How are pro-fighters and other trained pros able to take hits nonstop without getting knocked down?

[Bullsherdog]

This is something I am wondering about.

Years ago I got into a fight with someone. Technicaly he threw the first blow but I admit my tongue was nasty. At the time I was taking boxing classes and so I thought I can handle it.

After a few exchanges of blows I was knocked to the ground and I kept getting punched until school teachers intervened.

So when I look at pro fighters, I am lovely shocked they can quickly take hits without falling and in many cases (as seen in MMA and similar "No Holds Barred" fighting sports), fights can also be staggering while getting hit nonstop that it looks like they're about to fall down but still quickly get up to parry/block/dodge attacks or even outright counterattack (which includes tackling the opponent).

Even when boxers are cornered to the ring and are getting pummeled nonstop, at the last minute they are known to clinch (despite already getting hit bad with no space to escape or even cover and block).

I am wondering are there any key technique or physical conditioning needed to not fall down when taking direct blows?

If you want details about the fight I was in, I was in the classic orthodox boxing stance while I was throwing blows. I'll grant I wasn't even close to athletic shape ( I even just started doing pushups and lifting dumbells that same week because my coach told me to start building my core before he would teach me higher level techniques). My opponent was 6 feet tall and nearly 200 pounds as well as being fit enough to be classified as lean and he also played on the football team while I was 5'7 and out of shape at the time.

So I'm wondering why I was knocked down easily after the brief exchange? I did block some of his blows and kept a proper boxing stance. Was I missing something in my defense because I was using sports techniques? Or was it because I was severely out of shape?

I mean the stuff I learned from my coach at that point was literally the same stuff I seen pro boxers doing ye they can easily tank punches to the point even when they are staggering from too much landed hits and look like they are about to fall to the ground and get KO'ed, they suddenly spring out of nowhere in time to put up a defense or even counterpunches (despite they fact they were being hit nonstop while they were staggering and looked like they were about to collapse).

I mean even the more advanced lessons I learned later on from my boxing coach failed to answer why I fell down easily (other than the fact I was severely out of shape which my coach told me was the reason).

I know its a simplistic question but I'm desperate for answers. What are fundamentals needed to take blows without being thrown to the ground easily? How are exhausted professional boxers and mixed martial artists able to quickly get back up even as it looks like they are crouching because they're getting hit nonstop and miraculously immediately do a counter attack despite just staggering a second or two ago? Is physical shape a key factor why pro fighters can recover so quickly from being knocked down or staggering (while getting hit simultaneously nonstop)?

Keep in mine when I mean getting hit while knocked down, cornered and pummeled (such as a the corner of a boxing ring or the corner edge of a small room), getting hit and staggering/paralyzed/dazed almost about to fall, or even being on one's knees while being punched , I mean something in the lines of these links (be sure to skip the videos to the specific area I noted in parenthesis so you can see the parts that resemble what I'm talking about).

EDIT can you place youtube videos to start at a specific part of the video on this site?

(Skip to 0:11 for this video)

(Skip to 6:12 for this video)

(above link which is what I mean taking repetitive clean hard hits nonstop and still being able to stay standing up despite getting broken ribs and almost falling down due to weariness).

Can anyone help explain how pro fighters can get hit in such ways but do a counter attack in the last minute as they're pinned to the ground and getting their heads smashed or they took a ten punch combos and are about to fall from shaky legs but still manage to dodge and counterpunch?

 

[Tony Dismukes]

It's a combination of factors.

Physical conditioning plays a major part.

Technique is also important. Pro fighters aren't just standing there with their eyes open waiting to get hit. They are good at protecting the most vulnerable targets, moving with the impact and/or catching some of the force on their shoulders or arms.

An experienced fighter will also have practice maintaining their balance, stance, and structure even when they are temporarily loopy from being hit. They also are used to getting hit so they aren't afraid of it and don't get so psychologically rattled when it happens.

In addition, people who get into fighting professionally are more likely to have genetic gifts (like an unusually thick skull) which helps them to weather getting hit. (This can be a mixed blessing. Some fighters who are naturally good at taking shots may rely too much on that attribute - until they find that years of micro-concussions do enough cumulative brain damage so that they no longer have that kind of durability.)

That said, even the toughest pro fighter can be laid out with a single punch if that punch lands perfectly. It's just not easy to land that perfect punch because they will typically have the skill to prevent that from happening.

If you want to develop that kind of skill for yourself, you'll have to invest in a whole lot of hard training and sparring.

 

[drop bear]

the bits you can effect is your head movement when you are being struck. And you do that in two ways. Having a strong neck and having a good head position.

so lets look at ronda rousey and see how she eats punches. each time she gets hit she has a lot of head movement and that head movement is shaking her brain up.

There are mechanical ways of reducing that which will keep you in the fight longer.

Now lets look at adrian pang. who gets hit but does not have the same head movement and is able to eat shots and trade more effectively.

And a lot of this has to do with little nuances like head position and chin angle. You are really only structurally strong directly face on with the chin down.

Now if OP was like pretty much everyone in a fight he was probably trying to punch while allowing his head to try to escape out the back.

Something similar to this.

This seems pretty nartual. But if you get punched while you are in that position you have no capacity to absorb the blow and will suffer unduly because of it.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

It's not that easy to get knocked out. If your opponent's 100th punch can't knock you out, his 101the punch may not be able to knock you out.

If you try to protect your head not be punched, IMO, nothing can be better than the "rhino guard".

 

[JowGaWolf]

Not sure if your videos were part of your examples, but the first one is a video game and the second one is a movie. Neither applies to the reality of being hit.

 

[Juany118]

It's a combination of factors.

Physical conditioning plays a major part.

Technique is also important. Pro fighters aren't just standing there with their eyes open waiting to get hit. They are good at protecting the most vulnerable targets, moving with the impact and/or catching some of the force on their shoulders or arms.

An experienced fighter will also have practice maintaining their balance, stance, and structure even when they are temporarily loopy from being hit. They also are used to getting hit so they aren't afraid of it and don't get so psychologically rattled when it happens.

In addition, people who get into fighting professionally are more likely to have genetic gifts (like an unusually thick skull) which helps them to weather getting hit. (This can be a mixed blessing. Some fighters who are naturally good at taking shots may rely too much on that attribute - until they find that years of micro-concussions do enough cumulative brain damage so that they no longer have that kind of durability.)

That said, even the toughest pro fighter can be laid out with a single punch if that punch lands perfectly. It's just not easy to land that perfect punch because they will typically have the skill to prevent that from happening.

If you want to develop that kind of skill for yourself, you'll have to invest in a whole lot of hard training and sparring.

All of the above. Plus I would add that at times, what looks like a solid hit to us isnt as solid as it appears. Humans are flexible and elastic. Sometimes a roundhouse glances off a quickly shrugged shoulder and so doesn't hit the head with the full force. People can be good at rolling with punches as well which offsets some of the incoming force.

For a KO there either needs to be a lot of cumulative head truma or the perfect hit where the force is either not "bled off" or it is even magnified. I remember watching a video of one of my Sifu's in a non-sanctioned competition. He knocked down his opponent a number of times and straight up KO'd the guy at least twice. On the last one the guy literally rammed his head into an incoming punch.

 

[RTKDCMB]

I am wondering are there any key technique or physical conditioning needed to not fall down when taking direct blows?

Have a good defence so you don't have to take direct blows.

 

[Buka]

When you have never been punched in the face (fifth grade doesn't count) actually getting punched in the face outside of a gym can be frightening and disorienting. There is a social shock, a "this can't be happening to me" shock and a physical shock - adrenaline, lack of depth perception, fight, flight or freeze)
When you train in contact striking, the same things happen at the beginning of your training, but in a much more controlled environment. There is a realization, and eventually, a familiarity from the actual training, that the strike to the face is just that, a strike to the face, probably, just one of many to come in the next few minutes.

You learn to go with some of them, depending on your position and either how well you saw it coming or how you absorbed it as it came. You learn to move just so, as to graze you rather than dig into you. You learn to duck, to block, to intercept, to bob, to weave, to evade, but still you get caught, because, hey, the other guy, the guy you're working with, he hits too, just as well and just as often as you do.

But something unexpected happens. Over time, the more you get punched in the face - the more careful you are not to get punched in the face. Because you know. And there's just no future in it. Your defense sharpens. Your awareness, outside, sharpens. Your blocks, that actually have to protect you now, sharpen. How you move sharpens. Everything about your game sharpens....or you'll get punched in the face.

And getting punched in the face - only teaches you how to punch to the face in a more effective manner, because you have experienced and understand both sides of the equation now. First hand. You can't just read that, and you can't just have somebody tell you that.

 

[Kickboxer101]

Good examples you have there, a video game and a movie

 

[Juany118]

Good examples you have there, a video game and a movie

Well to be fair I think they patterned the fight in I off of Wepner Ali. In that fight Wepner took one hell of a beating.

 

[KangTsai]

First, you can't condition yourself not to suffer a concussion, like you probably did.
Honestly, I believe that taking strikes is all in your head. I consider myself to have a pretty high pain tolerance, and I know I can definitely at least think straight under stress and/or violence. You have to get punched alot to truly know how to deal with it.

 

[Kickboxer101]

One question I have is you said you wouldn't be allowed to learn higher techniques...there's no such thing as higher techniques in boxing it doesn't work like that.

Second the difference is you're not a professional boxer and a stance will not stop you getting knocked down

 

[Juany118]

One question I have is you said you wouldn't be allowed to learn higher techniques...there's no such thing as higher techniques in boxing it doesn't work like that.

Second the difference is you're not a professional boxer and a stance will not stop you getting knocked down

Can't it though, a stance I mean, at least indirectly. The proper stance first allows for bobbing and weaving that allows someone to slip a punch. Second a good stance can be the inverse of a punch. A good "power" punch basically allows you to use the ground as the foundation of your punch. If done right you can also allow the force of an opponent's blow to not stop at the point of impact but have the legs absorb some of it. A bad stance will have yourself rocking at the waist and if forceful enough knock you on your butt.

 

[Flying Crane]

This is something I am wondering about.

Years ago I got into a fight with someone. Technicaly he threw the first blow but I admit my tongue was nasty. At the time I was taking boxing classes and so I thought I can handle it.

After a few exchanges of blows I was knocked to the ground and I kept getting punched until school teachers intervened.

So when I look at pro fighters, I am lovely shocked they can quickly take hits without falling and in many cases (as seen in MMA and similar "No Holds Barred" fighting sports), fights can also be staggering while getting hit nonstop that it looks like they're about to fall down but still quickly get up to parry/block/dodge attacks or even outright counterattack (which includes tackling the opponent).

Even when boxers are cornered to the ring and are getting pummeled nonstop, at the last minute they are known to clinch (despite already getting hit bad with no space to escape or even cover and block).

I am wondering are there any key technique or physical conditioning needed to not fall down when taking direct blows?

If you want details about the fight I was in, I was in the classic orthodox boxing stance while I was throwing blows. I'll grant I wasn't even close to athletic shape ( I even just started doing pushups and lifting dumbells that same week because my coach told me to start building my core before he would teach me higher level techniques). My opponent was 6 feet tall and nearly 200 pounds as well as being fit enough to be classified as lean and he also played on the football team while I was 5'7 and out of shape at the time.

So I'm wondering why I was knocked down easily after the brief exchange? I did block some of his blows and kept a proper boxing stance. Was I missing something in my defense because I was using sports techniques? Or was it because I was severely out of shape?

I mean the stuff I learned from my coach at that point was literally the same stuff I seen pro boxers doing ye they can easily tank punches to the point even when they are staggering from too much landed hits and look like they are about to fall to the ground and get KO'ed, they suddenly spring out of nowhere in time to put up a defense or even counterpunches (despite they fact they were being hit nonstop while they were staggering and looked like they were about to collapse).

I mean even the more advanced lessons I learned later on from my boxing coach failed to answer why I fell down easily (other than the fact I was severely out of shape which my coach told me was the reason).

I know its a simplistic question but I'm desperate for answers. What are fundamentals needed to take blows without being thrown to the ground easily? How are exhausted professional boxers and mixed martial artists able to quickly get back up even as it looks like they are crouching because they're getting hit nonstop and miraculously immediately do a counter attack despite just staggering a second or two ago? Is physical shape a key factor why pro fighters can recover so quickly from being knocked down or staggering (while getting hit simultaneously nonstop)?

Keep in mine when I mean getting hit while knocked down, cornered and pummeled (such as a the corner of a boxing ring or the corner edge of a small room), getting hit and staggering/paralyzed/dazed almost about to fall, or even being on one's knees while being punched , I mean something in the lines of these links (be sure to skip the videos to the specific area I noted in parenthesis so you can see the parts that resemble what I'm talking about).

EDIT can you place youtube videos to start at a specific part of the video on this site?

(Skip to 0:11 for this video)

(Skip to 6:12 for this video)

(above link which is what I mean taking repetitive clean hard hits nonstop and still being able to stay standing up despite getting broken ribs and almost falling down due to weariness).

Can anyone help explain how pro fighters can get hit in such ways but do a counter attack in the last minute as they're pinned to the ground and getting their heads smashed or they took a ten punch combos and are about to fall from shaky legs but still manage to dodge and counterpunch?

Your boxing coach did you a disservice by failing to teach you one of the most important, and commonly practiced conditioning methods that will help you develop the ability to take multiple blows and keep fighting.

Twice each day, when you first get up in the morning and again just before you go to bed, you need to take a baseball bat and smack yourself in the face with it, 30 times. Make sure you hit the nose, as well as temples and chin, and forehead right between the eyes. Gradually build up power and numbers, until you are doing 100 per session, at full power.

If you have time in your schedule, do a third sesssion at mid day. After each session, rub fresh lemon juice and salt into your face in order to help the skin and toughen up the bones.

After six months, you should be good to go.

 

[Ironbear24]

Getting hit and how you react to it is more mental than it is physical. Get hit more and more and a lot, overtime you will not be so phased by it.

I myself have some problems when I am about to get it, I blink and squint my eyes which make it nearly impossible to actually block or defend myself. That's a habit that I have been working to break for a few months and I am getting there little by little.

You must do the same, get on the mat or in the ring and simply get those hours in. Think in your mind, I will get hit, I must accept I will sometimes get hit. Also what helps is aggression and confidence, both of those combined can make you much more likely to be in the mindset you need to not be so phased by getting hit.

Usually the more time you spend attacking the less time you spend getting hit. Usually, not always.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Your boxing coach did you a disservice by failing to teach you one of the most important, and commonly practiced conditioning methods that will help you develop the ability to take multiple blows and keep fighting.

Twice each day, when you first get up in the morning and again just before you go to bed, you need to take a baseball bat and smack yourself in the face with it, 30 times. Make sure you hit the nose, as well as temples and chin, and forehead right between the eyes. Gradually build up power and numbers, until you are doing 100 per session, at full power.

If you have time in your schedule, do a third sesssion at mid day. After each session, rub fresh lemon juice and salt into your face in order to help the skin and toughen up the bones.

After six months, you should be good to go.

The first ever face conditioning routine. Take a bat and smash your face. lol. Classic. I will add that right next to face blocks

 

[marques]

I am wondering are there any key technique or physical conditioning needed to not fall down when taking direct blows?

I believe (and will not argue if you don't agree) some people is gifted and just don't go down. Age matters (it gets worst). As well as how many blows have you taken (the more, the worst). And I believe these things play the main role.

Besides that, what can we do?

Neck muscles (and others) may stabilize better you skull and your brain. But in practice, I try to absorb/parry blows with the limbs or do not offer resistance to it (following it, as far as possible). And, the most important, is preventing any good conditions for a power strike, all the time. That is not easy, but that is all the purpose of my sparring. Blows without potential behind (but intention to strike) are just opportunities for easy counters. Power strikes do damage, regardless my defence (or I will be tired of running away...).

PS: In the extreme, I choose to take Jabs instead of Hooks, because the head is better built for linear and frontal blows...

 

[Flying Crane]

The first ever face conditioning routine. Take a bat and smash your face. lol. Classic. I will add that right next to face blocks

Just trying to help.

 

[KangTsai]

Can't it though, a stance I mean, at least indirectly. The proper stance first allows for bobbing and weaving that allows someone to slip a punch. Second a good stance can be the inverse of a punch. A good "power" punch basically allows you to use the ground as the foundation of your punch. If done right you can also allow the force of an opponent's blow to not stop at the point of impact but have the legs absorb some of it. A bad stance will have yourself rocking at the waist and if forceful enough knock you on your butt.

That's if you bob and weave. Also, using your feet for power isn't high-level by any means, it's absolute first-hour basics.

 

[KangTsai]

The first ever face conditioning routine. Take a bat and smash your face. lol. Classic. I will add that right next to face blocks

Taking hits to hair actually reduces a lot of pain.