Boxing is the most popular combat sport in the world, and with that comes a whole lot of competition. Every year thousands upon thousands of students lace up for their first fight. And unfortunately, most end up as cannon fodder. It’s a problem, and we’re actively trying to combat that with the HAMMER method, which you’ll learn about here.

The reality is you won’t get far without a solid plan. (Unless you’re a freak of nature with unbelievable endurance, one-punch KO power and a granite chin… in which case, why are you even reading this?) And it’s not really easy to come up with a plan if you don’t have any experience.

You’re in luck! The best thing about TFC is that you get coaches with a lot of practical experience, and they’re eager to share. They’ve come up with a proven method to make your time in the ring a roaring success. 

(And yes, this method can even help you deal with superhuman freaks of nature if you come across them!)

Without further ado, here is the TFC’s proven-and-tested HAMMER method that’ll set you up for success!

 

• The HAMMER method

  “..Our proven HAMMER method puts as many of the factors for success in your favour as possible.”

  Have you ever heard of the analogy of the hammer and the nail? If not, let me get you up to speed. We use the term hammer for the person dominating a fight and nail for the opponent. Our proven HAMMER method puts as many factors for success in your favour as possible.

  You can only ever say you know how to win a boxing match if you’re prepared for any scenario… especially tricky ones. If you get into enough bouts, you’ll eventually find yourself in a tricky situation. However, we can avoid them 99% of the time with proper preparation. And for that, you need a good plan. The HAMMER method is that plan. Let’s get into it.

• 1 Habits

  “..There is no avoiding it. To become a formidable opponent, there must be sacrifices.”

  Changes are needed to bring your potential to the surface. And the first thing that you can change is your habits. Remove unhealthy habits and replace them with winning habits champions build. Good habits lay the groundwork for a successful career, whether about eating, training, or rest.

  Does it mean you’ll never get a chance to eat pizza again? Of course not! In fact, you’ll be surprised how much better that pizza tastes when you’ve just come off a victory. Talk about a flavour enhancer! 

  Anyway, here are some habits you want to add (and some to remove) from your life if you’re serious about competing.

  Training

  If you want to get good at boxing, then you need to box regularly. Getting into the gym three days a week is an absolute minimum. Going five days a week is ideal.

  You don’t have to spend hours upon hours every day. An hour a day should be enough time to get your sweat on and get your heart pumping. 

  Don’t have the time? MAKE the time. 

  This is how to win a boxing match. You pay for success with sweat, and you won’t find a magic pill that’ll win you fights. 

  Conscious consumption

  Ever heard of that saying “your body is your temple”? Cheesy it may be, but it is a factual statement. What you consume, you become. 

  That doesn’t just mean food. It also means media. Become more conscious about what you are taking into your body and mind. Is it going to make you a better boxer? Is it helping your winning mindset? If not, start weaning yourself off it. Baby steps lead to massive growth.

  Studying

  Becoming a student of the game will make you a better boxer—no doubt about it. Watch different styles, experiment with them ins sparring, and make them your own. That is how you develop your unique style, and it is a step toward how to win a boxing match. 

  Eliminate toxicity

  Don’t stay where you deteriorate. Your surroundings have a significant impact on your fight condition. Stay away from places that hurt your peace. Stay away from people who sap your motivation and steer you towards things you shouldn’t be doing. Finally, don’t consume toxic substances like alcohol.

  Don’t get us wrong. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying yourself. But keep in mind that alcohol affects physical performance. So if you’re slated to fight, best keep the drinks for a post-fight celebration instead. 

• 2 Address your gaps

  “Developing your natural strengths and techniques that work for you is important, but so is addressing your openings.”

  When a boxer notices what they’re good at, they focus exclusively on those areas. This may not be a problem in your first boxing fight, but let’s get real. You wouldn’t go head to head against an opponent with their specialty. Instead, you’ll find their gaps and exploit them. And that’s exactly what they’ll do to you too.

  As you rise through the ranks, your opponents will get smarter. More well-rounded fighters will start picking you apart. So go ahead, develop your strengths and techniques, but also make sure to address holes in your style.

  Your technique will most have more holes than swiss cheese when you’re starting out. Don’t take on all of them at once. Find which gaps are most apparent. What’s causing you the most problems? Focus on that one first, then make your way down the list.

• 4 Mindset matters

  “..a person with a champion mindset does everything within their ability to become the best boxer they can possibly be.”

  You may not want to become a champion, but if you carry a champion mindset, you’ll significantly up your game. The mind plays a huge part in winning a boxing match. 

  After all, your mindset has a knock-on effect on the decisions you make in your life. Will you go to the gym to train? Spend an extra hour for your cardio? Or save training for later after you do some Netflix, or maybe train tomorrow instead? 

  Your mindset influences all the little things you do in your day-to-day. That said, the right mindset will steer you in the direction of being a real threat in the ring and disciplined outside it.

• 5 Be mindful

  “..a more mindful boxer is a far greater threat.”

   

  You’ve probably once thought that mindfulness is just for monks and hipsters. You couldn’t be any more wrong. In fact, a more mindful boxer is a far greater threat. 

  Wait, how is mindfulness going to help your game? Before we get into that, what’s mindfulness, anyway? 

  Mindfulness is any activity that can bring us into a state of being mindful. Simply put, this means being in the present moment.

  Most of us spend the vast majority of our time admittedly not in the present. We either worry about the future, understandably, or get caught up in the past. 

  Both states leave us less able to deal with the present moment at our best, and they’re also taxing on your system. 

  Being mindful will let you live up to your potential in the ring. You’ll see shots you may not have evaded before and opportunities you may have missed. 

• 6 Evade

  “It is worth 10x more to land a shot without getting hit than simply land a shot.”

  Contrary to popular belief, boxing isn’t all about hitting your opponent. That one track mindset will set you up for a lot of pain–unnecessary pain. 

  It is worth 10x more to land a shot without getting hit than simply land a shot. You’ll see it time and time again: one boxer overreaches in a desperate attempt to land the KO blow. They get caught with their defence down, and the counter puts them to sleep. 

  Your chin can only take so much damage before you become ‘chinny’. (For the uninitiated, you get more susceptible to being on the receiving end of a knockout). Not to mention, the long-term damage of repetitive impact to the head isn’t anything to scoff at either.

  Learn to be evasive to avoid getting hit. Head movement and footwork are essential to set up and evade shots. Be that impossible puzzle that your opponent is trying to figure out. And while they are trying to figure you out, make them pay. This is how to win a boxing match like a pro. 

• 7 Rest

  “..One of the most important realisations to make as a boxer is that your training is equally as important as rest.”

  Winning a boxing match isn’t all about throwing that picture-perfect KO punch. You can do everything else right, but if you aren’t getting rest, you might as well not be putting in all that effort. 

  Rest really is that critical to your success. When you sleep, your body recovers from the wear and tear of the day’s activities. So not only does it prevent injuries, it resets your body to its best state to function. 

  One of the most important realisations to make as a boxer is that your training is equally as important as the rest. 

  Many boxers will make it to training because they love it and can’t get enough. Some may even forgo rest to train. Then they generally feel that they’re not in their best state, so they use stimulants to power up. 

  The truth is if you get enough rest and nutrition, you’ll be energised enough to power through your workout. You wouldn’t need stimulants. 

  So, how often do you need to rest? Ideally, you should get 1-2 days of rest for a week of moderate to high-intensity workouts. There are also days when you should rest outside of your usual, such as when you’re feeling sick or more tired than usual.