I spend quite a lot of time on my abs, and i vary the exercises i do - straight situps, sit-ups with twists, sit-ups with weights, exercises where u have hold certain positions which is pretty tough to hold for 3 minutes.

The thing is the front of my stomach is pretty hard and i look like im in fairly decent shape but looking good aint gona stop anyone from being KOd. I have been put down in sparring a couple of times with body shots and it's usually from hooks so i was wondering if there's anything i can do to toughen up the whole of my stomach especially the sides where the hooks land.

Any help appreciated

Thanks guys

A good body shot to the ribs will put any one down

Gimme a full list of your ab work out and I'll see what I can add, if you get hit with a good shot to the body though then I can pretty much assure you that it'll

a) Hurt (alot )
b) More than likely knock the air out of you.
c) Send you down/leave you unable to box properly whilst you recover.

Basicly my advice would be to either clinch your oppenent and get your breath (esspecialy if the shot didn't get you to bad and your nearer the end of the round) or to go down on 1 knee and get up at the count of 8. You risk getting TKOed by the ref depending on whats happened before but its better than getting KOed or hurt because you tryed to be a hero

Work on the rythem of your breathing to, when you throw a shot (you probably do this any way...) breath out sharply this will tense the abdomin incase your oppened throws a counter to the body (like the last body shot a got caught with )

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Thanks that all sounds like useful advice.

I dont go down every time im hit to the body, its just i'm more susceptible to a body shot than a shot to the head and i want to do something to change this before everyone i spar with catches on.

I dont have a specific abs work out, we try and mix it up using weights and medicine balls. Any exercises you would like to add - feel free.

I know that getting caught with a good body shot will put almost anyone down, but i it would good if i can delay it!

It sounds like your hitting the abs just fine, as well as the twists and holding exercises also giving a good workout for your obliques so your taking all the right steps, excellent point about breathing by the way from Adam.Â* You said it yourself, its not like your hitting the deck everytime your sstomachfeels leather so it might just be a case of you getting nailed with a couple of good ones.Â* As your body workouts are already very good you could also take a look at your guard, are you leaving too much room? not getting your elbow down after throwing a punch, the best way to take a punch? not take it at all.

Originally Posted by Memphis

It sounds like your hitting the abs just fine, as well as the twists and holding exercises also giving a good workout for your obliques so your taking all the right steps, excellent point about breathing by the way from Adam.Â* You said it yourself, its not like your hitting the deck everytime your sstomachfeels leather so it might just be a case of you getting nailed with a couple of good ones.Â* As your body workouts are already very good you could also take a look at your guard, are you leaving too much room? not getting your elbow down after throwing a punch, the best way to take a punch? not take it at all.

I think you are probably right it is likely that i'm gettin caught by some good shots.

Will also try to concentrate on keeping my elbows in too!

encouraging words

Take a look at your stance too, if you stand square on to your oppenent theres more for him to hit if you stand side on then theres very little and your left (right if your a southpaw) elbow will cover alot of that.

master the 5 basic body defences and counters that go with them this will help you stop your oppenent moving up to your head.

keep sparring and try to get comfortable.keeping your elbows tight and proper breathing is a must but most importantly work on your vision,try to see what's coming.the punches that you're more apt to be hurt with are the ones u don't see.

you could toughen up your stomach by slapping it softly and gradually overtime punching it quiet strong, or you could get someone to hitt you with a medicine ball.
On a manny pacquiao clip i saw him letting a sparring partner beat him delibretly to body while manny was putting his hands up, i saw sugar ray robinson and sonny liston letting someone throw a medicine ball to their stomach in order to make them used to the pain.
Just don't go over the top and hurt yourself too much!

Thanks guys

Some good things mentioned here.

Given me a good idea of new things to try when doing my abs work out!

some people are more prone to feeling this than others as you've mentioned yourself.

Good overall conditioning will help as does focusing on your abs but the rest of you need to be strong also. I also think doing squats/push-ups etc work the core well and in a more natural way than crunches.

You could ask to do body sparring only - I used to do a lot of this. Don't think it's weaker to do this, plenty of gyms do it - it works on your stamina, defence to the body, it gets you used to being hit to the body/turning away/blocking punches, knowing when to clench, there is less chance of injury. The only thing is don't make it all your sparring as you'll find your hands start to drop