Why do boxers have such horrible shoulder posture?

[eternaldarkness]

Yeah I'm kinda skinny but far from someone like Hearns. About 5'10 and 160lbs. I just really feel as if I take body punches worse than average. I think people with smaller ribcages and low BF take them worse which is mostly people who are build light like me. Holyfield certainly didn't lack muscles and strength anywhere but he didn't take body shots very well.

It's not even the accumulation of punches it's just that they hurt really bad short term once I get though the pain it's fine. Especially to the solar plexus it's tough regardless of where you hit me if it's even remotely close to my belly I feel it in my solar plexus

I imagine fat helps. it has obviously other drawbacks but it has to help its the outer layer of your belly and has to absorb some shock. Apparently it's really painful to get a tattoo on your ribs if you have very low BF (even more painful than if you have just average BF)

this might sound strange, but do you drink much?

 

[champbless]

Ok, I'm not a smart man. I don't know a lot of things... And this is another thing that I've never fully understood.

From things I've heard and my inner logic tells me that this can be attributed to a few factors.

1) Focusing so intensely on flexing abs all the time

2) Front delts, pecs, and other 'pushing' muscles are much stronger than pulling muscles such as rear delts, thus pulling everything forward.

I don't know, it seems strange. I was always taught from a young age that traps were one of the most important muscles for having a solid punch. I was taught the traps were like the cement for your arm... The reason it hurts to walk into a lamppost is because it is held firm by the cement... And I assume from what I know about the body, having strong traps would bring the shoulders back more? I have pretty disproportionately strong traps (due to the above advice I received from a young age) and it definitely seems to show the opposite effect on posture than most boxers.

Am I wrong about the traps being vitally important in punching power/stability or am I wrong about strong traps pulling the shoulders back?

I always thought, from side view... boxers rear delts and back look like that of a childs. But maybe it's just a sacrifice they need to make to make weight and really isn't that important to performance?


Maybe someone more knowledgeable can help me understand this.

You are right with both number 1 and 2. It sounds logical, boxing itself strenghtens Front shoulder muscles , chest and biceps more than back muscles so they are in a way pulling arms in front so called gorrila posture , i has the same issue when i was boxing during highschool, now i am only working out for years and was focusing ond pull ups and back exercisies and have better posture.

 

[PivotPunch]

this might sound strange, but do you drink much?

Alcohol? No only once every few weeks or even months. It's not my liver that's the main issue. The biggest issue is my solar plexus allthough all body shots including liver shots aren't something I take well

 

[eternaldarkness]

Alcohol? No only once every few weeks or even months. It's not my liver that's the main issue. The biggest issue is my solar plexus allthough all body shots including liver shots aren't something I take well

just wondering because i have seen some people that drink a fair bit fall like stones from the lightest tap to the body.