Expert: Lian Shoemake - 11/21/2005

Question
Hello Lian,

I am interested in learning to box, mostly for exercise and also as a means of self-defense.  I would like to incorporate sparring into my training when I am ready.  How often do you recommend training with sparring compared to bag work or mit work?  How "safe" is sparring with regard to facial injuries?  Is sparring done at the same level of intensity as a real bout, just with protective gear on?  I am very unfamiliar with the sport other than watching professionals.

My concern would be coming home from the gym or coming to work with a nice big black eye or broken nose.  I work in a pretty professional environment and don't want to look like the heavy bag!  I also don't want to train in boxing without sparring (including shots to the head).

I highly doubt that I would ever compete, so this is more of a personal journey for me.  At the moment I am 5'10" and about 200lbs, and while not in bad shape (this is my normal healthy weight when exercising, body fat is ~15%) I would be absolutely destroyed since I would most likely be competing in the heavyweight division.  Another question is if amatuers are classed not only by weight but by ability?

Do you have any comments or suggestions about boxing training and sparring that would aleviate these fears?

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question!
Chris

Answer
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the questions.

I'll preface this by reasserting that I'm not a coach or a personal trainer, and most of your questions would seem to be most appropriately be directed to someone who is.
I can't really provide an educated answer on how often you should spar, since I've never worked with you and assessed your ability to defend yourself. However, a good trainer will make sure that you've learned boxing basics and defense before putting you in the ring, even to spar. How long that takes, and how often sparring would occur, would be based on ability and goals. If the true goal is only fitness, no sparring needs to occur at all, as the boxer's training regimine itself can be more than adequate. You mentioned a desire to learn it as self-defense, in which case my previous comments about assessments of ability prior to sparring contact would come back into play.
Also, be aware that the protective gear used in boxing is just that: protective. It does not eliminate the possiblity for bruises or injury, even from moderate sparring. One stiff jab can bring about the black eye or broken nose you hope to avoid, even if you're wearing a headgear, mouthpiece and 16 oz. sparring gloves.
You don't completely rule out the possibility of competition in your inquiry, so I'll assume that you might have that interest.
If that's the case, you'll need to get in touch with your Local Boxing Committee officials from USA Boxing (contact information available at www.usaboxing.org through the "Membership" link).

In the amateurs, boxers are matched by age, weight and experience through age 16. After that, weight and experience are the factors at the local level up through 10 bouts. After 10 bouts, boxers are considered "open", and can be matched with each other regardless of how many bouts one or the other has above 10.

Hope this helps, Chris.
Thanks again for writing!

Regards,
Lian