Why Do You Box?

[Trainer Monkey]

I know my awnsers,curious about yours

[Chris Nagel]

I swing my arms like a cheerleader, and all my opponents play dead out of fear.

[Trainer Monkey]

I swing my arms like a cheerleader, and all my opponents play dead out of fear.

Thats how not why Chris,and Id check your deodorant

[Chris Nagel]

Scratch that. On second thought...

I swing my arms like a cheerleader, and all my opponents play dead out of fear.

Thats how not why Chris,and Id check your deodorant

What deodorant?

[ICB]

Well firstly to learn how to protect myself in a serious situation plus because boxing is in my blood my uncle and grandad did it and i always loved the sport and its an honour to actually be able to train in something i love doing and also because its good for fitness.

[Canvasback]

It's a great and fun way to get really fit. Wrestling isn't bad either.

[Trainer Monkey]

Toss on mine since I asked the question

1 The Sport,I love the mental aspects of boxing,the constant trying to outhink your oponent
2 I allways do better when I have a physical activity,Ive allways been bookish,so I need physical activities to counter balance it
3 Money,lets face it,an extra grand every now again makes it a hell of alot easier to explain the bruises to yer kid

[Chris Nagel]

I'm sorry my eye's slipped back there, I misread it as 'How do you Box?'

Well without getting serious into boxing I enjoy all the aspects and things that is does. There's the obvious benefits like that comes from knowing how to to defend yourself and dedicate yourself to something. Boxing is self-gratifying in sense that it's a self improvement and anger management course rolled up into one great package. It's a real confidence booster and instills a lot of charactor I tell you that.

With what you learn you can be cool headed most of the time, I can tell any man or woman 'No' on anything, it really opens a door of confidence when it comes to a good sense of humor, I'm not always serious all the time, I can call someone a sonofabitch without sounding like I'm angry at them, I can moon people, I can take a joke, and I can have fun with anything.

It's really integrated into my life to the point that a lot of friends and family identify me with it. I have no problem in showing that side to me, I can pretend box with friends in public, pretending to knock them out, if I take a girl out for something I don't have to be so typical. I have a good pair of focus/punching-mitts that I'll take with me and I'll show a girlfriend how to box, I can always have fun with it, show her how to hit, make fun of her in a teasing way, slip punches and do the Ali shuffle. There's so much more I can do in with a girl too, if they are athletic or want to lose a few pounds I can go for a run with them shadowboxing here and there.

As you can get drift it's just plain out fun. On another note it really sharpens you powers of observation and if you work towards that direction you can become your own Sherlock Holmes. Always making inferences, taking everything in and putting it together, backing up assumptions, anything. It really does make you sharp, even your sense of humor and set people up in different way. Since you're able to notice a lot more, you can ask them about those things, connect the dots or impress them with it, or set them up for your jokes.

I could just keep going, but I'll just go over the last big bit of it. I'm an impulsive guy with a lot of energy at times, my temper has been fiery to the point where I just lost it and punched my old man in the mouth because I didn't like what he said. With boxing I have have an outlet to put all my energies into while also smoothing out all my sticking points that have been giving me trouble. The thing is I don't get into trouble any more and if anything comes up I know how to handle myself no matter what kind of pressure that I may be dealing with. Some days I just wake up without any sense of humor in the world, tired, maybe feeling angry or down for no reason, but I tell you that once I start my daily boxing stint I feel satisfied. Boxing in it's own way is the ultimate pick me up, more so than other physical activities as far as I'm concerned.

I really went to town on this one... Bear with me on this.

[Chris Nagel]

Plus there's the 'baller-status' of all social proof that comes with knowing how to box well. A girl I know jokingly comes up to me the other day and says, "Hey Chris, this guy is giving me some S***, why don't you take care of him for me." So I just walk across the room with my arm across his shoulder then it looks like I'm talking with him, just joking with him saying here's what I'm going to do... So 5-6 minutes me and my new pal walk back over to her and in a dead serious tone of voice, I ask the guy, "Is this girl bothering you." Now since he's cool he played along with it, so I turned around for a second thand turn back around again to face her, throwing a fake punch that misses, kiss her right on the lips and say, "I missed you, did you know that?" It was hillarious, it was in the zone, it stole the thunder of that guy that was teasing her, and now me and that guy are really cool.

Thinking about it now I can see I could have taken it any direction that I want. I could have just given her the cold shoulder and talked with him for a while longer, while making her hold my drink or w/e, if me and him were cool then I could have staged a pretend fight where I knock him out or vice-versa, or if it was a guy that though he was a hard a**, I could have just have joked with him in a way to for him to take it easy, and if he was stupid moron that wanted to go I would have taken him outside and ended it as quickly as possible, then if he comes to his senses I can buy him a drink and maybe joke around with him and that girl I was talking to you.

Just like boxing you're always in control or ready for anything that maybe coming around the corner. And just like boxing you do things that lead to the situations that you want. You see right in your mind, or you just go with it and do right. That's boxing, and that's having a damn good time.

[Sharla]

Wow lots of reasons there Chris - I'd never thought about the social aspects of boxing in answering this but I guess I get to meet and know interesting like minded people.

Mostly it's the challenge. Especially since I'm female becoming rich/ famous/ earning any money out of it highly unlikely. Especially since Boxing SA is not exactly rich and I'll have to pay my own travel expenses to get to shows interstate and if I'm lucky/good enough hopefully overseas to box as an amateur.

I'm challenged mentally and physically and I love sparring even on days when I find it difficult. I prefer individual sports because I like to hog all the action too

There has been nights in the past when I've skipped training and stayed at home and just been soooooo very bored! I think I need to fill up my time and I love having something big to aim for.

[Chris Nagel]

I got carried away with this one.

You'll have some hard times where you're not enthusiastic, but if you've set your workout up right it can be a good pick-me-up, it's very theraputic, and even more so if you have a couple good friends in there that are full of energy, humor and can slap you on the back when you're doing okay.

You know what's funny? How addicting a lot of routines can be, or just doing things on a regular basis for that matter. It's like an addiction because it's more than just a commitment, you feel you have to do it, and you feel strange if you miss it. You add other things like the physically active aspect, people you know, fun, the chemicals that your body sends, and you have yourself an addiction. The only thing is it can turn on you if you push yourself too hard or do the same thing over and over again. You don't want to become stale so you learn to listen to your body, and how to keep your interests up.

I think there's a certain satisfaction that a person can only feel when they can do something that took a lot of struggle and hard work to accomplish. From such small accomplishments you can build upon and eventually getting to the point where you are confident enough in what you know and are able to trust in your abilities.

[Sharla]

Yep Chris I'd CC ya except I already have - totally agree

[Chris Nagel]

By the way has you coach got you that fight that you talking about?

[Sharla]

Not yet but the way it works with Boxing SA is I know nothing and then a few days or the night before it's on and I'm madly crash dieting to get down to weight!

I am trying to get down to and maintain my weight at 55 so I can drop to 54 kg at short notice without killing myself. I have to get my medical redone too since that's out of date - s..t! should make an appointment this week! Thanks for reminding me!

[Gutbuster]

chicks man...

Plus I like testing myself physically and mentally, its a rush, and I want to use my body to its fullest potential for the brief time that I can before I start getting old and decrepit. Theres more reasons, but I'll just sumarize and say I love the training, I love fighting, and I especially love the feeling of standing in the ring and looking across at the man you're about to fight while you wait for the bell.


What are your reasons mr. monkey?