To not understand why women box?

[Choufleurfromage]

Not a fan of boxing as a 'sport' in general and given the hysteria over football/rugby tacking and head injuries, am surprised such a violent contact sport is still allowed.
Also, at the risk of being oxymoronic, I really do think women shouldn't be banned from doing stuff, but boxing is just so uncouth, ugly and violent, I cannot understand why women would want to do it; ok, it offers opportunities for disadvantaged youngsters (plenty of evidence of this), it creates discipline and focus, but it is still 2 people battering each other for no reason...
I am sure iabu, and am not suggesting women only pursue 'dainty' sports or activities, but boxing?

Cuz it’s amazing!

but … don’t you like people eating cheese or just women.

? 😉

You still don't understand? Yet a couple of posters have taken the time, explained the benefits, the discipline, the MH benefits, skipping for hours! Have you not bothered to read their posts?

I agree that contact boxing/actual matches are a bad idea, for both men and women. The potential for head trauma was way too high for me to do that. However, I have trained both boxing and Muay Thai (Thai kickboxing) and adored them. If you train only you are hitting pads not people.

Great for physical health (cardio, strength).
Great for mental health (reduces stress, gets out frustration, good for self esteem).
Best my body has ever looked.
Really social environment.
Brilliant and passionate trainers.

I agree I find it hard to watch people hitting each other and would find it hard to do, but that is both men and women not just women.

I used to do it.

I liked the intensity of the training sessions, the fantastic levels of fitness, the strength and flexibility, the abs, the way that the trainers were so good at getting more out of you than you ever thought possible -

what I liked best though, was the hitting. Bag, pad or (obviously consenting) person. It gives you the most amazing sense of focus, of awareness of your body, its place in 3 dimensions, the exquisite sensations where you are using your entire body and you can feel every part of every muscle in the chain strong and firing perfectly in the execution of a perfect shot. And the rush afterwards lasts longer than for any other sport I've done.

I came on to put my point as a kickboxer over, but @Oblomov22, @Colourfulrainbows and @Andromachehadabadday said it better than I could. Boxing is a skill and when you can discern the individual jabs, crosses, hooks, uppercuts, blocks etc, it really isn't ugly and violent. However, it's not for everyone. For this mildly menopausal, middle aged, cancer surviving mother of two, it has taken me from the after effects of cancer surgery & treatment, to being fitter than I have ever been, in a family friendly academy. I cannot recommend kickboxing enough. If someone said I couldn't do it again as I was female, THEN you would see violence... 😂

uncouth 🤣🤣 neverbeen my priority tbh.

I've done it for most my life, it teaches discipline, determination, respect for yourself and others. In day to day life I'm a bloody hard worker, I power through and don't stop until the job is done. I attribute that strength to my training. I'd have killed myself without it at one time. Tennis wouldn't have done the same job. Some of just need that power.

Have done various contact sports over the years including boxing and kickboxing. As others have said the fitness and discipline is a big part of it, the accountability to yourself, your gym and your trainers. I can see from your later posts it's more about the actual fighting than the fitness so I'll focus on that rather than the prep to fight. Competition is something to aim for when you train. It's a goal at the end of a specific period of time that you're working towards. The fight itself is your opportunity to prove how well (or not) you have prepared, how good (or not) you are. It's an opportunity to display that skill in front of others whether that's friends and family or, at higher levels, for the opportunity to turn pro and get paid to do something you love - although it has to be said pay varies! It's a massive adrenaline rush as well. In terms of the male/female divide, if I want an easy day I'll take practice with a male every time over a woman, because for a really wide variety of reasons men are often more straight forward to square off with. Women generally make you think more (at least in my experience!). Outside the ring/camp I know women who are dainty enough they practically belong on an episode of Downton through to women who may otherwise be described as tomboys and everything in between. What I would say is common across the board is those who have trained and competed are, 99% of the time, the women I'd go to and trust if I was in a tight spot or having difficulty. There's a camaraderie and a family element to it.

I don't see what is hard to understand

Ah kickboxing is so FUN though!

I say this as a female who has never liked the idea of fighting (even at school / in town if there were others fighting physically, I’d have to walk away as it made me feel nauseous).
I don’t want to spar with others in a free-for-all. But I love training with others, where the idea is you are building each-other up, and improving together. Its far FAR from just taking swings at another person.

why not go along to a boxing / kickboxing class yourself OP? See what it’s actually like and then see if you still hold the same thoughts on it?

@ladydimitrescu I always feel MMA is less brutal than boxing because you have the option of going for a submission rather than battering the other person unconscious (though that is also available)

I am trained in a similar discipline, but I also study self-defence so no, I don't randomly put myself in danger as a pp suggested - am very aware of how easy it is for a street fight to go very wrong (knives, multiple opponents)

I guess they box for the same reason men box. It’s good fitness and probably interesting, competitive. I find it interesting to watch but I wouldn’t mind if it was banned.

I would never box (except with a punch bag) nor would I allow my kids (male and female) to - due to head injury risk.

I don’t understand why boxing hasn’t introduced an ‘above the neck’ rule. That way, all the skill, fitness discipline, etc., can still continue. But the risk of brain damage is reduced.

Because it's fun, because I enjoy it, because it's really good exercise, because it's cathartic (bag work), because I get to spend time with some awesome people, because I prefer feeling like I can defend myself if I had to.

I also lift weights, is that only acceptable for men too?

My martial arts background taught me discipline and to avoid getting myself in to situations.
It also gave me mental strength after years of abuse. Not saying I'd be able to take a man, but I'm very good at what I do and the knowledge I'd give a good go, does give me power.

It looks violent. I'm a former competing Thai boxer and I still train in MMA and BJJ. Elbowed and kneed in the face, plus punches, kicks etc. Even BJJ is still dangerous if you think about it.
It's hard to believe, but the sports are respectful. Other contact sports like rugby and American football are far more dangerous, but often overlooked or not seen as violent.

I think any sport where you injure others is bonkers, scary and you have to be a bit crazy to do it. I do teach boxing though but only Hatton boxing where you hit pads. It's great fun and very cathartic, helps to handle negative emotions by doing something that as a woman you wouldn't normally do.

Boxing is great exercise and can feel empowering. You do realise disadvantaged youths can also be women? Do you know what young girls get caught up in? A great way to take out anger.

Weird to single out women.
I don’t get boxing either, but I also don’t understand why people do a lot of hobbies. Other people don’t get my hobbies sometimes too.
And the notion that women should avoid “uncouth, ugly, violent” things makes me roll my eyes so hard I think I can see my brain.

I understand where you're coming from. I hate boxing but I understand how a lot of men would love it, given that it's nearly always men who are responsible for violent attacks on men and women in general.

Its in men's nature to fight (obviously not always) but if women want to knock each other about then that's their choice, but it's still ok if we don't understand why.

Boxing / MMA changed my life - getting punched in the face taught me I wasn’t made of glass. It changed the way I moved through the world. I think I must walk with more confidence now; I certainly get left alone while out and about since I took it up.

Thank you for responding - I am finding these answers v enlightening!

This.

if women want to knock each other about then that's their choice, but it's still ok if we don't understand why.

Even when it's been explained to you why multiple times?

Thank you! As I said previously, I am curious about this, and the answers from those of you involved in boxing or MMA have been very helpful.
Unlike the other answers!

In a way, I get kick boxing more than boxing boxing!
With boxing, it's the psychological thing of actually throwing a punch; I suppose I can understand why men are more likely to want to do it, less so women (but I am NOT saying they can't!!)

thank you @MNHD - really useful answer and thank you for not biting my head off!
I will pontificate on this today - always useful to hear the other side
Cheers!