Laura Saperstein, What do you think are the main benefits of boxing for girls and how would you recommend it over other sporting activities?
Asked by Emmski on Nov 22 2007 8:43:01 PM and supported by 26 members
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The wonderful thing about boxing for girls is it is such a fantastic antidote to a lot of messages out there about how we should look, behave, and what’s important. This idea amongst young girls that it’s all about how you look and that is the most important thing. That being thin is more important than being healthy , that looking good is more important than anything else that as a female your role is just to look good. Whereas boxing is all about courage, discipline and respect. It teaches those excellent values and it’s not necessarily about whose got the best technique or whose the most talented. It’s much more about whose willing to put themselves out there and really have a go and that’s what admired and celebrated. It’s celebrated by the boys, the girls, and the boys about the girls. When you train together and you’re all pushing yourselves to the limit and you’re out there in combat you forget all the rubbish and all that nonsense about how you look. It comes down to achieving a goal and I think that’s a really positive image for girls. The appeal of boxing is that it’s a real confidence builder and despite the view to the contrary it’s a lot safer than gymnastics, horse riding or probably even football for that matter. Statistically injuries are very small but also children are more likely to be doing non contact boxing.