Boxing

Patrick Pitts
           5-2006

When you hear that someone is lucky, I prefer to think that most of the time that person is well prepared. He is willing and able to adjust his course of action to what best suits his goal. He has trained his mind and body to complete his objective. This preparedness shows in their mental and physical composure and their mental and physical conditioning. Recently, I was watching an amateur competitive fighting event before the fist punch was throw you could tell who was going to win.  The contestants showed their preparedness, in the way they carried themselves

The boxers would stare each other down and “psych” themselves in a mental battle or niramiai. Usually the first one to look down lost, but the battle didn’t end there. A few demonstrated a false bravado but as soon as the bell rang and the first punches exchange the gap between those who had trained and those who didn’t was apparent. The ones who hadn’t trained showed this by throwing wild punches that wouldn’t land even if the opponent’s guard wasn’t up, dropping their guard to throw punches and not stepping into their punches.

Some people enter the ring and you could tell that this was the first time they had ever entered the ring. They had a look of fear and unknowing. They are not physically comfort able in their environment Their eyes were big wide open with a look like your about to ride a roller coast for the first time. Their movements were tight small and unsure like your stepping out onto a frozen lake not sure whether the ice will break or not, and breathing was rapid and shallow like they could get enough air. Other fighters entered the ring like it was their second home. They calmly strolled down the aisle. They stepped into the ring with no hesitation, They don their equipment as if to were a second skin. They look like it was another day at the office.

The boxers physical demeanor also showed who had prepared and who just jumped into the ring. A few of the competitors were grossly out of shape and in no condition to fight. The rounds only lasted three-minutes but after the first round they were noticeable winded. They were breathing heavy. They kept their hands around their mid section instead of protecting their head (at which most of the punch were thrown). They could hardly stand without leaning on the ropes for support. In contrast the boxers who prepared, weren’t winded after the bout was over. Their guard was always up, and they were jogging to the middle of the ring to snap off crisp punches before their winded counter parts could even raise their hands.

The last thing I notice about boxers being prepared actually happen in the middle of the fights. It was the ability to change tactic from something that wasn’t working to a tactic that worked or a least setup the initial strategy. Those who hadn’t trained kept using a strategy of trying to blast though a guard and score a punch to the head. The only offensive weapon they had was to just fire off a wild headshot or “bull rush”.  These tactics left them with no defense against a counter punch or not in a balanced position, so the counter punch would throw them farther off balance. This was tried bout after bout with little or no success, unless it just tired the opponent out but in a three round bout that didn’t happen.   The trained fighter use jabs to unbalance and find the correct distance to hit.   After the correct distance was found they patiently waited until there was an opening. If the headshot was open they would take it but, a majority on the time they punched to the body to setup a shot to the head or to tire the other fighter.

As I watched the fighter leave the ring, it dawned on me that a lot a time, effort and energy goes into making a skill look easy, whether it’s boxing, pick the right stock, or even driving.  Most things in life I just can’t “jump in the middle”.  I need to prepare myself mentally and physically, the things that Sensei Sukh is constantly reminding me of at the GiYu Dojo.  Our martial art uses these real world ideas to also “win” everyday.  I need to gain knowledge about what I want to accomplish.  I myself need to do these things in order to be successful.