Am I in Danger? - Headache after Sparring

[Toxic Avenger]

I had a sparring session in my boxing class for the second time last friday. i used a helmet and big gloves, and got punched several times in the head (nothing extra hard). i didn

 

[Cracky]

You are probably fine..

Boxing is actually safer than countless other sports including football, basketball, and even cheerleading.


That said, most boxing problems arise from pre-existing conditions or extreme dehydration. You should get a check up to make sure that you do not have a pre-existing condition.

 

[Airdyne23]

Seeing a doctor to be sure is a good idea, for your own piece of mind I guess.

I've been competing as an amateur boxer for about 3 years now, and training for much longer. What you describe happens quite frequently, and you shouldn't be alarmed. When your technique improves you will be able to roll with the punches much better and this feeling you have now will happen very rarely, if ever.

I spar nearly every week, at a variety of intensities, and from time to time (maybe every 6 months or so) I get a slight headache after training. As long as you are not dizzy, nauseous, or otherwise heavily impaired it's nothing to worry about. Like any other sport, your body needs time to adapt to the rigors of your training.

If you haven't already, invest in a good headgear. The best you can possibly afford. It is the single most important piece of equipment you need, 2nd would be a mouthguard.

See a doctor if you want to be sure, but don't worry too much- it gets easier with time spent in the ring. Keep your hands up and your chin down!

 

[Airdyne23]

I am 27 YO, 90 kg 1.80 m, trained boxing for one month. My sparring partner trained boxing and MT for four years. We went for 5 -3 minutes rounds.

Also thought I'd add. 1 month of training is probably too soon to spar. My gym has a 6 months training minimum. Also we are matched on experience. My first year I sparred only others with similar experience. You might want to hold off on sparring for a few months until you get more experience, then start sparring with someone more your equal.

Secondly, 5 rounds can be a lot, especially if your intensity is high. Try starting with 2-3 rounds max at no more than 60% intensity then work your way up over a course of several months or more. Take it easy, there's no rush!

Hope this helps. :icon_chee

 

[Toxic Avenger]

Seeing a doctor to be sure is a good idea, for your own piece of mind I guess.

I've been competing as an amateur boxer for about 3 years now, and training for much longer. What you describe happens quite frequently, and you shouldn't be alarmed. When your technique improves you will be able to roll with the punches much better and this feeling you have now will happen very rarely, if ever.

I spar nearly every week, at a variety of intensities, and from time to time (maybe every 6 months or so) I get a slight headache after training. As long as you are not dizzy, nauseous, or otherwise heavily impaired it's nothing to worry about. Like any other sport, your body needs time to adapt to the rigors of your training.

If you haven't already, invest in a good headgear. The best you can possibly afford. It is the single most important piece of equipment you need, 2nd would be a mouthguard.

See a doctor if you want to be sure, but don't worry too much- it gets easier with time spent in the ring. Keep your hands up and your chin down!

Well thank you very much for the advice!

 

[Airdyne23]

Well thank you very much for the advice!

No problem at all. BTW Toxic Avenger was a great movie. Toxy was my hero when I was a kid. your AV made me laugh!

 

[Cracky]

Also thought I'd add. 1 month of training is probably too soon to spar. My gym has a 6 months training minimum. Also we are matched on experience. My first year I sparred only others with similar experience. You might want to hold off on sparring for a few months until you get more experience, then start sparring with someone more your equal.

Secondly, 5 rounds can be a lot, especially if your intensity is high. Try starting with 2-3 rounds max at no more than 60% intensity then work your way up over a course of several months or more. Take it easy, there's no rush!

Hope this helps. :icon_chee

I disagree on that.. I was fighting my first am bout 3 months into my training, and I actually had a bunch of people come up to me after and say that I shouldn't have been matched with the kid I fought.. that I was too experienced.. blew their mind when I told them it was my first fight.. the reason I was that composed was because I was applying the information I was learning while I was learning it in light sparring...

this said, most of my sparring was between my coaches and I and they both were more interested in helping me develop than proving they were better than me..so that could be the difference.. if they throw you to the lions vs. somebody that needs to beat up newbies to make himself feel better, you aren't going to learn much except how to deal with pain.

 

[Toxic Avenger]

Yes, a great movie, i think they are planning on doing another movie !

 

[Airdyne23]

I disagree on that.. I was fighting my first am bout 3 months into my training, and I actually had a bunch of people come up to me after and say that I shouldn't have been matched with the kid I fought.. that I was too experienced.. blew their mind when I told them it was my first fight.. the reason I was that composed was because I was applying the information I was learning while I was learning it in light sparring...

this said, most of my sparring was between my coaches and I and they both were more interested in helping me develop than proving they were better than me..so that could be the difference.. if they throw you to the lions vs. somebody that needs to beat up newbies to make himself feel better, you aren't going to learn much except how to deal with pain.

I guess it's up to your trainers really, but you sound like the exception to the rule if your getting in the ring and winning in 3 months training. But hey, if your up to it then why not? Good on you for doing so well!

I guess it's up to the individual. It was 12 months for me, and to be honest I did feel a little over prepared. But I trust my trainers judgement so I stuck to it.

 

[nip102]

I disagree on that.. I was fighting my first am bout 3 months into my training, and I actually had a bunch of people come up to me after and say that I shouldn't have been matched with the kid I fought.. that I was too experienced.. blew their mind when I told them it was my first fight.. the reason I was that composed was because I was applying the information I was learning while I was learning it in light sparring...

this said, most of my sparring was between my coaches and I and they both were more interested in helping me develop than proving they were better than me..so that could be the difference.. if they throw you to the lions vs. somebody that needs to beat up newbies to make himself feel better, you aren't going to learn much except how to deal with pain.

my first sparring session was the worst arse kicking i have ever taken in the ring.

 

[Airdyne23]

Yes, a great movie, i think they are planning on doing another movie !

That would be insane! :icon_surp The first super hero from New Jersey!

 

[Cracky]

my first sparring session was the worst arse kicking i have ever taken in the ring.

Yeah.. Manny Steward likes to brag about how he threw Tommy Hearns in the ring his first day at the gym, and his partner broke his nose.. then Tommy straightened it and sparred some more..

probably partially true partially fish tail...

but I just don't see the value in kicking the shit out of somebody that just walked through the door..

That said, when I moved to Indiana and joined a gym in Kokomo, my first day featured a serious ass beatin... and that encouraged me to correct my flaws ASAP..lol.. so it can serve a purpose to have a live opponent, but for a guy thats new to the sport, I think that it's best to keep the sparring light.

 

[nip102]

Yeah.. Manny Steward likes to brag about how he threw Tommy Hearns in the ring his first day at the gym, and his partner broke his nose.. then Tommy straightened it and sparred some more..

probably partially true partially fish tail...

but I just don't see the value in kicking the shit out of somebody that just walked through the door..

That said, when I moved to Indiana and joined a gym in Kokomo, my first day featured a serious ass beatin... and that encouraged me to correct my flaws ASAP..lol.. so it can serve a purpose to have a live opponent, but for a guy thats new to the sport, I think that it's best to keep the sparring light.

it was to show what a live opponent would do, after that the sparring became lighter and more tech based.ive being to some gyms that encouraged gym wars and i wasn't a fan.i read holyfeild wasn't a fan of the kronk sparring thought it was too rough.

 

[Jaedong]

You are probably fine..

Boxing is actually safer than countless other sports including football, basketball, and even cheerleading.


That said, most boxing problems arise from pre-existing conditions or extreme dehydration. You should get a check up to make sure that you do not have a pre-existing condition.

Somebody's in denial , safer then basketball ?

You act like getting clubbed in the head which is the main goal in boxing does not cause headaches or brain damage. Besides boxers experience also hand breaks and other injuries if that is the reason why you said basketball was more dangerous. Also while there are fatalities in cheerleader it does not cause permanent damage - 80 % of pro boxers with over 20 bouts have brain damage. Or here is another study : http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/251/20/2663.pdf.

People die in boxing (8th highest death rate in all sports) and most of them get permanent damage, every punch you take accumulates, some is significant some not depending on your career. It's on everybody to decide if it's worth it or not. Sure you can have a good boxing career and not get hit too much in the head and be pretty fine but chances are you will in sparring or matches get hit hard many times, and that does leave it's mark on the brain.

 

[Cracky]

Somebody's in denial , safer then basketball ?

You act like getting clubbed in the head which is the main goal in boxing does not cause headaches or brain damage. Besides boxers experience also hand breaks and other injuries if that is the reason why you said basketball was more dangerous. Also while there are fatalities in cheerleader it does not cause permanent damage - 80 % of pro boxers with over 20 bouts have brain damage. Or here is another study : http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/251/20/2663.pdf.

People die in boxing (8th highest death rate in all sports) and most of them get permanent damage, every punch you take accumulates, some is significant some not depending on your career. It's on everybody to decide if it's worth it or not. Sure you can have a good boxing career and not get hit too much in the head and be pretty fine but chances are you will in sparring or matches get hit hard many times, and that does leave it's mark on the brain.

Most Dangerous Sports - Top Ten List

and basketball was just a guess, but it takes a toll on the knees, players catch elbows, crash down onto hard wood floors, and twist ankles... I have personally been to the er more times because of basketball than all other sports Ive played combined


all sports have some risk.. this is why you sign waivers to play them.. boxings long term injuries are generally the result of existing conditions that have been exacerbated by extreme dehydration to make weight in combination with damage to the head. Now the dehydration part is not the sports fault.. that's the fighters fault.. fighters don't want to fight people that are naturally as big as they are so they drain themselves... this in turn limits the fluid in the skin and cranium. That in turn increases susceptibility to cuts and decreases the natural resistance your body has to concussions. So a lot of problems could be prevented if people would stop dehydrating the shit out of themselves.

 

[Jaedong]

Most Dangerous Sports - Top Ten List

and basketball takes a toll on the knees, players catch elbows, crash down onto hard wood floors, and twist ankles...


all sports have some risk.. this is why you sign waivers to play them.. boxings long term injuries are generally the result of existing conditions that have been exacerbated by extreme dehydration to make weight in combination with damage to the head. Now the dehydration part is not the sports fault.. that's the fighters fault.. fighters don't want to fight people that are naturally as big as they are so they drain themselves... this in turn limits the fluid in the skin and cranium. That in turn increases susceptibility to cuts and decreases the natural resistance your body has to concussions. So a lot of problems could be prevented if people would stop dehydrating the shit out of themselves.

Dude that is a list voted by 13 years old, it's laughable at best, no science or anything.

Dehydration sure is an issue, not sure but isn't a whole day to rehydrate after the weigh ins enough ? Also the human brain does have it's mechanisms to defend from head trauma but it's two guys fighting who have trained extensively in the art of how to punch each other in the head as often and as hard as possible. I rather find other things to enjoy and feel sorry for guys who get beat up but don't make it far aka + 90 % of all boxers. But sure i do like to see a good MMA or K1 fight, I'm glad there's guys crazy enough to participate in combat sport. However if they would ban MMA, boxing and K1 I wouldn't protest against it cause it's human beings risking their health, every KO is a concussion, sometimes people can't decide what's best for them by themselves.

 

[Cracky]

Dude that is a list voted by 13 years old, it's laughable at best, no science or anything.

Dehydration sure is an issue, not sure but isn't a whole day to rehydrate after the weigh ins enough ? Also the human brain does have it's mechanisms to defend from head trauma but it's two guys fighting who have trained extensively in the art of how to punch each other in the head as often and as hard as possible. I rather find other things to enjoy and feel sorry for guys who get beat up but don't make it far aka + 90 % of all boxers. But sure i do like to see a good MMA or K1 fight, I'm glad there's guys crazy enough to participate in combat sport. However if they would ban MMA, boxing and K1 I wouldn't protest against it cause it's human beings risking their health, every KO is a concussion, sometimes people can't decide what's best for them by themselves.

The same is true of football players, rugby players, cheerleaders, basketball players, and ball room dancers..

they are all risking their health to entertain people..

That said, most of them would probably tell you that they have gained something very important to them from their particular sport. While I was a boxer, I was in excellent physical condition. In comparison, my health is shit now that I'm out. So do the benefits outweigh the potential consequences? I think so in terms of health and general well being.

 

[Cracky]

Sport Injuries and Injury Statistics

there's a scientific list

 

[Jaedong]

Sport Injuries and Injury Statistics

there's a scientific list

Ok I changed my mind ; getting punched hundreds and thousands time during a career in boxing is very healthy for your brain.


Even the article said sports where the head is in danger of trauma should be avoided.

Also the article is about actual injuries like breaking or straining something, it does not measure all the damage received from repeated blows to the head which every boxer endures.

 

[nip102]

all sports cause damage to the people who play them.for example an italian study showed that italian soccer players displayed signs of being slightly punch drunk from heading the ball.