Questions for Female Boxers

[Serena]

Do you use chest protection?

If so, what products do you recommend? The size options on most leave alot to be desired.

[Sharla]

Try this link to get a picture of the best type:

Fitness Shop - Boxing, Martial Arts, Fitness Equipment, Thai Boxing, Karate, Kick Boxing, Weights Bench, Punch Bags, Bag Stands, Gym Equipment

Stay away from anything that attempts to cover both breast with one piece of plastic or padded material.

I haven't actually owned the type above but have been frustrated by the other trypes available. They mess with your movement too much and make you look like Madonna - especially if your local boxing association has you competing in male style singlets with huge armpit holes! It's not pretty!

The big padded ones I've found make it very difficult to keep you elbows in and the hard plastic ones with elastic are slightly better but move and don't breathe and are still not comfortable.

I had a training partner who owned and recommends the soft sports top type with protective cup inserts and it did look comfortable and easy to move in.

Sop around - i think i've seen ones which are a better shape than the one pictured in the link attached but that's the basic idea anyway!

[Serena]

Many thanks for the link and recommendations!

[sourpuss]

Yes. Turtle shells. Be sure to use the cups and not the shield thingy, you can't move with that thing on.

You can't feel the cups at all once they are in and they really do help.

Cups:
Turtle Shells at Ringside.com

The bra they go in:
Turtle Shells Sports Bra at Ringside.com

[Sharla]

Yes. Turtle shells. Be sure to use the cups and not the shield thingy, you can't move with that thing on.

You can't feel the cups at all once they are in and they really do help.

Cups:
Turtle Shells at Ringside.com

The bra they go in:
Turtle Shells Sports Bra at Ringside.com

See I couldn't remember the name of them - your memory is better than mine!

[sourpuss]

Yes. Turtle shells. Be sure to use the cups and not the shield thingy, you can't move with that thing on.

You can't feel the cups at all once they are in and they really do help.

Cups:
Turtle Shells at Ringside.com

The bra they go in:
Turtle Shells Sports Bra at Ringside.com

See I couldn't remember the name of them - your memory is better than mine!

Maybe I don't have to give up boxing after all.

[Poom]

out of intrest, is it an unwritten rule that you dont hit eachother in the chest ?

does it hurt alot if they do ?

[Sharla]

I think it varies depending on size etc. I think it's fair to say that on average - the smaller the less sensitive.

When at fight weight as a bantamweight I don't have anything there and don't feel a thing. With more I guess it moves more so hurts more but i have yet to get someone to bash me in the tits deliberately when i haven't been dieting to really compare.

It's no where near as bad as getting kicked in the nuts is for a guy - not that i'd know from experience but i'm thinking that looks more painful.

Don't really need a rule since it's generally not a deliberate target and few boxers have aim that bad!

[FeuerFrei]

out of intrest, is it an unwritten rule that you dont hit eachother in the chest ?

does it hurt alot if they do ?

I honestly don't know if there is an unwritten rule about hitting each other in the chest. I do know that it's going to happen from time to time. Heck, we're are not supposed to hit each other in the throat, but my opponent landed a beaut of a throat shot on me the last time I was in the ring.
I guess what I'm trying to say is s--t happens and you can and will be hit just about everywhere. I've been hit in the chest a couple of time sans chest protection and it didn't really bother me much. The punch in the throat bugged me a lot more.
Heh, I wound up sounding like Bonnie Tyler for a month and a half afterwards. Of course I also had a nasty case of the flu for that fight so I really don't know if it was the flu or the hit that made my voice all gravelly. I just took advantage and kept my co-workers in line by threatening to sing "Total Eclipse of the Heart" if they didn't stop bugging me.