Find out the reasons for the appearance of fear before a fight and whether attending martial arts sections will help you get rid of such fear forever. The fear of missing a punch can be a serious obstacle to winning a boxing match or street fight. It is not for nothing that one eastern wisdom says that in any battle the subconscious is the main enemy. Today we will talk about how to overcome the fear of missing a punch in boxing and on the street.
First of all, you must admit to yourself that there is fear and there is no escape from it. You are not proficient in martial arts, and this is worth remembering. It is likely that knowing these things will push you to exercise. If you have a friend who is engaged in martial arts. Ask him to spar. If you miss punches in a practice fight, and you probably will, things can get even worse in a street fight.
Will the martial arts section help you overcome your fear of missing a hit?
The decision to enroll in the martial arts section may be the only correct one if you want to learn how to stand up for yourself. Now the choice of directions and styles is great and everyone will find something to their liking. Surely you will not regret making this decision in the future. However, remember that there will be injuries, but they will only make you stronger.
If we talk about the potential benefits of practicing martial arts, then we can highlight the following:
- Fighting will become commonplace, and your fear of it will gradually disappear.
- In any difficult situation, you will start to feel confident, but you will not seek adventure.
- The more time you are during training in aggressive conditions, the easier it will be for you to endure them during a fight.
- You will temper your body and character, and an experienced fighter is extremely difficult to break.
- Practicing blows and spiritual growth is possible only during classes.
- You will learn various self-defense techniques and stop being afraid.
As you improve in training, a person gets rid of fear. However, martial arts allow you to temper not only the body, but also the spirit. For many people, any kind of martial arts is primarily associated with the ability to fight. However, this is not entirely true. Let's find out what benefits can be obtained from practicing martial arts in terms of spiritual growth:
- There is a feeling of peace - in any situation and place you will be relaxed and calm.
- Self-confidence will appear - this is useful in any life situations, not just during a fight.
- Eliminate crowd fear - Fights often involve multiple opponents.
- Learn to use your own fortune, and not draw it from others.
- After class, your aggression will disappear.
- Learn to control your breathing, which will come in handy in any life situation.
- You will be able to use energy as economically as possible.
Exercises to combat the fear of missing a punch in boxing and on the street
A street fight is fundamentally different from sparring, and this should be borne in mind. If you want to learn how to overcome your fear of missing a punch in boxing and on the street, we suggest doing two exercises.
Exercise "Two people in a ring"
- Two fighters are located in the center with their backs to each other, and the rest surround them with a ring.
- Strikes are struck, indicating the places where you opened up.
- Fighters in the ring can not only dodge and block attacks, but also retaliate.
Thanks to this exercise, you will gradually stop being afraid of punches in the face. In addition, peripheral vision improves, which can be very useful in a street fight. You will no longer be afraid of attacks from several opponents at once, and will be able to control the situation.
Exercise "Every man for himself"
Start working on a large area and each fighter must defend against everyone. Be careful with punches, because injuries are not needed. After a certain time interval, the training area is halved. If you want to know how to overcome your fear of missing a punch in boxing and on the street, then in this exercise try to be in the very epicenter of events.
By completing this exercise, you will get used to fighting in a confined space with a large crowd of fighters. There are no rules in a street fight and you need to prepare for this. During training, you have to give all your best, and do not be afraid to miss the punches from the side. Gradually, you will have a sense of distance, and opponents will not be able to get close to you at hitting distance. You will stop panicking at the sight of the crowd.
Why is there a fear of missing a punch in boxing and on the street?
Fear is a natural condition for every normal person. It helps us to survive, but in certain situations it is necessary to get rid of it. If in an extreme situation, for example, when you were attacked on the street, you feel fear, then you will not be able to show everything that you are capable of. When a person is afraid of a fight, the chances are high that he will be defeated.
Among the main reasons for the appearance of fear, we note:
- Fear of death - if you are not afraid of this, then there will be no fear.
- Fear for your body - you should not identify yourself only with the body.
- Project events into the future - you should not think about the future before the fight, you should tune in to the fight, as if it were the last in your life.
- Focus your attention on the surrounding stop - concentrate on anything, but not on what is happening.
- No fighting experience - if you don't train, you don't have enough experience to win.
- False perception of reality - you may be unsure of your own abilities and this will play a cruel joke with you.
- Resistance to fear - this only provokes its strengthening. If you are afraid, then embrace fear and do not resist it.
How should an experienced fighter behave?
If in the ring you have to fight with one opponent, then in a street fight this happens extremely rarely. Here are some tips on how to behave during a crowd fight:
- Each of the crowd always hopes for the help of a comrade - if a fight with the crowd cannot be avoided, and you are in the minority, then each of the attackers will wait for the first step from his comrades.
- Attack the strongest enemy first - choose the strongest among your opponents and attack him. This can take everyone else by surprise and diminish their fervor.
- Scare one of the attackers (you can make a false swing) and switch to the strongest - this way you can keep the enemy at a distance.
- Don't show your fear - as soon as the crowd senses your insecurity, things can end badly.
If you do not know how to overcome your fear of missing a punch in boxing and on the street, then remember these tips and use them in extreme situations. But if you do not train and do not have combat practice, then it will be extremely difficult to win. It should also be recalled that a fight is the most recent way to resolve a conflict situation. First, try to resolve everything peacefully.
A fighter with sufficient experience does not seek to fight. He does not need to prove anything and words will be used first. In most cases, street fights are started by cowards, who alone do not represent anything and can only attack by straying in a flock.
Remember, personality will always show itself. If you are confident in your abilities, then it will be noticeable in everything: the manner of speech, behavior in an emergency, gaze, etc. You may need some tips in the future on how to solve the problem without a fight:
- Look your attacker in the eye and, while listening to his words, do not show aggression.
- Your gaze must be intent to fully control the situation.
- From your eyes, the enemy can determine whether he should start a fight or it is better to retire.
- Listen to your attacker without reinforcing negative views.
- If your opponent is impulsive, do not adopt this manner of speaking from him.
- If the attacker sees that you are not provoking him into even more aggression, the likelihood of a peaceful outcome is high.
Psychological preparation in boxing
A boxer must not only be in good physical shape before the fight, but also his psycho-emotional state must be appropriate. In the history of this wonderful sport, you can find many examples of how athletes with great talent could not fully reveal themselves. This is due to psychology and they simply did not have enough willpower to become stars.
Some were simply lazy to work in the classroom with full dedication, others were unable to cope with the difficulties arising on their sports path, and some were not at all able to overcome fear. At the same time, there are many of those who were able to cope with all these problems and, thanks to willpower and tirelessness, became known to the whole world.
When preparing a boxer, it is necessary to pay a lot of attention not only to his physical qualities. Tactics and psychology are of no less value, and sometimes even more significant. Boxing is a tough sport, and one cannot do without the appropriate training of the athlete's mind. With physical fitness, everything is much simpler, because all boxers train a lot and hard, but why then only a few enter the elite?
Everything is quite simple, because only those who know how to properly manage their resources are capable of winning. One of the greatest trainers of the twentieth century, Cas D'Amato, has done a huge amount of work to systematize the knowledge about the psychological training of boxers. In his understanding, fear is the fire that an athlete can use for his own good or "burn out" in it.
Cas was convinced that fear cannot be completely suppressed, since it is a kind of protection. D'Amato's pupils worked on their psychological state no less than in the gym. They could balance on a very thin line between necessary and acceptable fear.
The modern American boxing school is more or less influenced by this man's ideas. Not many boxing fans know that Muhammad Ali himself often turned to D'Amato for help. This may indicate that even great boxers find it difficult to solve psychological problems on their own.
All athletes who plan to achieve high results in boxing can be recommended to study a book on psychology. First of all, we are talking about two editions:
- "Psychological preparation of a fighter" - by O. Yu. Zakharov.
- "Psychological preparation of a boxer" - written by N. A. Khudadov.
They will definitely be able to help you in solving existing psychological problems and, as a result, prepare well for the fight. Note that both publications are known not only in our country, but also very popular abroad.
How not to be afraid of punches in boxing or on the street, see the video below:
