Two boxers in a ring, wearing gloves, try to land clean punches with the knuckle part of the closed glove on the front and sides of the head and body above the belt, while avoiding the other boxer's punches.
How a bout is won
A bout is a few rounds of a few minutes each, with a rest between. Judges score each round for clean punches, control and defence. The boxer with the better scores wins, or the referee stops the bout.
Rules every boxer learns first
Punch only with the closed glove, only at the front and sides of the head and body above the belt.
No punches to the back, the back of the head or below the belt; no holding, pushing or hitting with the elbow or head.
Stop at once on the referee's or coach's word.
At home there is no contact
The stance, footwork, punches at the air, ways to avoid a punch, soft touches on a pool noodle and round pacing. Pads, bags and any partner work are learnt at a club with a coach.
Words you will hear (23, in plain language)
Guard
The ready stance: feet apart, one foot a little ahead, knees soft, hands up by the chin.
Footwork
How a boxer moves: small steps, the feet never crossing.
Jab
A straight punch with the front hand.
Cross
A straight punch with the back hand, with a turn of the hip.
Hook
A curved punch that comes round from the side.
Uppercut
A punch that comes up from below.
Combination
Two or more punches thrown one after the other.
Shadow boxing
Punching and moving at the air, with nobody in front.
Slip
A small turn and bend that moves the head to one side, out of the way of a punch.
Duck
Bending the knees to go under a punch, back straight, eyes forward.
Block
Stopping a punch with the gloves or arms.
Round
A set time of boxing, followed by a rest.
Bout
A whole boxing match.
Distance
How far apart the boxers are: long, middle or close.
Counter
Answering at once after the other boxer punches.
Pads
Padded targets a coach holds for the boxer to hit.
Bag
A heavy padded bag hung up for punching.
Hand wraps
Strips of cloth wound round the hands under the gloves.
Mouthguard
A soft guard worn over the teeth.
Light contact
Controlled, soft touches on a partner, only with a qualified coach.
Sparring
Practice boxing with a partner, at a club.
Pool noodle
A long, soft foam tube, used at home as a safe target.
Corner
A boxer's corner of the ring, where the coach waits between rounds.
Move on whenthe child can do the self-checks on b1, b2, b5 and b7 and a club offers coached sessions.
Intermediate4 cards · show· hideAll the punches, combinations, moving round the ring, the four distances (long, middle, short and close-in) and, where the club and the rules allow, controlled technical work. All of this is at a club with a licensed coach.
Advanced1 cards · show· hideFast, varied combinations, quick defence, controlling the ring, fight plans, and treating any head injury as a hard limit. Medical and concussion topics are named in the syllabus, with no detail read. Parents do not coach this level.
Contact, falls, weapons or heights. At home only games and knowledge; the skill is taught at a club.
You do not need to know the sport. Each card tells you where to stand, what to say and what to look at.
Pick one thing to say in a session and say only that. The first week looks messy; that is normal.
End every session on one that works.
Cards marked At a club are taught by a coach. They tell you what the
coach teaches, what is safe at home, and what to ask the club before your child joins.