NoirFan
Member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2006
- Messages
- 671
I've been shooting for about a decade and I started training in amateur boxing about three years ago. I have not noticed that my marksmanship has gotten any better, but my movement and dexterity skills have definitely improved. All that jumping rope and footwork drill has really smoothed out my movements when moving with a gun in IDPA style shooting. I no longer get winded when I run from station to station. My endurance is also much, much better; the simple act of holding a long gun at low ready doesn't tire out my arms and core like it used to.
But the most important thing boxing has taught me is the importance of humility and the extreme frailty of the human body. There are no tough guy illusions in the ring; either you're beating someone up or getting beat up (in my case, usually the latter). It made me understand that the potential consequences of getting in a real life fistfight are pretty high. Even if I throw an awesome knockout punch I might get unlucky and sprain my wrist, or break all the little bones in my hand. Or I knock the guy out, he falls and hits his head and I get hit with manslaughter. Fighting in the ring makes me want to deescalate in real life.
But the most important thing boxing has taught me is the importance of humility and the extreme frailty of the human body. There are no tough guy illusions in the ring; either you're beating someone up or getting beat up (in my case, usually the latter). It made me understand that the potential consequences of getting in a real life fistfight are pretty high. Even if I throw an awesome knockout punch I might get unlucky and sprain my wrist, or break all the little bones in my hand. Or I knock the guy out, he falls and hits his head and I get hit with manslaughter. Fighting in the ring makes me want to deescalate in real life.