Dealing with straight blasts

**Anna Kovacs** · Posted On: 12/23/2006 11:43am

Originally Posted by Cracky McSlugHoot

*Pukes*

yes yes, i know, you have no head movement and cannot fathom having your hands down but it's true, lots of successful fighters keep them low.

**Zophixan** · Posted On: 12/23/2006 11:52am

Originally Posted by Letum

Get him a competent Boxing trainer, no, not you.

"I seem to have forgotten alot of my boxing training! llloguysamiafunny?"?!?!"

No.

Come on man, lighten up. He doesn't have any other choice atm, and he would like some training. Yes I may be **** compared to a real boxing coach, but in his case, this is just for fun. He will have a competent boxing trainer soon, and no it won't be me. Happy?

**Zophixan** · Posted On: 12/23/2006 7:33pm

The main aim of this "training" I'm teaching him is mainly to get used to sparring, and taking hits. He knows I am not a boxing trainer, but yes I see your point. Besides, his first choice was kung fu, surely my shitty training is better than that :P

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 12/23/2006 7:38pm

There's completely nothing wrong with showing someone some of what you know as long as you're not playing yourself off like an actual coach. Lay off the guy. It's not like he's teaching him TKD.

**octaviousbp** · Posted On: 12/23/2006 8:15pm

Just as an FYI for your buddy and concussions and "strapping on some headgear", there may be a reason why he is so punch shy... self preservation. If the concussion he sustained was severe, and it sounds like it was if 12 guys induced it in an "uncontrolled environment", his brain may very well be trying to save itself. As Kat pointed out, it should be at least 90 days before he takes any more severe shots.

The jury is still out on headgear, but some believe it does nothing to reduce the risk of brain injury. Rather, it serves to prevent cuts above the brow. This is kind of evident in the style of headgear that is being used now. In the Asian games this year in Doha, the headgear that was being used is Top 10. This seems to be a popular trend at many amateur shows as well (in Canada at least). Anyone that is familiar with Top 10 knows that it is a fighter prefered headgear, because it is so light an unintrusive. The material is a dense polyurethane foam that really doesn't absorb much impact. The hgear is also an open face style, so there is clean access to the chin and jaw. These areas rarely cut, but are (arguably) the number one target for a knockout, by attempting to produce concussive force.

There are two types of concussive force: concussive (blows that will immediately result in concussions from the impact of the brain against the skull) and sub-concussive (blows that do not result in an immediate concussion). From what little amateur research I have done on subconcusive force, the jury seems to still be out on the exact implications on brain damage over a boxers life. However, one thing that seems certain, is concussions -and perhaps sub-concussive impact?- are cumulative. Each subsequent one is worse then the other.

So, the point of this is, if your buddy seems a little shy, maybe his brain hasn't healed the damage from slamming into the side of his skull fully, and a self preservation mechanism is kicking in. It could also simply be psychological. The bottom line is, I wouldn't be so quick to throw some headgear on him and think it is okay to punch him in the head. I am not saying headgear is worthless for reducing impact injury, but I am saying that it isn't a magic helmet that will save his noodle if it already has had recent severe damage.

I am not a doctor, or a neuroscientist.... and I don't even play one on tv. Just a guy who has been coaching MT for awhile and has done some research on it.

This is a report that has nothing to do with headgear (other then the impact dummy was wearing one), but everything to do with the biomechanics of an amateur boxer being punched in the face (note not necessarily head)

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...i?artid=233175

Hope this wasn't too much of a digression.

**Zophixan** · Posted On: 12/24/2006 3:54pm

Thanks for the info, that was quite an interesting read. I also wasn't aware people could be knocked out by soccer balls!

Ps. Merry Christmas everyone.

**octaviousbp** · Posted On: 12/24/2006 8:03pm

Woops. Guess I'm not the poster boy for boxers not having brain damage. Here's the proper link: http://bjsm.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/39/10/710

Although the other one is good too...