Module Four: Boxing

Lesson One:

➢ Brief History of Boxing

Lesson Two:

➢ Boxing versus Boxing for Parkinson’s Disease

Lesson Three:

➢ Coaches’ Corner

○ Goals for clients and/or fighters

○ How to teach boxing to those living with Parkinson’s Disease

■ Body position and food stance and/or modification

Module Four: Agenda

Lesson Three (cont’d)

■ Basic Punches and foot work

● Jab/Cross

● Hook

● Uppercut

● Additional boxing exercises and foot work with modifications

Lesson Four

➢ Equipment

Lesson Five

➢ “In The Ring” with Parkinson’s Disease- Sample Workout Routine

Module Four: Agenda

➢ First recorded boxing match held in 1892

➢ Bare knuckle fighting dates back to 1500’s BC

➢ Ancient Greece and Rome no rules, no rounds or weight categories

➢ Fighters stance (left foot forward, left hand in protection,

right arm back to punch) has been around for thousands of years.

➢ 23rd Olympiad of 688 BC - first rules were used

Origins of Boxing

Rules for boxing - “Marquess of Queensberry Rules” by John Chambers

➢ “Fair stand-up boxing match”

➢ “24-foot-square” ring

➢ Three minute rounds

➢ One-minute rest interval in between each round.

Gloves

➢ “Resembled a bloated pair of mittens”

➢ Allowed for slips, bob-n-weaves, countering and angling

➢ Changed fighters from leaning back to hunching over as they do today

Origins of Boxing (cont’d)

➢ Sport of boxing was “born” in 1892 when “Gentleman Jim” Corbett

defeated James Lawrence Sullivan, the last recognized

heavyweight champion of bare-knuckle boxing

Origins of Boxing (cont’d)

➢ Boxing challenges people living with Parkinson’s Disease in

○ Speed

○ Strength

○ Cardio and muscular endurance

○ Foot work

○ Mental acuity/Cognitive skills

○ Agility

○ Hand-eye coordination

○ Focus

○ Power

Boxing and Parkinson’s Disease

➢ Considerations:

○ Find an instructor to perfect your form and teach you how to cue

○ Find a subject without Parkinson’s Disease with whom to practice

○ Learn to adapt to meet clients’ needs

○ Consider other issues they may have such as Spinal Stenosis,

Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Rotator Cuff issues etc

Teaching Boxing

What you will learn :

➢ Foundations of boxing

○ Stance

○ Types of punches suitable for Parkinson’s Disease

➢ How to adapt to safely meet clients’ needs

➢ Boxing combos to use as “practice drills”

➢ “Think outside the ring”

Teaching Boxing (cont’d)

Helpful tips:

➢ Keep it simple

➢ Body awareness

➢ Personal space

➢ Beware of processing information issues

➢ Teach TO the person and use internet as a reference tool

➢ Demonstrate and lead the exercises (encourage calling punches aloud)

Teaching Boxing (cont’d)

➢ Right-handed boxers - stand with left foot forward, right leg back, toes turned

slightly to the right

➢ Left-handed boxers - stand with right leg forward, left leg back, toes turned

slightly to the left

○ Good stance encourages balance and mimics everyday life

○ Remind them to use boxing stance in their everyday activities

■ For example: Standing in line at the grocery story

Boxing Stance

➢ Most popular punch

➢ Be mindful of shoulder issues

➢ Performed by non-dominant hand

➢ Feet in proper stance

➢ Elbows on front of hips

➢ Raise hands to face

➢ Power of punch starts in toes and moves up body

Let’s Talk About The Jab

➢ Demonstrate what you DON’T want to see

➢ Show jab in slow motion for 10 reps

➢ Have client perform in slow motion for 10 reps

➢ Punch is performed by straightening the arm

○ Long straight arm

○ Hips rotate

○ Hand comes back to face

○ Other hand protects face

○ Right shoulder comes back slightly

Let’s Talk About The Jab (cont’d)

➢ Be mindful of shoulder issues

➢ Performed by dominant hand/other hand protects face

➢ Punch is performed by straightening the arm

○ Feet in proper stance

○ Long straight arm

○ Hips rotate

○ Pivot back foot if possible (may not happen)

○ Hand comes back to face

○ Other hand protects face

Let’s Talk About The Cross

➢ The most dangerous punch in boxing, but we use “safe” hook

➢ Be mindful of shoulder issues

➢ Punch is performed by bending arm to 90 degrees (think “L” shape)

○ Elbows and wrist lifted and aligned

○ Rotate from hips with arms lifted

○ Pivot back foot if possible

○ Hand comes back to face

○ Other hand protects face

Let’s Talk About The Hook

➢ Punch is performed by bending arm to 90 degrees

○ Lift elbow as body rotates from the hip

○ Circle the arm toward the mouth

○ Drop the elbow

○ Hand comes back to face

○ Other hand protects face

○ Hit with first two knuckles to avoid third/fourth knuckle fractures

Let’s Talk About The Power Hook

➢ Punch is performed with arms bent

○ Elbows by side

○ Palms facing up and close to body

○ Elbow and hip move together

○ Pull back on hip and elbow then punch toward opposite side

○ Rotate hips

○ Pivot back foot if possible

Let’s Talk About The Uppercut

➢ Consider possible foot issues

➢ Try speed ladder drills and jump rope work

➢ Boxer Bounce - Keep feet apart!

○ Start with stepping, not bouncing -Light on feet (tip toes)

○ Modification-Big steps - Front foot leads forward, back foot leads backwards

○ Body moves as unit (hips don’t swing)

○ Lateral bounce - Feet wide, light on toes if possible

○ Modification- big steps side to side

Footwork - Boxer Bounce

➢ Pivot will challenge balance

○ Stand in split stance

○ Back foot on tiptoes if possible

○ Pivot in direction of back foot (squish the bug)

○ Be aware of dizziness

Footwork - Boxer Bounce

➢ “Slips”

➢ Bob-n-weave/Duck

➢ Body Circles

➢ Body punches

➢ Face block

➢ Backwards punches

➢ Elbow punch

➢ Knees

Additional Moves

➢ Revisit basic form if needed

➢ Show what you are observing versus what you want to see

➢ Don’t be afraid to push, but know when to stop

➢ For clients in wheelchairs, help with posture and get them moving!

➢ Have fun!

Considerations

Closing Notes

Modules one through four serve as the springboard for the remaining topics of this course, producing a successful PROGRAM DESIGN that strengthens our “fighters” body, mind and spirit.

*Please note: The look of Modules five and six varies from the preceding modules.