Is Boxing a Martial Art?

[Shadow]

Is boxing a martial art? Most I spoken to say no, but I tend to believe otherwise. Please, take part in the poll while giving your reason why you think it is or is not a martial art.

[Kensei]

boxing is a form of fighting that requires specific training. it is an old form of fighting taught to military men to help them on the battle field. I think that qualifies it.

[Shadow]

True, but it seems many martial artist underestimate because there is no kick. I don't think they know boxing is very technical art, especially if you study the older forms of it which seem to be lost to boxers today. Have you ever seen those of Westerns where the guy is using that old fashion stance, the one where the boxers fists are palm up. Now, I generally use a slip and parry, pop out block. Believe me when i say I seldomly get hit, but doing some corner drills with the a.k.a. dirty tricks instructor (50 - 80 lbs. on me, in a 8 foot octagon cage) using only 25% of his power I started to go down. I could figure out why I couldn't block the punches. If I can see them I can block them, or so I thought. Then punches went through all my blocks, only close-quarter blocks worked some what. Well, few weeks went by, he finally told me that your blocking technique is good by is infective against punches thrown with shoulder and punch thrown as one. Best way I can try to discribe it is, if you were to hold your arm out straight how it there with as much strenght as possible, your hand could easily be moved with a pinky. I thought the parry would work for any straight on punch, but he using a punching technique were the hand doesn't move, those it goes throw your blocks. Now, back to the old boxing stance, the hand position of that stance is solid. He showed how to use the old style blocking technique and how to block and slip punches in while blocking with it. More suited to my style is the CQ block-fore arm block (or straight arm as I calling). I must admit it was not enough intially, may elbow began to hurt taking too much of the shock. So, he added of course, you have to redirect to blocked engery (slight pivoting and hip rotation with the impact on the foreame moved to one side or the other.

Sorry, if my words are inadaquite to explain the techniques, I hope it intelligible. It just one of many techniques learned touched at the school and one of many $not readily used today's in the ring. He tells me about 70% of what he teaching in the boxing aspect is taught at 52Blocks. I say this so you can get a better understanding of the depths of boxing; I am sure my words are a sad display. Guess I went overboard; oh well, it happens!

[Kensei]

No it was fine. And I agree. but the one thing that you can say for old style boxing was that they never used gloves. it is of interest because with out the gloves you have to learn a better defense.

[Shadow]

Not only defense, offense as well. Alot of ring boxer, when the get into street fights they break the hands in some way. What flys with gloves, definitely does not without, in many cases.

[pmosiun]

No, boxing is a sport, not a martial art. Why? Because most people do not view it as a martial art. There is no sensei, terminology, gi's, belts. It is just a sport with guys wearing puffy pillows and shorts.

[Shadow]

lol, had to laugh at that one, puffy pillows and shorts! What most people think is not always what is correct. As to the gi's and belts, muay thai and a few others don't do the belt, gi (uniform thing), and are still widely adcepted as martial arts!

P.S. On a side note, good posts...I hope your not one of those I day posters, never to be heard from again. Though, I don't totally agree with you, a little spice never hurts.

[Kensei]

No, boxing is a sport, not a martial art. Why? Because most people do not view it as a martial art. There is no sensei, terminology, gi's, belts. It is just a sport with guys wearing puffy pillows and shorts.

I am not going to insult you here pmosiun but I am going to point out a few descrepencies you might not know of.

1.

Because most people do not view it as a martial art.

Most people have issues walking and chewing bubble gum at the same time...does that make them authorities on bubble gum? You can not say that "most people" crap and get away with it. First off most people would not know a martial art if it jumped up and bit them in the ass...so it does NOT count what "most people" think.

2.

There is no sensei

WRONG....Sensei means "the one who came before", thats all. In Japan the term has come to mean teacher, but it still means " the one who came before" or Sen-Before, Sei-Person. They call school teachers Sensei, drill instructors in the security force (Army) and also anyone teaching pretty much anyone who teaches anything Sensei...and even boxing coaches are called Sensei! So....Boxing has Sensei! Especially in Japan. A coach is a Sensei....just different teaching styles.

3.

terminology

SO you often drink heavy before posting Boxing has more damn Terminology than you can shake a stick at. So does wrestling.

4.

gi's

A Keikogi or Dogi or what ever you tend to call it is simply a uniform to train in. Karate did not make use of Keikogi until Gichin Funikoshi brought Karate to Japan, before that they trained in….shorts and a tee shirt! Wow kind of sounds like boxing. And by your assertion Kung fu, PenjakSelat, RamThai, and many other styles of martial arts do not qualify as martial arts, and I could go on!
5.

belts

Belts are also a invention of the transport of Funakoshi to the mainland. Judo brought the Karate belt to the “art”. Prior to this they used a system were the “master” would give a teaching license or a master’s license to the instructor after years of training with no “rank”. The “art” adopted this to fit in with accepted styles in the mainland. They took up ranks because of the Samurai ranking system. The older Koryu styles altered the systems mostly to attract youth and school children and keep them interested. In the end Most of the original masters did not use the belt, Funakoshi used a Chinese sash to keep his Dogi closed! The belt originally was used to only keep the jacket closed, then began using it to denote rank. And boxing…has ranking. They can not wear a “golden gloves” rate on a glove or pair of shorts very easy.
6.

just a sport with guys wearing puffy pillows and shorts

Dear god man, have you ever worked out at a modern Dojo? Sparring in TKD or Karate involves putting on a tone of foam dipped gloves and mouth guards, a “hogo” and shin guards. Some a helmet of foam as well. Not many are old school scraped knuckle types like my club.

So by your standards, Karate is not a martial art, Judo is not a martial art…hell there are no martial arts! Just a suggestion, think outside the box. TKD is pretty much the Asian version of Boxing, all about getting to a specific rank (be it black belt or golden gloves) then competition……I would be very confused if I took your standards as what is a martial art of not…I would say that martial arts died many years ago!

[pmosiun]

Of course i know boxing is a martial art, i was just trolling. It is more of a martial art than karate because it is trained alive.

[Kensei]

Of course i know boxing is a martial art, i was just trolling. It is more of a martial art than karate because it is trained alive.

This can be taken a few ways...first I am not dead...ergo my karate is alive. Second if you mean by hitting eachother..you are not going to the right Dojo to train in Karate.

Just like Karate has the "family" styles and the real tough clubs, boxing has its "Boxercise" classes and kiddie box clubs. Be careful what styles you disrespect or call down, their are always us old timers that enjoy a good rumble!

[Shadow]

[quote=”Kensei”]
Dear god man, have you ever worked out at a modern Dojo? Sparring in TKD or Karate involves putting on a tone of foam dipped gloves and mouth guards, a “hogo” and shin guards. Some a helmet of foam as well. Not many are old school scraped knuckle types like my club.

So by your standards, Karate is not a martial art, Judo is not a martial art…hell there are no martial arts! Just a suggestion, think outside the box. TKD is pretty much the Asian version of Boxing, all about getting to a specific rank (be it black belt or golden gloves) then competition……I would be very confused if I took your standards as what is a martial art of not…I would say that martial arts died many years ago![/quote]

Whoa, you didn't leave much room for any reasonable response; sorry I had LMAO with number six. Way to sock it to him.

Pmosuin: I respect your opinion, alot of people feel that way, but alot of people can be wrong. Generally, I think most people (knowing most are not MA-ists) would probably agree with boxing not boxing a MA, but with a closer look is seem fairly obviously that it is. That's why were here to share knowledge, opinions and learn. It's just until I am swayed otherwise, I will have to go with boxing is a MA.

[itachirinnengan]

i think that a martial art is not just a way to fight.it is about discipline(look at tyson,ali and so on).second the boxers consider themselves sportives

[Shadow]

I assume it is what you put into it. That goes for sports, professional fighter, amatuer, beginner, advanced and all that is between. Trying is what you put into, creativity, diversity, swet, breaks and relaxing. So, have to work harder than others, but they all have to work.

[hiyatran]

boxing is another form of fighting just like karate, judo, wrestling, etc. just because there are no kicking involve is it martial arts, well there are MMA fighters out there that hardly every do any round house, flying kicks, high kicks, etc but just do leg kicks or mostly boxing like Keith Jardine, Randy Coutour, Kevin_Randleman, Mark Coleman, the list goes on and on. So does that mean they are not real MMA fighters?

Know your strength and some MMA fighters can not do those fancy kicks but they stick with what they are good at and that is boxing for standup and wrestling, judo, etc for ground games.

so to answer your question, is boxing a martial arts?
Of course it is!!

[drifter73]

I think that every form of fighting can be categorized as a Martial Art Form. Yes, even Brawling, wrestling, and Street fighting..... Martial arts is simply a term used to categorize a form or forms of fighting, no matter where it originates or how it is taught. I think that once you open a dojo or start a training program of any kind to teach a specific form of fighting, it becomes a martial art.

I'm personally a big fan of Tae Boxing / Kick Boxing, but also respect all other forms of combat. Standard Boxing with the hands deserves just as much respect as all the other forms.