Author Topic: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you  (Read 4703 times)

longtry

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Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« on: August 06, 2018, 09:22:57 AM »
Early retirement brings us the opportunity to do numerous great activities. Still, from time to time, I read on the forum lots of posts about people running out of stuffs to do, having worse health than before or getting somewhat bored with ER. Well, retirement is supposed to be fun!
For example, we can play many sports. But from what I read here, the most popular ones seem to be golf, and to smaller extents, surfing and diving. Which makes sense, because after what all those straining & exhausting corporate years have done to your health, your body may not be in the best shape to do the high contact, injury-prone sports like American football, for example.
Nevertheless, all the mentioned “ER sports” share many serious flaws, one of them being expensive and another being very location-demanding. Not to mention the harms they do to the environment: a golf course needs humongous amounts of water and care, while the water sports require very specific manufactured equipment and too much tourism can severely damage our diminishing coral reefs.
But when we give another thought about other sports, they don’t appear to fare better anyway. It’s hard to play soccer because there’ll be a need of 22 persons, or 10 at least, and the fact that everyone else is busy running in the rat race doesn’t help in assembling a team, either. The same goes with basketball, and this sport strains your knees with high jumps. Meanwhile, tennis is hard on your arm joints and quite exhausting in itself… The list goes on and on. In short, no present sport seems to qualify as the optimal one for us retirees, or for everyone for that matter.
This observation has led me on the quest to find out what a perfect sport looks like. It should be cheap – Mustachian, as the 1st requirement. It should combine the pros of other sports while avoiding their cons at the same time. It should be easily customized to accommodate any and all level of fitness, so that you can enjoy a match with everyone you care for. It should this & it should that…
Then, after some research, if there can’t be a perfect one, why shouldn’t we invent the best sport possible? That, my friends, is what I’ve been doing. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce to you: BOLUTA.

Rules
Spoiler: show
A/ Court and ball: using the badminton court, with measures as in the picture. The net height is 1.82m (with a slack in the center of no more than 3cm) for professionals, and 1.55m, though you can change it to facilitate your own best experience. The most tested & recommended height above is the same with that in badminton, so you don’t have to configure the poles at all. The competing ball is the tennis ball.

[Need help, mods! There's an image attached, but I don't know how to put it right here?]

   Singles play area is the “smaller square” (net line - singles side line - long service line for doubles - singles side line) plus 3p area, as described later. Doubles play area is the “bigger square” (net line – doubles side line – back boundary line – doubles side line).
   On each side of the court there are a 2-point area (“critical”) and a 3-point area (“sudden”). The 3p area means that if it’s hit by the ball (1st or 2nd bounce) and the player can’t throw it back, then the opposition wins that particular game. Each 3p area is chosen by the player on the opposite side, among the two smallest rectangles on the farthest parts of the court. Before a match starts, there will be a coin flipping procedure. The coin winner has the right to choose the opponent’s 3p area first or last. The other player retains the choice of which side to serve first.

B/ How to play:
1. Each player uses his/her hands (or whatever part of his body) to catch & throw the ball into the competitor’s court. If one fails to do that, or is unable to throw it back before the ball bounces twice on the ground, then the opponent wins point(s).
2. Players are allowed to change hands once.
3. There are 3 feet positions (states) in relation with the ground: not touching; one foot touched; and two feet. Throughout the time the body is in touch with the ball (i.e. from the time the hand catches the ball to the moment it is thrown), the state of a player’s feet are allowed to change once.
4. Serving:
   - Singles position: at least one foot has to touch the ground during the action. The server’s feet must be behind the 2p area. The throwing palm needs to be upward. In other words, the serve must be thrown in an upward direction, with an underarm throwing action.
   - Doubles position: at least one foot has to touch the ground during the action. The server’s feet must be behind the Doubles’ service line. (The above singles’ hand regulation does not apply)
   - Within a game, each side takes turns to serve, which means no one gets to serve twice. The winner of previous game gets to serve first in the next. The side who lost in the previous set gets to serve first in the next.
5. In case one player can’t catch the ball before it rebounds twice, the 1st & 2nd bounces of the winning throw determine the points earned. If the ball lands on the same score area then the player only wins that amount of points. If it lands on different score areas then s/he wins the sum of those points.
6. Each side needs three consecutive points to win a game. (It means if you are being led by two points, and then score one, then it’s you who are having the advantage). Whoever gets to 9 games first and have a lead of at least 2 games wins a set. A match is the best of 5 or 7 sets, based on gender, stamina or skill level.

Advantages
Spoiler: show
1. Unlike football or martial arts, Boluta is a sport without direct impacts between competing sides, therefore most injuries are avoided, as with unsportsmanlike conducts.
2. The level of exercising activities of Boluta rates from fair to quite high, which helps burn a high amount of calories and thus fulfills the need for health training. This is a big strength over chess.
3. What you need are only your hands and maybe a pair of shoes, therefore the personal equipment requirement of Boluta is minimum – so cheap when compared with expensive sets of golf clubs, for example.
4. Boluta takes advantages of existing facilities such as the courts of badminton and the balls of tennis. In other words, we don’t have to invest into infrastructure and therefore save the environment too!
5. When practicing, we can adjust the net height, the footstep regulation, the number of sets, etc… based on an individual’s health condition. Basically, the sport’s ability to customize is very high.
6. The required space is not large – actually it’s too small when compared to, say, baseball or cricket.
7. It helps develop the body’s overall muscles, especially in both of our arms. Racquet sports like ping pong, tennis only focus on one arm.
8. The ball is almost not affected by the wind, hence Boluta can be practiced outdoors, in contrast with badminton. Moreover, the shuttlecocks degrade quickly & require lots of wasted changes.
9. Boluta is very easy to habituate compared to sports that require high level of skill and accuracy, or demand a long time of practice to reach a basic standard, such as gymnastics or swimming.
10. In contrast to volleyball or basketball, the minimum required number of person for a match is only two, so it’s extremely easy to gather enough players.

Give it a try and have a feel for yourselves. I believe there are many courts around towns, and in case you want to build your own one, it’s easy enough to create a Boluta court DIY-style. About the ball, I asked a tennis boy for used ones and was given way more than enough. Bounce like a dream – many balls look like new. Just think of how many would be wasted without this Mustachian sport!
OK, don’t just read & leave it there. Go out & have fun! I’d love to hear your feedback and am more than happy to answer any questions about Boluta, how to play, etc… If you like the sport, there are some ways to help me:
- I appreciate any advice and opinions on how to improve Boluta. It’s fairly new and has room to get better.
- Spread the word! There’s no reason for others not to benefit from better health. Mind you, this scientific sport is designed to serve everybody, be they rich or poor, lazy or assiduous, old or young, man or woman, weak or strong, and post-FIRE or not…
- I don’t have very adept skills at video editing or other content-related stuffs. Therefore it’d be great if someone is kind enough to help me in creating some promotional materials for Boluta! Discussion can be here, via PM or any channels you like.
- As English is not my 1st language, there can be ambiguous expressions here & there, especially in the how-to-play section? As a result, I'd be thankful if you can suggest better paragraphs at points you see as unclear. If you help me rewrite them in native English, then all the better :)
I also wrote a set of rules for doubles play & triples play. I’m reviewing them now in order to ameliorate for best multiplayer experience, but if there’s any demand I’d happily post them too. I will also try to collect your questions (again, if any) and answers into a FAQ post. For now, here’s to your health!
« Last Edit: August 06, 2018, 09:07:52 PM by Longtry »

longtry

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2018, 09:24:57 AM »
- Reserved for possible FAQs -

longtry

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to Spartana
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2018, 09:55:13 PM »
And of course once RE you have tons of time to work out in order to get in shape to play even a physically hard sport or activity. Lots of examples of FIREd people here that got in the best shape and health of their life once they FIREd.
Spartana, what you said is true. There are many examples of people getting better after FIRE because that's the majority of the cases. Still, there's a minority we should not overlook.

Quote
From my experience being on this forum most posters and FIREd people are very physically active and have a larger number of sports and recreational activities they persue and golf seems to be far down the list. Lots of road and mountain bikers, hikers, kayakers, climbers, runners, etc. As well as people involved in competitive team sports.
It's my fault to not mention all these other sports in the OP. Bikers, hikers, and to some extent, runners mostly work their legs but not their arms, leading to uneven exercise. Maybe if they wear some weights on their hands then running could be more comprehensive, but then it still lacks the precision training & throwing exercise that Boluta delivers. Kayaking, just like mentioned water sports, requires specific equipment & is very location demanding. While climbing seems to be quite all-around, there's an inherent danger element in the sport itself.
Team sports represent yet another difficulty. I can't speak for you all, but at least for me, it looks like finding a team during working hours of normal days is nigh impossible, as everyone else is so consumed in the rat race. You can always wait until the evenings, or the weekends when people are free, but then you'll experience a kind of 'traffic jam' for sports: facility prices skyrockets, places you want to go are full because everybody is out... Not very Mustachian, eh? A catch-22 situation.
I guess my point is, yes there are many possible sports for us retirees to do, but almost none of them is optimal.

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It sounds like people throwing a tennis ball across a high volleyball or badminton net (although your drawing looks like a tennis court and low net) and the opposite team trying to catch it with their hands and then throwing it back.
You are again correct! It's the badminton court, using the default badminton net, so no head-scratching modifications are needed. For the bouncing of the ball, imagine it like in a tennis match. It touches the ground twice and someone loses that exchange. But in Boluta, you can earn as much as 5 points with that single throw!

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I can see that being either fast paced or very very slow paced depending on the speed and skill of the people involved.
Well, it is 1 of the focal points of the sport! :) What you said was essentially the ability of Boluta to cater to the fitness & skill level of players. Very good at it? You'll see a super exciting fast paced competition! Not in the best shape to run quickly? The very nature of the sport will help to slow itself down to your favorable pace.

Hikester

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2018, 02:08:43 PM »
Kind of looks like pickleball? I have to agree that most ERs are very active, myself included. Of course there are always exceptions. If you want to join more sports you could try Meetup.

GuitarStv

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2018, 02:58:57 PM »
I prefer chessboxing.


longtry

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2018, 09:01:24 AM »
Kind of looks like pickleball?
You're right, it kind of looks like that sport on a quick glance. My bad to have forgotten the majority of readers here are in the US, thus I should have used imperial units instead of SI metrics ;) OK, now 155cm equals 61in. Boluta's net has about double the height of a pickleball's.
After the 1st glance, many differences appear. Boluta uses your own hands, the other sport uses customized 1-hand rackets. In the videos I watched, players barely moved at all; while in Boluta you'll have to spend quite some calories chasing the ball. In Boluta you only have to get ahead 3 consecutive points to win a game; in pickleball you'll need to get to 21 points. I can go on & on...
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If you want to join more sports you could try Meetup.
Thank you for the advice. I have a Meetup account now, but it seems like the site hasn't been able to get a popularity in my country yet. Maybe I'll have to find other methods.
I prefer chessboxing.
You prefer chessboxing, or you prefer watching chessboxing? ;) From what I know, the sport is not popular in your place Canada. While promotional stuffs about it are all exciting & fun, in reality anyone will experience incredible discomfort whenever participating in chessboxing. Imagine the difficulties of wearing your boxing gloves, only to have to remove them 3 mins later to be able to grab a chess piece. Repeat these processes of wearing & removing a ridiculous 5 times and there you have a match. As you can't do the gloves yourselves & there must be a referee, a simple match will typically requires at least 5 people for 2 persons to punch each other... Surely that chessbox is not for everyone.

DreamFIRE

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2018, 09:23:16 AM »
while in Boluta you'll have to spend quite some calories chasing the ball.

That doesn't sound like much fun to me to be chasing after the ball.  I like more game action and less chasing after balls.

GuitarStv

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2018, 09:41:49 AM »
I prefer chessboxing.
You prefer chessboxing, or you prefer watching chessboxing? ;) From what I know, the sport is not popular in your place Canada. While promotional stuffs about it are all exciting & fun, in reality anyone will experience incredible discomfort whenever participating in chessboxing. Imagine the difficulties of wearing your boxing gloves, only to have to remove them 3 mins later to be able to grab a chess piece. Repeat these processes of wearing & removing a ridiculous 5 times and there you have a match. As you can't do the gloves yourselves & there must be a referee, a simple match will typically requires at least 5 people for 2 persons to punch each other... Surely that chessbox is not for everyone.

I haven't been able to compete in a chessboxing match, but really like the idea . . . and definitely would participate if I found a place around here that did it.

I boxed for several years.  Typical 16 oz training gloves are hook and loop closures, it takes 3-4 seconds to remove them yourself (you get good at using your teeth).  When doing pad drills with a partner, you take off your gloves and switch pads every three minutes for an hour and a half.  These gloves are regularly used in smokers, they would be more than enough for non-pro chessboxing matches.

In the same way that a referee isn't required when you're sparring with someone in a boxing gym, a ref shouldn't be required when you're chessboxing at the non-pro level.  All you really need are the timers, and a table (set up outside of the ring).


So, to tally up the costs . . . each person really just needs a mouth guard and gloves.  Maybe 70 - 80$?

:P
« Last Edit: August 10, 2018, 09:44:29 AM by GuitarStv »

longtry

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2018, 10:56:51 PM »
That doesn't sound like much fun to me to be chasing after the ball.  I like more game action and less chasing after balls.
Well, maybe I didn't express it very well, leading to your understanding of it as chasing after the ball. No, it's more like anticipating the throw's curve & move fast accordingly to successfully catch it. In a quick paced game like Boluta, if one lets the ball go past them then the chance of losing points are pretty high ;) Imagine tennis FYR.
Now come to think of it, many sports are actually consist of mostly people chasing after the ball. In soccer, the most popular of all, the majority of actions are chasing after a ball. In American football, even though you chase a player, actually it's the ball you're after. Judging by the popularity of those sports alone, I think most people are really fascinated by balls :) But to each their own.
I haven't been able to compete in a chessboxing match, but really like the idea . . . and definitely would participate if I found a place around here that did it.
I boxed for several years.  Typical 16 oz training gloves are hook and loop closures, it takes 3-4 seconds to remove them yourself (you get good at using your teeth).  When doing pad drills with a partner, you take off your gloves and switch pads every three minutes for an hour and a half.  These gloves are regularly used in smokers, they would be more than enough for non-pro chessboxing matches.
In the same way that a referee isn't required when you're sparring with someone in a boxing gym, a ref shouldn't be required when you're chessboxing at the non-pro level.  All you really need are the timers, and a table (set up outside of the ring).
So, to tally up the costs . . . each person really just needs a mouth guard and gloves.  Maybe 70 - 80$?
:P
Well, there are some insightful observation of the gloves you have. Still, $80 is a significant amount in my country. Besides, it'd be a little adventurous when there're only 2 persons sparring with each other. What if - no, not if, what when one gets knocked out? There should always be at least a medical personnel out there.

DreamFIRE

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #9 on: August 10, 2018, 11:10:52 PM »
Imagine tennis FYR.

In American football, even though you chase a player, actually it's the ball you're after.

Over my life of playing football  when I was young and many years watching, I've never heard anyone describe the sport as "chasing after balls".   But that's what I felt like I was doing when playing tennis - not fun.

The Pickleball sport - I've played that once many years ago - it was pretty fun.

Badminton is fun but very sensitive to wind.  I bought the cork shuttlecocks, not with real feathers, and they last a long time.
« Last Edit: August 10, 2018, 11:12:46 PM by DreamFIRE »

GuitarStv

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #10 on: August 11, 2018, 01:46:24 PM »
Well, there are some insightful observation of the gloves you have. Still, $80 is a significant amount in my country. Besides, it'd be a little adventurous when there're only 2 persons sparring with each other. What if - no, not if, what when one gets knocked out? There should always be at least a medical personnel out there.

In a good boxing gym people will look out for their sparring partners, and respect their level of skill.  Knockouts happen, but they're not common while you're sparring (you hit your partner with bad intentions, and word gets out.  There's almost always someone of greater skill willing to give you a lesson why the sparring relationship should be respectful.  :P ). You'll get tagged, occasionally tagged hard (which means you get a pretty bad headache), but people don't lean into hits the way you do in a real fight.

FWIW, I've been knocked out playing road hockey, knocked out twice playing soccer, and never been knocked out boxing.

longtry

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #11 on: August 12, 2018, 08:08:28 AM »
Badminton is fun but very sensitive to wind.  I bought the cork shuttlecocks, not with real feathers, and they last a long time.
Now that's another advantage of Boluta :) Using the same court but now you can practice any place where the sun shines! Being confined to closed facility is a con for badminton, and even when you use cork shuttlecocks, their lifespan still can't compare with a simple tennis ball.
Knockouts happen, but they're not common while you're sparring (you hit your partner with bad intentions, and word gets out.  There's almost always someone of greater skill willing to give you a lesson why the sparring relationship should be respectful.  :P ). You'll get tagged, occasionally tagged hard (which means you get a pretty bad headache), but people don't lean into hits the way you do in a real fight.
We can both agree on the point that the original & ultimate goal of boxing is to put your opponent down on his back, unconscious. Practice sparring is great in & of itself for all the benefits it brings, but it's kind of the 'side effects' of boxing, right? Besides, I've talked to some women about this sport, and most if not all of them don't approve of boxing. It's not a surprise, since being feminine doesn't agree with punching people in the face. Maybe it's too aggressive when compared with a sport designed for everyone like Boluta, for example?

GuitarStv

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2018, 09:31:24 AM »
Boxing is a martial art.  Like any martial art, you can take out of it what you want.  Strength/endurance improvement, weight loss, self-defense, competition, camaraderie, improved confidence, mental resilience, control of emotions during trying times, etc.  The 'ultimate goal' of boxing is no more knocking someone out than the 'ultimate goal' of Boluta is to waste time until you die.

I'd hazard a guess that (for a variety of largely culturally enforced reasons) many women are rather ignorant regarding boxing, which accounts for much of the disapproval you're seeing.

I also completely disagree with your assertion that femininity somehow prevents a woman from boxing.  Women aren't all little delicate little flowers.  While there is a degree of mental toughness necessary to box, women are certainly capable of it . . . and are able to enjoy the sport while still remaining feminine.

MrThatsDifferent

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2018, 12:12:32 AM »
Good luck trying to take tennis out of my hands. I’ve played with people in their 70s, great sport. It’s social, egalitarian, men and women can play together and no matter what level you’re at, there are people at your level. Also, it’s international and can be played indoors and outdoors. Easy to play without straining anything and if you do doubles, you reduce the amount of running. Can be free if you find free courts but generally not that expensive and you can split a court for doubles in 4.

longtry

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2018, 06:23:07 AM »
Boxing is a martial art.  Like any martial art, you can take out of it what you want.  Strength/endurance improvement, weight loss, self-defense, competition, camaraderie, improved confidence, mental resilience, control of emotions during trying times, etc.
Yep, you're correct about all these great things. As you can see, I agree with you in the last post about the positive effects. Still, they don't contrast with the point that those benefits are side effects of practicing the sport.
It's not a coincidence that all the boxing ads on TV are about brutal knockouts, people lying on the floor & similar stuffs. There's almost no programs which focus on the boxing gym environment where fighters are all nice & camaraderie-ry, instead they opt to show two opponents with the look like they're going to kill each other & displaying intimidating gestures during pre-match... What I'm trying to say is, even as I agree with you (indeed I do), the majority of people in general see boxing's purpose is to punch the hell out of your bloody opponent.
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I also completely disagree with your assertion that femininity somehow prevents a woman from boxing.  Women aren't all little delicate little flowers.  While there is a degree of mental toughness necessary to box, women are certainly capable of it . . . and are able to enjoy the sport while still remaining feminine.
Again, I was not good with the words. I didn't mean women are 'prevented' from boxing at all! Well, just that I've read that 1 defining characteristic of being feminine is to yearn for connections, for relationships... And trying to land punches on an opponent doesn't help - or maybe it kind of does, in the sense that your punch 'connects'? ;)

Good luck trying to take tennis out of my hands. I’ve played with people in their 70s, great sport. It’s social, egalitarian, men and women can play together and no matter what level you’re at, there are people at your level. Also, it’s international and can be played indoors and outdoors. Easy to play without straining anything and if you do doubles, you reduce the amount of running. Can be free if you find free courts but generally not that expensive and you can split a court for doubles in 4.
This one is such an interesting challenge! OK, let me try.
You're right about the opportunity to split a court fee 4-way. Now Boluta can do it too :) In fact, it can even be shared in 6, because there are triple play modes in Boluta! Not to mention a badminton court is evidently cheaper than a tennis court.
The cost problem can be quite a nation-related one. In the US, your living standard is so high it's even possible to find free courts, as you mentioned. However, in my country, tennis is still an aristocratic sport. A high quality, competition-level pair of rackets can almost double an average person's yearly income. So yes, when calculating the cost we can't use just the court fee & overlook the equipment. This is where Boluta shines - what is the cost when you use your hands to play? Zero.
The straining is a part where I have to disagree a little with you. Unless you meant otherwise, but body-wise, I've seen many people experience serious pains from strained elbows. Other arm and hand related injuries are common. It's only logical, since the racket itself is quite heavy, and when you return a ball, you're also suffering from the strong force your opponent is inflicting on it. The tennis racket is designed to "counter" - I don't know the precise way to describe it, but think of a baseball bat, or an explosion, for example. At the moment of contact, there's a shock, a spike in the force you have to endure. Not good.
Now think of how Boluta play. The ball can hardly get to an uncomfortably high speed (and force) like in tennis, because it was thrown, not smashed. When it comes to you, would you have to suffer a spike in force to return the ball? No, because you're again using hands. The human hands are capable of the finest movements in the animal kingdom. Just like when you bend your knees after a high jump, or lower your hands when catching a heavy object, your hands can move alongside the curve of the ball to smoothly catch the movement. Your friends in the 70s will appreciate Boluta's side effect of working the fine motor skill muscle of their hands - something a sweaty hard grip of tennis can never achieve.
Well, I have some more points, but I'd love to hear from you :)

GuitarStv

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2018, 07:48:03 AM »
Boxing is a martial art.  Like any martial art, you can take out of it what you want.  Strength/endurance improvement, weight loss, self-defense, competition, camaraderie, improved confidence, mental resilience, control of emotions during trying times, etc.
Yep, you're correct about all these great things. As you can see, I agree with you in the last post about the positive effects. Still, they don't contrast with the point that those benefits are side effects of practicing the sport.
It's not a coincidence that all the boxing ads on TV are about brutal knockouts, people lying on the floor & similar stuffs. There's almost no programs which focus on the boxing gym environment where fighters are all nice & camaraderie-ry, instead they opt to show two opponents with the look like they're going to kill each other & displaying intimidating gestures during pre-match... What I'm trying to say is, even as I agree with you (indeed I do), the majority of people in general see boxing's purpose is to punch the hell out of your bloody opponent.

Did you know that cooking isn't all about high pressure situations, swearing, and eliminating one chef after every meal?  Yet, if all that you watched was TV . . . that's the impression that you would get.  Television isn't a very accurate portrayal of an awful lot of things.  If the majority of people misunderstand something, then I'd argue it's better to inform them of the truth rather than pander to their ignorance.


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I also completely disagree with your assertion that femininity somehow prevents a woman from boxing.  Women aren't all little delicate little flowers.  While there is a degree of mental toughness necessary to box, women are certainly capable of it . . . and are able to enjoy the sport while still remaining feminine.
Again, I was not good with the words. I didn't mean women are 'prevented' from boxing at all! Well, just that I've read that 1 defining characteristic of being feminine is to yearn for connections, for relationships... And trying to land punches on an opponent doesn't help - or maybe it kind of does, in the sense that your punch 'connects'? ;)

You get to know the people you box with pretty well.  An awful lot of the time you are going to be cooperating with them (usually in pairs) while doing footwork, focus pad, heavy bag, speed bag, and mock sparring drills.  You're all going to be suffering together during the very difficult conditioning classes.  Even when you're participating in a fight, there's a tremendous sense of connection with those around you  . . . because someone from your gym is acting as your cut man, someone is acting as your coach, someone is helping to psyche you up before the fight, and you're going to the match as a team.  If you're interested in connections and relationships that can last a lifetime, I'd argue that boxing is not significantly different than any other contact sport.

flyingaway

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #16 on: August 14, 2018, 08:32:13 AM »
Any activities require other people's participation is a problem. So I like to go to casinos to play with slot machines.

PoutineLover

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #17 on: August 14, 2018, 09:47:33 AM »
Just to chime in as a woman who has done wrestling and some muay Thai, we aren't all scared of martial arts and physical contact. Wrestling in real life is nothing like tv, and the goal isn't to hurt the other person. Really, if you hurt them you are doing it wrong, the most dangerous opponents are the ones who can't execute moves safely. In fact, plenty of women get satisfaction from sports like that because we appreciate the self defense aspect and the development of physical strength. Tbh, boluta sounds like tennis without the racket, which ends up being like catch with a net. Doesn't really interest me.

longtry

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Re: Boluta – a new Mustachian sport for you
« Reply #18 on: August 15, 2018, 09:01:56 AM »
Even when you're participating in a fight, there's a tremendous sense of connection with those around you  . . . because someone from your gym is acting as your cut man, someone is acting as your coach, someone is helping to psyche you up before the fight
Yep, you made a clear cut with the connection issue. But see, you'll need at least 3 more people to prep for a fight. Maybe they're not fitted to box, quite likely they love their roles around the ring. I guess each sport is designed with distinct method & purpose, and Boluta follows the egalitarian way that MrThatsDifferent pointed out. Which means everyone can join the fun.
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If the majority of people misunderstand something, then I'd argue it's better to inform them of the truth rather than pander to their ignorance.
Great point!! I definitely, absolutely can't agree more! I'll try to do exactly that.

Any activities require other people's participation is a problem. So I like to go to casinos to play with slot machines.
Isn't that a little bit of a half-glass-empty view? :) And of course, you're entitled to spend your FIRE money any way you like, but it can't hurt to have 1 more good options to choose, right? ;)

Really, if you hurt them you are doing it wrong, the most dangerous opponents are the ones who can't execute moves safely. In fact, plenty of women get satisfaction from sports like that because we appreciate the self defense aspect and the development of physical strength.
What you said is true in that plenty of women do get satisfaction from those mentioned martial arts. Still, plenty doesn't mean the majority of women. Furthermore, only masters of a specific martial art can execute martial moves really safely. In my country, many people can tell a case about a Olympic-medal-worthy wrestler who lost his life when training with his colleagues in the national team. His neck broke, and he spent several months in coma before passing away.
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Tbh, boluta sounds like catch with a net. Doesn't really interest me.
Imitating GuitarStv's line of argument, I can say that muay Thai is like punch with a glove, and wrestling is like throwing with some clothes. Come to think of it, every sport can be summarized in a silly phrase like that. Golf? Swing with a club. Badminton? Smash with a racket. Soccer? Kick with a ball... You're skipping many great features when you're not trying them and overgeneralize things instead.

 

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