Comments on: February 10, 2008 * 4th Lesson

By: Monica

Monica — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:18:59 +0000

Hmmm…. I like to think that I’m being nice by being aggressive- if we went easy on each other all the time, we would never extend our own limits (pain/aggression/physicality/etc) and then we’d get creamed in the ring or in a real life situation.

By constantly pushing ourselves and each other “just that little bit further” while still in a safe environment, we’re helping to condition our brains and bodies to react instinctively when we need them to.

Having said that, I’ve been in martial arts classes facing off against opponents who hammered me as hard as they could. I don’t think it’s necessary to try to kill the person you’re training with… unless you’re aiming to become a professional.

By: chomedyboy

chomedyboy — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 17:04:20 +0000

>>But I would argue that neither need to be in play while boxing

It’s hard to avoid. Having played racquetball and squash, the overall purpose is to acquire points, not hurt your opponent. This is not the case in boxing. You punch to cause harm. You punch to wound. You punch to injure. And while our class is a fun, cardio-fueled workout, the message is clear…give a punch, receive a punch. All of which trigger primal reactions, many of them unconscious and being sublimated in a variety of ways.

>>…focused determination…play hard…give each other a good
>>game…shows respect for your opponent.

Ah, good things to remember Rob. Thanks for the comment.

By: Rob Moshe

Rob Moshe — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:39:18 +0000

I agree that it is difficult to be nice and mean at the same time. But I would argue that neither need to be in play while boxing. When my squash opponent (a good friend) and I step on to the court, we are neither nice or mean. We step in to the zone of focused determination. we are there to play hard, and try to win. But more important than winning, we want to give each other a good game and workout, this shows respect for your opponent.