Re: Thinking on your feet
How long have you been boxing?
Re: Thinking on your feet
Sometimes, thinking can be just the thing that gets you hurt. If it's natural, it can be a good thing. :)
Re: Thinking on your feet
Ive been boxing since September, so about 5/6 months.
I sparred a guy last night, and made an effort to concentrate on what i was doing, it worked a bit, but slowed me down quite a bit aswell.
Re: Thinking on your feet
u will tend to control yourself and think more as you progress. Spar more and learn from them.
Re: Thinking on your feet
you will learn to think underpressure through experience of sparring
Re: Thinking on your feet
Truth is if your still busy thinking about parrying instead of flinching when a punch comes in, thinking about keeping your stance balanced as you move, what counters come off what defences and how exactly your ment to see punches coming etc etc etc then its very hard to think on your feet aswell.
Your pretty new. once all of those things become an instinctive reaction your head will be clear enough to think about you fight plan, ring craft and how your opponenet is effecting it etc.
edit: yeah, so basicly like the one says, Spar, Spar and Spar till you get comortable.
Re: Thinking on your feet
in boxing there are only so many possible outcomes to every action preformed in the ring. it is a closed system with rules that never change. there are a limited amount of punches that can be thrown and a limited amount of reactions that the opponent can respond back with. when i jab there are only so many things that my opponent can do in response. when i hook there are only so many things he can do in response. this makes him predictable. i can position him and set up him because i know everything he can do to me and by thinking several steps in front of him i can never be suprised. to demonstrate this thought process indicative of all strategic greats in boxing and beyond i will post an excerpt of grandmaster alexander kotov's thought process during the 1939 ussr championship
"What do I do here? His king is badly placed, but I still have to exploit that. I have the d- and f-files, a strong knight at d4. Must hurry before he can slip away with the king to safety at b8. His last move was rook to e4 attacking the knight. Defend it by 25.Qf2? He'll go Rd8. No, then I go 26.Qf6+ winning. So he'll go Qg5 or Qe5 centralizing, and then what do I have?
Wait a minute. What about 25.Nf5+? He has no choice, takes and I go Rxf5. Then he can't take rook--mate on d6 by the queen. But he doesn't have to take. What do I have after Qc6 or Qc7? A piece gone. What about 25.Rf5 instead? Well we are playing for mate, so a rook down wouldn't matter if it's sound.
If his queen moves then Qg5+ with a powerful attack. Nor can he meet the rook sac by e5, since we go Qg5+ Kf8, Ne6+. So he has to take the rook and I take on f5 with knight, check. Then his king is drawn forward. But what if he doesn't take? Say Qd6; but then I win the queen by Rxf7+ Bxf7, Nf5+.
So he definitely has to take, and then I must have something. An interesting position! So, 25. Rf5 exf5 26.Nxf5+ Kf6 (26...Ke6 makes no difference) 27.Rd6+. Two lines. Takes the knight or rook blocks. If 27...Re6 the win is easy: 28.Qg7+ Kxf5 29.Bc2+ and now 29.Kf4 20.Qg3 mate, or 29.Re4 Qf6+ Kg4 31.Bd1+ and mate next move.
So there remains 27. Kxf5. Then what did I see?Oh yes! 28.Qf3+ Rf4 (28.Kg5 and white wins simply, 29.Qf6+ Kh5 30.Bd1+ Rg4 31.Qh6 mate) 29.Qh5+ Ke4 30.Bc2+ Ke3. Can he really get away safe from there? No, there's 31 Rd3+ and wherever he goes 32. Rd2+ and mate by 33.Qe2. It's all there. Just check once more. How do I stand on the clock? Ten minutes left. I'll check again. After all it's a forced win, so time trouble won't matter too much."
this is called a tree of analysis. essentially this is the process of "if i do this, he does that, when he does that, i do this, then he will do that, so i will do this" one cannot call himself a good boxer until he understands this process at least partially. it is actually simpler than you may think, you just must memorize every punch exchange in boxing, one for orthodox fighting and one for southpaw. there are not many and even less when fighting a southpaw if you take the time to analyze it all. my advice is learn your boxing. how can you ever be good if you never total understanding of the things happening around you, finding yourself confused and incapable when met with things you dont know how to deal with?
Re: Thinking on your feet
Cheers everyone, yeah i guess its something that will come in time then, ill keep sparring and try to get the basics as reflexes.
ThomasTabin i didnt understand most of what you said, but i reckon ive got the jist of it, just reactions to the opponents actions, and thinking 3 steps ahead.
Thanks again.
Re: Thinking on your feet
thomas :o
that info is crazy as mate, but remember most of here are stupid/mentally slow!
Re: Thinking on your feet
Quote:
Originally Posted by ThomasTabin
in boxing there are only so many possible outcomes to every action preformed in the ring. it is a closed system with rules that never change. there are a limited amount of punches that can be thrown and a limited amount of reactions that the opponent can respond back with. when i jab there are only so many things that my opponent can do in response. when i hook there are only so many things he can do in response. this makes him predictable. i can position him and set up him because i know everything he can do to me and by thinking several steps in front of him i can never be suprised. to demonstrate this thought process indicative of all strategic greats in boxing and beyond i will post an excerpt of grandmaster alexander kotov's thought process during the 1939 ussr championship
"What do I do here? His king is badly placed, but I still have to exploit that. I have the d- and f-files, a strong knight at d4. Must hurry before he can slip away with the king to safety at b8. His last move was rook to e4 attacking the knight. Defend it by 25.Qf2? He'll go Rd8. No, then I go 26.Qf6+ winning. So he'll go Qg5 or Qe5 centralizing, and then what do I have?
Wait a minute. What about 25.Nf5+? He has no choice, takes and I go Rxf5. Then he can't take rook--mate on d6 by the queen. But he doesn't have to take. What do I have after Qc6 or Qc7? A piece gone. What about 25.Rf5 instead? Well we are playing for mate, so a rook down wouldn't matter if it's sound.
If his queen moves then Qg5+ with a powerful attack. Nor can he meet the rook sac by e5, since we go Qg5+ Kf8, Ne6+. So he has to take the rook and I take on f5 with knight, check. Then his king is drawn forward. But what if he doesn't take? Say Qd6; but then I win the queen by Rxf7+ Bxf7, Nf5+.
So he definitely has to take, and then I must have something. An interesting position! So, 25. Rf5 exf5 26.Nxf5+ Kf6 (26...Ke6 makes no difference) 27.Rd6+. Two lines. Takes the knight or rook blocks. If 27...Re6 the win is easy: 28.Qg7+ Kxf5 29.Bc2+ and now 29.Kf4 20.Qg3 mate, or 29.Re4 Qf6+ Kg4 31.Bd1+ and mate next move.
So there remains 27. Kxf5. Then what did I see? Oh yes! 28.Qf3+ Rf4 (28.Kg5 and white wins simply, 29.Qf6+ Kh5 30.Bd1+ Rg4 31.Qh6 mate) 29.Qh5+ Ke4 30.Bc2+ Ke3. Can he really get away safe from there? No, there's 31 Rd3+ and wherever he goes 32. Rd2+ and mate by 33.Qe2. It's all there. Just check once more. How do I stand on the clock? Ten minutes left. I'll check again. After all it's a forced win, so time trouble won't matter too much."
this is called a tree of analysis. essentially this is the process of "if i do this, he does that, when he does that, i do this, then he will do that, so i will do this" one cannot call himself a good boxer until he understands this process at least partially. it is actually simpler than you may think, you just must memorize every punch exchange in boxing, one for orthodox fighting and one for southpaw. there are not many and even less when fighting a southpaw if you take the time to analyze it all. my advice is learn your boxing. how can you ever be good if you never total understanding of the things happening around you, finding yourself confused and incapable when met with things you dont know how to deal with?
Priceless
Thats exactly what i have learnt from boxing
Re: Thinking on your feet
I read once that good boxers play checkers, great ones play chess...
You are new to this, ive it time but never let your brain be inactive. Early on all those hands flying around can be a bit unsettling, as every time you get set to do something a glove bounces off your head and when you become aware of an opening it is gone before you can punch at it. When you get a lull you fire punches anywhere, not caring if they land but glad to have a chance to fire back. You can stay out of range and avoid his punches but you can't hit him either, and to go inside means getting hit, etc...
Practice is where it all begins and ends, doing the sae basic moves over and over until they are ingrained in your muscle memory, and at the same time you are training your mind. Start with shadow boxing, in front of a mirror. Imagine a real opponent throwing real punches, avoid them and counter them and do it full on like in the ring, with movement, bobbing weaving, punches slips and parries. You are not only able to see and correct your technical mistakes but you are teaching your boxing brain to evaluate and react to situations: " I want to stay outsidwe on his guy, use my jab, look to walk him into a right. He's looking to rop his right over my jab, if he can, burt he's really wanting to get close and work his left hook." Now you have an objective, an idea of traps along the way, and your opponent's goal and now you need to set to set taps for him, and so on.
This carries over o your bag work. If you just stand there and punch the heavy bag that's how you'll fight. You have to practice moving in and out, footwork, positioning yourself to land a paticular punch or combination, all the whil being aware of his intent o hit you. So you begin be slipping his jab, stepping in with a right under the heart, weave out wit a hook to the belly and straighten up to land a right hook over his left shoulder, and then you can step safley out of range or throw a hook, etc... The key thing is to always have a scenario in mind and to do it like its real.
Sparring as often as is possible is the most vital thing; spar daily, withany and everyone, just spar. At first you'll be dismayed at your inability to land a decent punch and at how often you get hit, but keep parring especially with people better tan you as you can learn by watching and cetainly by being on the defensiv for lengths of time against somebody that can throw combinations. Pretty soon you'll realize that half the hands in the air have nothing to do with you and can be ignored, and you won't have to think "catch this jab or parry it?", "block his hook or duck under?" because it will be second nature to you. It is now that you begin working on landing your punches, as you have no fear of moving into punching range as you can avoid or deflect or block the majority of punches. All the hours of envisioning couterpunches will pay off; you'll have trained your body to parry to the outside of the jab while hooking to the chin, for example.
Now you can really begin to strategize in the ring; hours in the mirror have taught you that a feint this way makes you look open for a right, so you can anticipate his reaction. Your bdy will be instinctively protecting itself and taking counterpunching opportunities, so your mind is free to think and to analyze.
For all my longwindedness, its just time and practice and training your mind like you train your body.
Re: Thinking on your feet
Quote:
Originally Posted by hobbsy
Im having trouble during sparring with actually thinking in the ring, and being clever about what im doing, my technique (punches and footwork etc) is fine, but when im fighting i dont seem to think about it, i just throw bursts of punches, whether they suit the situation/type of opponent or not.
Anyone got any ideas about how i can sort of concentrate more when im fighting? It might be because im going to fast or not giving myself time to think, but im not sure. Anything you can think of will be appreaciated.
Cheers
you need to stay calm ..punching on instinct is good if they are good punches
but u need to let your shoulders stay relaxed ...practice on staying calm and only using your jab for a bit or practicing moving and then workig on the quick 1-2 and pick your shots ...so you sub concisly will learn that you are safe in the ring .....the best fighters are at home in the ring
Re: Thinking on your feet
Try to simulate the sparring experience on the heavybag or while shaddow boxing, don't think so much, move your head keep throwing punches and keep moving. And when you are thinking about a punch to throw JAB JAB JAB the openings will come just look for those
Re: Thinking on your feet
All a bag does is swing backwards and forwards, not much of a gameplan to keep in mind... :P
Re: Thinking on your feet
Yes but if you move like you are actually fighting then that will help it's better than just sitting there in one place and hitting it
Re: Thinking on your feet
You shouldn't be doing that any way :P
That develops range and footwork, what he's talking about is being able to think about a game plan whilst under pressure.
He wants to be able to be looking for his opponents weakness, his best shots, his worst shots, how he likes to defend... the whole picture and then how he can make it work for him.
Only way to be able to do that is to make footwork, defence and punching an instinct so your not conciously having to think about it so your head is free to go over strategys and tactics.
:)
Re: Thinking on your feet
Well it's either that or target mitts......if you spar like that you can get rocked
Re: Thinking on your feet
i always have the mind set like your picking on your little brother ...like you jabbnin and faking him out and then pick your shots and hit him all fast ....its all in your head
Re: Thinking on your feet
i also think its important to dehumanize (that even a word?) boxing. how else can you get over the harsh reality inside the ring? when i fight, i fight as if i am fighting not an opponent, but boxing itself. as if i were trying to beat my best score. not making mistakes, setting up your shots, it isnt about getting the best over someone to prove how tough you are, playing the game is an end in itself.
Re: Thinking on your feet
Here's what I think,
If your technically sound, it sounds like this is a mental problem, more than physical
Of course, keep sparring,
BUT I'm also with Lyle
Shadowbox, but next time you shadowbox IMAGINE your in there with a KILLER, imagine everybody's watching, someone's yelling at you, the pressure is on...
Thats exactly what musicians do when they practice alone, they imagine they are under pressure, under the spotlite, in front of thousands...
... so when the time comes to step up... you are ready MENTALLY.
