should cover it if you are not undersized.

Thanks mate, points taken.

I have heard that 1000 hours doing anything and you will have the muscle training you need in a fight or flight type situation. But that is only what I have heard. I am sure it is quit different for each person. Some may take longer while others may pick it up quicker. And still yet a small few who will never get no matter how long they train. So if you go to 10 hours of training a week it will take at least 100 weeks of training to have the muscle trained to do what you want. But that is if you are only learning one technique out of that hundred week period. The more you add the more time it will take. Just have patience and one day you will realize that you can recall that muscle memory without even thinking about it consciously.

Hi guys, I've been training boxing and muay thai for about 6 weeks and was wondering how much training do most people actually need to be able to remain composed and keep their fighting techniques in actual fights?

The reason I asked is that when I had my first backyard boxing fight recently I realised that the moment I get clocked in the face by a full-strength swing, all my training and techniques just went out the window and it's all instinct, which didn't help much at all lol.


Yes, a good smack in the head and the brain is on lunchbreak.

What you need is muscle-flex memory. That (in a nutshell) comes down to repeating a technique so many times, that it is ingrained into neural pathways. Each technique (correctly executed!!) has to be repeated 50.000 times (I have to check for source) before it is ingrained into your neural pathways.

Further.
when you are under very high pressure, another part of your brain is in charge, and that is the part that let's you execute "gross motor skills".
The gross motor skills are for example: running, jumping etc.
Normally the fine motor skills (subtle finger movements for example) are shutdown, because you don't need these for survival.

So, you need to do two things:
-correctly execute techniques as many times as possible
-concentrate on gross motor skills; in terms of technique I am talking about simple, straight away techniques: Punch, straight kick, low kick, etc.
These have important technical aspects in them, but they are direct and "fairly easy" techniques to do under high stress; compared to elaborate techniques they are "easy" (read: less elaborate).

You simply have to train as often as possible, it is difficult to say how long or how many months or years.
It also depends on your personal talent, are you a fighter/martial artist by nature or not? etc.

Correct training under an experienced and good teacher at least, I would say 3 times a week, should be a minimum and a good start.

Connect the above info to the techniques of your martial art and see which techniques you should at least focus on to achieve your goal.

But again, a good punch in the head will still leave dizzy for some time.

Cheers,
Grizzly216

yeah i saw it too.1000 hours of doing something makes you pro.10.000 hours makes you virtuoso maybe after death.with my respects it is true i am an ex biolog now a bioengineer and in our physiology book it is a scientific fact for muscle memories(they proove it with experiments but like killemall said it can be changeable for from person to person).And now you can see badass_mofo a long way to walk.But that means you can't kick arse it is all about courage and and and patience.so be patient work hard you can see your improvement.

all of your answers are very helpful, thanks so much guys!

WTF is a backyard boxing fight?

Maybe watching too much fight club.But you can easily injure yourself or others.Please go to your gym and train whatever you want with your trainer or the other guys at the gym(whatever you want means in boxing sport whatever you want).If you want to spar do it with the guys in the gym not with your friends in your backyard.

WTF is a backyard boxing fight?

I know this one.

A: Stupid.

yeah its pretty stupid, you know, what 100% of all 20 year old boys are... lols. I train at the martial arts gym 5 times a week and have only done that backyard stuff once. won't be doing it again for a while lol

I think that every town should have a community gym were teenagers and young adults can go and box or grapple or whatever it is that they need to do to release all that pent up testosterone. I think our culture would be a little safer if we had that.

I don't know about boxing but with BJJ it changes the way you move. If you train long enough your instinct becomes your training.

Don't do backyard boxing matches or for that matter other type of fighting gatherings with people that aren't trained professionals, or who aren't at least well profficient in the named art. If you get hurt on one of those you'll loose valuable training time or even stop training for ever (broken jaw, lesions to the eyes, etc). In a gym you get the type of supervision that allows you to develop your game, strategy and technique while trying to reduce your injuries.

Second, you probably don't have the necessary tools to technicly face someone at this time. Not that you wont...you just don't have as I see it. For instance, do you still blink when someone throws a fist towards you? Is your head stationary during the fight? Are you backpedalling or doing proper footwork? Do you overcomite to your strikes?
These are only some of the mistakes of beginner students and they eve plague some more seasoned players. So as I see it, just stay in school and learn slow but steadly!

Each technique (correctly executed!!) has to be repeated 50.000 times (I have to check for source) before it is ingrained into your neural pathways.


I would definitely like you to find a source on that. Are we talking about ingrained enough to use in a high stress situation, or ingrained to use the technique perfectly, or what? Was there a study done on this? Because I'm fairly certain that the neural pathways will make a connection far before 50,000 times. And in order to be able to use a technique effectively it's going to take more than just throwing it a bunch. You don't just have to make connections for the technique you have to make connections for when it's going to work and the timing to use to throw it.

So in order to pull out a technique in a fight I would think that you would need to practice it (but far less than 50,000 times) and then use it in a sparring situation effectively (probably somewhere closer to 7-10 times).