Tips for Boxing Safety

The primary concern of any boxer should be head protection. No amateur boxer should ever fight without proper head gear. Look for Olympic-regulated head gear at sporting goods store to ensure you have all of the necessary protection. Even if you do not sustain a catastrophic injury to your head with one punch, getting repeatedly punched without head gear can lead to brain problems down the road. Many boxers experience headaches and other neurological problems as they age, and a lot of this is because they did not wear proper head gear.

When putting head gear on, make sure it is snug. Wearing head gear that is very loose is almost like not wearing any at all. The head gear must be tight, even if it means sacrificing comfort. Plus, you do not want the head gear rattling around when you get punched.

Never Get in the Ring Without a Mouthpiece

This should go without saying, but a mouthpiece is an absolutely essential piece of boxing equipment. Without it, you will expose yourself to mouth damage, whether it is from cracking a tooth or biting your tongue. When training, you should wear your mouthpiece even if you are not performing contact drills. This will force you to learn to breathe properly with the mouthpiece in your mouth, helping you once you are in a fight.

Wrap the Hands

The hands are one of the most overlooked areas when preparing for boxing training or a fight. Even when you are sparring or hitting the heavy bag, your hands should be wrapped. Make sure they are wrapped tightly with boxing tape. Like with head gear, loosely wrapped hands are almost useless. The wrists and hands must be wrapped so that when you punch, your wrist remains stabilized as the force is exerted through your arm and hand. If you do not properly wrap your hands, you will be susceptible to spraining or even breaking your wrist. Hand and wrist injuries can be very painful and debilitating for an athlete that must use their hands as much as a boxer.

You should also make sure your boxing gloves fit. Whether you are wearing sparring gloves or standard ring gloves, the fit should be tight. Wrap your gloves around your hands similarly to how you wrapped your wrists, ensuring the gloves do not move when you punch.