You're taking boxing for all the wrong reasons. Self defense? Very few forms of organized fighting promotes self defense in a real world scenario, keeping your arms up to prevent a block and not knowing how to use your feet or fight on the floor or when backed into a corner won't help at all when your thrown to the ground, rushed by multiple people, or have a knife held to your throat, all of whcih are more likely than a fair street fight. In shape? That isn't contributed to the boxing, thats contributed to the endurance testing and standard working out. The only difference is competition boxing requries more endurance and stamina training than nearly every other sport. You don't need to do boxing lessons and have a trainer to do that, you can go to your local gym after finding out a proper work out schedule for a high stamina / endurance set (high reps, low weight) which won't pack on the added muscles (like heavy lifting would), but will tone your physique and keep yourself in shape.
You are so wrong. Ladies love the guitar skillz. Ladies do not love the face-like-a-potato look. And I dont see how amateur boxing is any more rewarding than playing in a band with your mates, playing an instrument is a fun and extremely useful skill and will provide you with a lot more entertainment in your life than being able to box, especially considering once you are past 30-40 you will be nowhere near as fit as younger boxers so the skill is basically useless.
Just for the record, you'd be surprised about the "ladies love the face-like-a-potato" bit. Everybody plays guitar. If you want to, go ahead. Know that you probably won't be lead guitarist in a band anytime soon. Honestly, I agree with Dem about the self-defense bit. There are martial arts tailored to those needs; boxing is not one of them. As for getting in shape, it won't do anything that regular exercise will not. However, boxing gives you real motivation to stay in shape, so taking it's probably a good thing. Boxing isn't useless, as some have said. Most of you have never tried it; you've got no clue what you're talking about. Going to a competition, be it judo, jiu-jitsu, or anything else, is an incredibly fun experience. Most people do not do it for a profession, they do it on the side. For fun. You know, a hobby? Like guitar? We have about five MMA guys at our gym; none of them do it as their main profession. Writing "MMA fighter" on your health insurance form is not going to get you a very good rate. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TusVQPF8H7c Tell me that isn't fun.
Wow. And guitarists aren't entertainment? Anyway, I agree with picking guitar, because I personally love music and have played guitar for two years, it's freaking fun man, but jeez, shoving your opinion down people's throats isn't going to make them think your way. And yes pete, when you learn how to box, they also teach you how to dodge bullets and be resistant to stabs from knives.
Everybody may play guitar but it's still damn sexxeh. Actually I find women with instruments quite hot which is a shame because my girlfriend is completely tuneless but ohwell.
When I made this topic I didn't think that these two professions would be such a big deal. I really don't care which one it is. Not like I am going to be a ----- Boxer anytime soon or a Rock Hard Guitarist in a Rock Hard Band anytime soon. It is just something that will keep me occupied during the free time that I have at home in which I basically am a couch potato or in the pool swimming all the time. So just to get me up and moving either one is good for me. I have been wanting to play guitar since I started high school. It has been something I always wanted to do, seeing all the people get up on the stage (auditorium) at HS and play their songs or just plain guitar solo's in front of the HS Students. It was a fun experience, and if I ever get the chance I am up for it no matter how much time it requires or the skill level it wants me to be at. On the other hand... Boxing is something that I wanted to do on the side. See my parents want me to become some sort of a high tech computer engineer type of guy. And to tell everyone the truth (on GR) I really dislike sitting in front of the computers all the time and coding stuff. I do it because my parents like it and because my classes that I am taking require me to do so. Honestly I hate computers. Nothing about them seems to be exciting to me. At school when I take my Fujitsu Laptop (17" monster) everyone says why bring such a big and huge computer to school when you can trade it in for a lighter one. And everyone in my classes has a 14" or a 15" and they all are customized to their personal interest. I always tell them that You have a computer and I have a computer right? Yours works and Mine Works right? Yours can do much better than mine in everything right? Well then you win. Go and have fun. Machines are machines, I don't care if it is a 10,000 USD machine or a 100 USD machine, untill I get my work done, I don't care how good or bad they look from the outside or how much they cost. I used to care about all that ---- back in highschool when I was beginning to follow / listen to my parents to become a successful comp techy type of guy, but all of a sudden I have lost interest in Math, Computers , etc etc... Don't know why. Hence, I asked GR Members / Friends to help me decide something else to do. As of now I asked my parents if I can change my major and they refused to let me change it . So in a way I am stuck with computers, thus, I wanted to do something else like play the guitar (always wanted to do it), or box (4 sided ring is what I want to step into everyday), or a wrestler like in the WWE or Ultimate Fighter (Octagon or the Squared Circle) etc etc, they all are something different from what I don't do but would love to do them on a daily basis... You guys do know what I mean right???....? I found a This Learn how to Play Guitar System and was wondering if someone can look over it and see if it is reliable and I can learn something out of it.???? If you guys have other ways then do tell me because I am always up for a freaking hard challenge. On the side note, I am also looking for a Boxing Ring next to my house and seeing if I can find one. So...now what?... Zain
Instantly on that how to play guitar thing I would say no because all the information you need to start you off at least is available for free online. Apart from buying my guitar/amp the only money I have ever spent on learning was on some £8 book or something which although started me off was no where near as useful as the countless videos you can find for free online etc etc. Also sounds pretty ----ty about not being allowed to change your major. I suggest a throrough "sticking it to the man".
