As well as arguably providing an intense physical workout, boxing offers children the opportunity to learn respect, discipline, self-defence, and focus.
You don’t play boxing. That is a statement every fighter and coach identifies with. In other sports, the consequences of a mistake do not match up with that of a mistake in a boxing ring, which is likely to get punched in the face.
It was Mike Tyson who famously said, “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”. He wasn’t wrong. Boxing differs greatly from most other sports because, for many, they do not seek glory – it is survival that they long for.
Boxing teaches children respect, and discipline, and builds confidence. That is why many troubled youths wind up in a boxing gym and thrive, having been given structure and a supervised outlet for their pent-up aggression.
How Boxing Benefits Everyone
While it’s true that many of the youngsters that take up boxing do so come from a disadvantaged background, that certainly does not mean that the sport is exclusively for those struggling to find their way. Boxing is about as inclusive as it gets as a sport, with a place for everyone.
Boxing teaches valuable life lessons that everyone can benefit from. Actor Idris Elba thanked boxing for teaching him “discipline and control”, while former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua’s journey coming from the streets to winning Olympic gold in London has been well-documented.
Everyone has frustrations and learning to control and channel them is an invaluable life skill to have. Respect is another important skill that boxing teaches, with fighters learning to not only have respect for authority (such as referees and coaches) but also for their peers with whom they share a ring.
When two boxers go head-to-head, they show respect to each other as they have just shared an experience that only they understand at that moment. Win or lose, it takes a certain amount of bravery to step inside the ring and exchange blows with another fighter – which is where that mutual respect is earned.
Exercise releases endorphins that improve one’s mood and boxing is especially good at alleviating stress, providing a platform to channel frustrations as has already been touched upon. On the punching bag, you can clear your mind, focusing on throwing punches and coordinating your hands and feet. No matter how challenging the day has been, a session on the bag will do wonders for your stress levels (not to mention the cardiovascular benefits that come with it).
Confidence
Many of the young boys and girls that enter a boxing gym for the first time have experienced little positive affirmation. As well as teaching children respect and discipline, boxing builds confidence by helping them to overcome hurdles in training.
Children react best to positivity, particularly those who have had very little. Good coaches build their pupils’ confidence up by focusing on the positives and providing praise when they reach personal targets (not being compared with anyone else).
When coaches set goals and they are achieved, confidence soon builds. This positive affirmation means that children (or anyone) are more likely to keep boxing as they are recognised for their achievements (with or without a trophy).
The confidence that comes from boxing does not just leave them outside of the gym, it helps in all areas of life as they build character knowing that they have the tools they require to overcome challenges. That means making better decisions for themselves even if they may not be popular with their social group (peer pressure) and putting themselves forward for opportunities they otherwise may not have had the belief to go for.
Social Development
Boxing gives anyone who participates the opportunity to meet new, like-minded people outside of their usual environment. For children, having the opportunity to meet new people from different backgrounds is important as it helps to form their understanding, respect, and tolerance of other ways of life.
Meeting new and interesting people helps you to grow. In life, it is important to be able to forge relationships with others and make friends. Children will naturally want to participate in activities within groups made up of peers within their school and/or community. Having a shared interest, in this case, boxing helps to break down initial barriers (breaking the ice) that may exist – especially when coming from completely different backgrounds.
Building friendships is an important part of a child’s emotional development, as well as their social development, as they help children to learn how to communicate and control their emotions. Friendships also act as a protective barrier, providing an outlet for children to confide in and discuss their problems from which they can learn to resolve conflict and solve problems.
Through a mutual interest in boxing, children can build such relationships where they may otherwise struggle in other settings.
Boxing is Beneficial
To some, boxing is just about hitting and getting hit, but anyone involved in the sport will tell you that it is so much more than that – it isn’t known as the sweet science for no reason. Boxing has been heralded as the catalyst for so many in turning their lives around when they were given little to no hope.
Boxing has a lot to offer children, who can benefit both mentally and physically from joining a gym. A good coach will only push a boxer as far as they can go and will always ensure that any activity is done under the supervision of a qualified trainer.
Whether the goal is to win trophies and championship belts or just to try something new and meet new people, boxing has so much to offer for children in terms of their mental development, as well as their physical.
