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When Junior bundles up to you with this much excitement, you know it’s an important announcement. “Dad, I want to start boxing!” Your eyes well up with tears and a lump gathers in your throat as you struggle for words to express the pride you feel. At the tender age of nine, Junior would be following in the footsteps of the greats that learned boxing during childhood. “Way to go, Champ!” How safe can repeated blows to the head be? (Image Flikr/City of Boston) But then rational thinking and fatherly instincts kick in, and you fear the long-term damage your son’s new found vocation may cause. I mean, how safe can it be for a child to take repeated blows to the head? Boxing for kids is a controversial topic. Professional medical bodies call for its outright banning while fighters and trainers argue that the benefits of boxing far outweigh any risks. If you’re a parent that can’t decide if you should let your child learn boxing, this post presents both sides of the argument fairly so you can make an informed decision. What Are The Risks? Two young boxers square off in full protective gear. (Image Flickr/Oxnardrec) First off, let’s get into the debate against boxing for youths. In the United States, 18,000 young people under the age of 19 take part in boxing. That number doesn’t account for the thousands more that practice similar combat sports such as muay thai and mixed martial arts (MMA). In an age of growing child obesity rates, surely we should be proud of these statistics and encourage kids into any and all forms of exercise? Apparently not. According to this policy statement from the American Academy of Paediatrics and the Canadian Paediatric Society, the consequences of youth boxing are too severe to chance. In short, the policy states that children should not be allowed to practice boxing. What do you think? A load of hoo-hah? I mean, kids have boxed throughout history, and there was never a fuss made over it. What risks could be so great to completely ban kids from enjoying the sweet science? Cuts, Fractures, and Concussions The policy highlighted that concussions are the most frequent injury, but young boxers also expose themselves to cuts and fractures which are the second and third most common boxing injuries. Concussions can last up to ten days for youths. (Image Flickr/Oxnardrec) They suggest non-contact sports, such as tennis, basketball, soccer, squash, and swimming, as safe alternatives. Even football or hockey are preferred as unlike boxing which “encourages and rewards deliberate blows to the head”, the focus is on chasing a ball or scoring goals. They justify putting the kibosh on youth boxing due to the long-lasting effects of concussions on children and teenagers which can be as long as ten days. But even more alarmingly, both paediatric societies agree that youth boxing holds the risk of “chronic and even fatal neurologic injuries”. Parents need to be aware that not all boxing injuries are temporary or reversible. In fact, 659 boxers have died as a result of boxing-related brain injuries from 1918 to 1998! Permanent Brain Damage Developing brains are more susceptible to injury, and there is now overwhelming evidence linking repeated blows to the head with long-term brain damage. In 2013, the American Academy of Neurology conducted a study of 239 professional fighters (104 boxers and 139 MMA fighters). The report tracked the number of bouts fought and knockouts received, and related the data to DTI and resting state fMRI scans. Here are extracts from the report: “the number of years of pro fighting correlated significantly with reduced volume in the caudate and amygdala, and strong trends were seen toward smaller volumes in the thalamus and putamen,” “Caudate volumes and years of fighting experience were more strongly related in participants who said they began fighting in earnest at age 15 or younger,” The key takeaways from the report? Starting a fight career early and fighting for a prolonged period causes a reduction in brain volume as well as diminished connectivity between certain parts of the brain. Surprising? No, probably not. Most of us would guess that repeated blows to the head are no good for the grey matter. While this may not discourage heart-set Junior from boxing, the very real possibility of disorders of movement, cognition, and behaviour, is deterrent enough for most parents to side with the paediatricians. What Are The Benefits? Despite the risks, boxing is beneficial in many ways. (Image Flickr/Oxnardrec) Of course permanent brain damage is a serious concern, but before letting your kid box becomes an absolute NO, let’s looks at the case for youth boxing. Let’s start off by looking at a statement, Anthony Bartkowski, executive director of USA Boxing, gave in defence of youth boxing to a reporter from NPR Health. “The skills and traits, young boxers learn through their participation help prepare them for life in and out of the boxing ring and support their development for life's future challenges. As with any sport, there is risk involved, however the positives developed by participation in youth sports, including amateur boxing, outweigh the potential risk” The above statement is the boxing communities wide-held consensus on youth boxing. They don’t deny that there is risk associated with boxing; after all, the horrific injuries from boxing have been well-documented. However, they do believe the benefits still far outweigh any downside. Yes, kids could get their fitness quota by participating in safer sports that are just as challenging and offer similar levels of strength and fitness conditioning. But on the other hand, and as a boxing and muay thai enthusiast, I would have to argue that I’ve never got the same sense of achievement from any other pursuit, sporting or otherwise, that I’ve got from martial arts. So why do people choose to box over safer alternatives and why should you consider letting your child take up boxing? My reasoning is that boxing does three things better than any other sport. Teaches Values Boxing teaches respect. After practicing boxing for a short time, even the most loutish of teenagers develop respect for their fellow students, coaches, their gym, and the sport in general. Boxing teaches discipline. Youngsters quickly realise that to make progress in boxing, you have to be disciplined. Aspiring boxers show up for training whether you feel like it or not, and make a conscious effort to stick to a healthy, nutrient-rich diet. Boxing cultivates a strong work ethic. Boxing training is difficult. Students learn to work hard and know they must consistently give maximum effort if they are to achieve their goals. Boxing can play a huge part in shaping an individual's character, especially when they’re young and highly impressionable. The values learned in boxing continue to have a positive influence on a person’s life regardless of whether they continue the sport or not. Provides Opportunity It’s an unfortunate fact, but many kids that start boxing are from lower social economic areas. Boxing can provide positive role models in a turbulent childhood and give youngsters hope for a better future. It can steer youths away from petty crime and drugs and instead focus their energies on learning a valuable skill and becoming fit and healthy. They see that hard work and dedication leads to success in boxing, and they realise that it can do the same for building a career, furthering education, or starting a family. Develops Self-Confidence Even without ever stepping foot into a ring, the vigorous training and challenging nature of boxing leads to kids developing incredible confidence in themselves. Boxing is a great confidence builder for kids that have low self-esteem as a result of bullying. Through the small wins in training, these kids build their confidence while learning how to defend themselves. As a consequence, they’re no longer an “easy target” and find they get in fewer fights in the playground and on the street. A Safe Way for Kids to Learn Boxing Children can learn boxing without taking part in fighting. (photo flickr/Bounmy C) While you would rather Junior join the school’s basketball team, as all parents know, forcing a child to participate in something they have no interest in is futile. So what’s the solution? How about a compromise? What about the boxing training without the fighting? Much of boxing training is focused on bag and mitt drills, body-weight exercises, jumping rope, and jogging. Kids don’t spar frequently (if at all), and there’s no expectation for them to fight. If and when sparring takes place, it has to be approved by their coach, take place under supervision, and while wearing headgear, gum shield, groin guard, and sparring gloves. Parents should also be reminded that sparring isn’t fighting. The objective of sparring is to practice new techniques and styles on a moving target. Power is reduced to around 50%, and when combined with the protective equipment worn, sparring rarely results in injuries. However, if you would still rather your child not take part in sparring, write it into the ground rules. Conclusion There is no doubt that boxing has an aggressive nature - it has its roots in fighting after all. However, regularly practicing what could be viewed as violent behaviour is not the primary concern of parents who, understandably, are more worried about the links to brain function deterioration. Although evidence linking boxing to brain damage exists, the boxing community (me included) still believe the rewards far exceed the risks. Everything in life is risk and reward, and there is risk inherent in all sports. While boxing does lie further up the risk scale, I believe the sense of accomplishment and the overall feeling of satisfaction and self-worth make this risk worth taking on. You may not feel the same, but if you have a kid that is determined to box, you may not have a choice. Successful parenting is often about bargaining and coming to a compromise between what your son or daughter wants, and what you think is best. There are ways to manage the risk from boxing (protective equipment, no sparring) that will allow your child to take part in this incredible sport while letting you sleep easy at night.

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