Is boxing a lot like Golf?

[myboxingcoach]

Having been a boxing coach for many years I often use the comparison of boxing with golf. There are practical similarities, for instance understanding how to throw a perfectly straight right cross (or back hand to be non-orthodox specific) requires an appreciation of drive, rotation and momentum. But a more profound link is the fact that the 2 sports are highly technical. Something I say to many of the boxers that I work with, from raw novices to international standard competitors, is that it's perfectly normal to see the world's best golfers working with coaches on the practice range on the detail of techniques, even though they've been in the sport for decades, so why should a boxer be any different (or a Muay Thai/MMA fighter for that matter.) There is an acknowledgement in golf that bad habits may creep in and these habits must be identified and fixed as soon as possible in order to remain competitive. Whatever your sport, 90 - 95% of what champs do are the basics, they just do them very well!

Great thread

Fran

 

[Snubnoze707]

Whatever your sport, 90 - 95% of what champs do are the basics, they just do them very well!

Great point

 

[ssullivan80]

other than the whole getting punched in the face thing....... sure!

It is, and that's why I almost always immediately stop giving a shit about someone's opinions about boxing, when they start spewing this, "it's the sport of punching" bullshit, because they clearly don't know what they're talking about.

Agreed, truth be told, punching is the easiest and most elementary part of boxing.........

Um , it is the "sport of punching". You don't kick in it, you don't wrestle in it, you punch in it.

it is the sport of Boxing! Given this analogy, golf is the sport of swinging, soccer the sport of kicking and football is the sport of beer drinking.... Okay, so the last one may be true, but punching is only a part of boxing and a very elementary one at that.

 

[tkdfighter]

My Father was a great golfer almost went on the PGA. When I was younger and he would try to teach me thats the one thing he always beat in my head, was relax you dont have to try to kill the ball, sure enough he is right. Now I'm having the same problem when it comes to my stand up in MMA, I'm not generating power from my legs on up, just trying to use upper body strength. My boxing coach called me out on it yesterday.

 

[lparnes]

wow lol never noticed the similarities.

 

[kaya sims]

Honestly, its true. i used to push my punches and really you need to let it flow. Dont just swing with your hands, but your whole body and letting it just snap out there. It's also as important to hit it flush and clean, as it is just to hit it fast and hard.

actually a good analogy... once you do this for a bit more your honestly going to be a very very scary puncher. There are guys who have punched for years and cant get past pushing their punches!

I actually posted a few videos on how to punch better and faster on my blog because of how many people dont understand this concept.

i thought i would bump this after going to my second technical boxing session. its all about relaxation and being smooth. It feels good being able to snap punches instead of pushing them.

 

[Love2Box]

Speaking strictly boxing.

Yes it's a lot like golf in the sense that a good punch starts at the feet, to the hips, to the shoulders. Not a huge golfer so I'm not sure if shoulders are a big deal in their sport but the pivot and the hips for sure.

My coach teaches t-frame technique and if that left shoulder isn't coming almost all the way back when you throw that right you're missing out on more speed, range and power. A properly thrown right should actually have more range then your jab.

Also when your pivoting and using that force generated from your hips/shoulders you are getting effective punches while using less energy that someone who is all tense and throwing arm punches.

 

[jensen34]

I'd say the analogy isn't any more applicable then other sports where technique is required, tennis, hockey, and baseball all come to mind. Actually I think it's less so then the sports I mentioned.

A big part of boxing is endurance, reaction time, killer instinct/heart. I just don't see any of that in golf, but then again I golf like maybe once or twice a year and I'm pretty much hammered drunk by the 18th hole.