Questions before I try starting to box, please help.

[Youngblood]

Hi Nick and welcome to Saddos.

First off, I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one online. I think it is important you confer with yours, or one, who better understands whatever condition you have and the potential complications of something like receiving hard punches in the stomach. They can, they do, and most certainly will happen if you decide to take up boxing and ultimately spar and fight.

A lot of people get into boxing for strictly the conditioning. More then ever go on to step through the ropes and test themselves mano a mano. It can be a great thing for feeling better about yourself for the conditioning, as well as gaining confidence learning the self-defence. And a lot of people get this without ever stepping in the ring.

Now if a doctor clears you for sparring, and you do wish to go to the next step (which really shouldn't be until you've been there a while training anyway), then you will be introduced to the competitive part of boxing, which brings in many factors of advanced conditioning, handling your nerves, concepts of strategies and techniques, dealing with both winning and losing, many many things.

Boxing is a great sport, and offers much for people of all levels of participation. Some coach. Some ref, teach, some organize. Some train, some fight. There are none that I can think of that have ever joined boxing, who stuck with it, that weren't in some way rewarded.

So welcome to it. Get yourself educated, as you are doing, and then remember what the most important step is to beginning. Get your butt through the front doors. The rest will sort itself out.

[N Maiberg]

Thank you, thank you so much! I will try my best to start boxing, regardless if it's only for conditioning or fighting, I'm now convinced boxing is the sport for me. I'll definitely wait on the sparring when I do start though like you recommended, I'm not even fit to try punching a sandbag right now.

Thank you very much!

-Nick