The thought of being punched is unsettling to most people.
Unless you have a history of participating in contact
sports, the fear of being hit can be intimidating and can
compromise your ability to defend yourself. In a
confrontation the chance of being hit is significant.

What if you were struck, kicked or knocked down in a
violent encounter? Would you be able to shrug it off and
stay focused on defending yourself? If you want to enhance
your ability to defend yourself, you need to come to terms
with the reality of being hit.

Boxing and kickboxing training have become very popular
with both men and woman as a means of developing all around
fitness, skill, coordination, timing and reflexes. Just as
importantly, training with boxing gloves improves your
emotional resilience by "de-sensitizing" you to impact and
reducing your fear of being hit. What's more, this training
can be safe and enjoyable.

This article contains:

=> the benefits of boxing glove training drills
=> advice to improve training and reduce the potential for injury
=> recommendations about the equipment you need

BENEFITS OF BOXING GLOVE DRILLS

Far too often, people walk away from a self-defense class
with a false perception of their own effectiveness. There
is a good chance that defensive skills were not included in
the training and if they were, they were probably in
response to a static, predictable and unrealistic "attack."

Incorporating light to medium contact boxing glove drills
provides you with experience in responding to actual blows.
Contact work, if properly done, can make you more resilient
and relaxed in a confrontation.

Psychologists call this "de-sensitization." You
deliberately and repeatedly expose yourself to something
you fear (being hit) and that fear will dissipate.

Before long, you can be "hit" several times during a
training session and think nothing of it.

========================================
NOTE: When I say, "hit" I am not talking about a full force,
solid punch to the head. I am referring to light to
moderate impact, with protective equipment, during training
drills consistent with your physical condition and skill
level. ========================================

TRAINING ADVICE

If you are considering incorporating some light boxing
glove drills I congratulate you. However, I must also
caution you that if done improperly, this training can be
counterproductive and result in injury.

Keep these issues in mind when participating training with
boxing gloves:

DRILLS ARE NOT SPARRING

Unless you are already skilled at self-defense or martial
arts, I do not advocate "sparring" on your own. For "self
training" purposes I recommend simple, controlled training
drills. If you are interested in sparring, I encourage you
to seek out a qualified instructor and participate under
supervision.

TRAIN WITH A NON-COMPETITIVE MIND SET

Nothing sabotages the quality of impact training like a
competitive attitude. In order to train safely and gain
maximum benefit, avoid "keeping score" or trying to out do
your partner. The best way to de-sensitize yourself to
impact is keep it light, non-threatening, and view being
hit with disinterest. Learn to relax and have fun.

THE THRESHOLD OF ERROR

How intense should this training be? In impact training,
intensity refers to the speed and force of the strikes
being thrown.

In an unsupervised, self-training session punch lightly
and train on the "threshold" of occasional errors.

If you are making no mistakes and successful defending
yourself against each and every blow, chances are the
training is too easy. If you are being hit repeatedly, it
is unlikely you are developing anything useful.

Adjust the speed and complexity of your drills based on an
occasional strike landing.

DESIGN YOUR OWN DRILLS

I wrote this article in response to requests from students
of my self-defense and defensive tactics seminars. I assume
that the reader has knowledge of basic defensive skills.

Start slow and simple by having your partner throw a
single attack. Gradually change the timing, the order and
the number of strikes. Use your own "threshold of error" to
determine the speed and complexity. Focus on relaxing and
enjoying yourself.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO THIS TRAINING?

In order to conduct this training safely, you need the
right equipment. It's easy to justify the cost of training
equipment when you realize that this training not only de-
sensitizes you to impact but also is also excellent for
conditioning and skill development.

You will need the following:

A TRAINING PARTNER

Duh!!! Obviously you'll need a training partner. Notice I
said training "partner; not training "opponent."

If your partner is not mature and trustworthy don't bother!

The idea is to conduct this training in a safe and
cooperative manner. Competing or proving how tough you are
will get someone hurt.

BOXING GLOVES

I recommend a decent pair of 14-16 ounce boxing gloves.
These are firm enough to provide some impact energy but
padded enough to reduce the potential for injury. Look for
good quality gloves with Velcro around the wrists instead
of laces.

A MOUTH GUARD

A good "boil and bite" plastic mouth guard can be picked
up at just about any sporting goods store for a few
dollars. These guards are soaked in hot water until they
are soft and then they can be molded to your teeth with
your fingers. (read the instructions!)

Mouth guards prevent you from biting your tongue or
chipping your teeth. The can also reduce the potential for
a concusion if you were to take a hard blow to the head.
(which shouldn't happen if you're training properly)

GROIN(AND/OR BREAST) PROTECTION

Wear groin protection. Boxers use equipment that protects
not only the groin but the kidneys as well. If you can
afford the boxing gear fine, but if you are doing only
light, controlled impact work, a regular athletic groin
protector will do. I encourage women to invest in athletic
breast protectors.

HEADGEAR

Boxing headgear is an optional piece of equipment you
might want to invest in. If you are going to get into
sparring and more intense training, I highly recommend it.
However, for lighter, more controlled "de-sensitization"
training, it is not necessary.

CONCLUSION

If you are interested in developing realistic self-defense
skills you must come to terms with the reality that you
might get hit. Self-doubt or being overwhelmed with fear
compromises successful defense.

Properly conducted impact training is an excellent fear
management strategy that will enhance your resilience and
effectiveness.

Randy LaHaie
http://www.ProtectiveStrategies.com