How well you can take a punch significantly affects how much success you enjoy inside the ring as a boxer.
Boxing is about learning how to hit without getting hit, and no one encompasses that philosophy more than Floyd Mayweather. However, even Mayweather was caught with some vicious punches during his career that would have left lesser men unconscious.
The best example of Mayweather’s iron chin would be his fight against “Sugar” Shane Mosley. Mosley landed a nasty right hook on Mayweather during the second round of their showdown, almost dropping him to his knees. Mayweather took the impact well, took a round off to recover, and went on to dominate Mosley for the rest of the night.
Most people credit Mayweather’s technical boxing abilities for his many accomplishments inside the ring, but his iron chin played a crucial role throughout his career. That’s the moral of the story: even the best boxers get caught occasionally, so you need to know how to take a punch.
How To Strengthen Your Chin
Some fighters seem to be able to take harder punches than others naturally, and we simply don’t know why that is so. What we do know is that knockouts are caused by the brain being swished around the skull by a blow to the head.
The most effective way to reduce how much your brain swishes around your skull when punched is by strengthening your neck. Generally speaking, the stronger your neck is, the less your head moves when you take a punch. That’s the key to having a “strong chin.”
However, you want to focus on the correct muscles in your neck, not just any muscle there. Your deep anterior muscles make up 70 percent of your neck muscles and directly support your chin. The stronger these muscle tissues are, the better you’ll be able to absorb the impact of a punch.
Here are ten exercises that help to strengthen these muscles:
1) Seated Front Head Raise
This is a great exercise to start with because it’s relatively easy to do. Sit up straight in a chair to get into the starting position with your feet flat on the floor while your hands rest in your lap. Slowly raise your chin until you feel a stretch in the front of your neck. Hold this position for five seconds before reverting to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 10 times.
2) Seated Side Head Raise
This exercise is similar to the first one, but instead of raising your chin straight up, you’ll raise it to the side. Again, start by sitting up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your hands resting in your lap. Raise your chin slowly to the side until you feel a stretch in the side of your neck. Hold this point for five to ten seconds before returning to the starting position. Aim for about ten reps to complete a set.
3) Seated Head Rotation
This is another easy drill that you can do from a seated position. Start by sitting up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your hands resting in your lap. Slowly turn your head to the left as far as your flexibility allows without moving your shoulders. Maintain the position for five to ten seconds before returning to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 10 times on each side.
4) Seated Head Tilt
This exercise is similar to the previous one, but instead of turning your head from side to side, you’ll tilt it forward and back. Start by sitting up in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your hands resting in your lap. Slowly bend your head forward until you feel a stretch in the rear of your neck. Maintain this position for ten seconds before returning to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 10 times.
5) Seated Head Nods
This is another exercise that you can perform from a seated position. Sit up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your hands resting in your lap. Slowly nod your head up and down, keeping your chin level with the ground throughout the movement. Repeat this exercise 10 to 20 times.
6) Neck Extensions
This is an excellent drill for strengthening the deep muscles in your neck. Start by lying on your back on a flat surface with your arms at your sides. Slowly raise your head off the ground until you feel a stretch in the front of your neck. Keep the position for ten seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 20 times.
7) Neck Curls
This is another excellent exercise for strengthening the deep muscles in your neck. Start by lying on your back on a flat surface with your arms at your sides and a small towel rolled up and placed under your head. Slowly curl your head up off the ground, using the towel for support if necessary until you feel a stretch behind your neck. Hold this position for ten seconds before returning to the starting position. Aim for ten reps to complete a set.
8) Neck Side Bends
This exercise strengthens the muscles on the sides of your neck. Start by standing up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Slowly angle your head to the right until you feel a stretch in the left side of your neck. Keep this position for ten seconds before returning to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 10 times on each side.
9) Neck Strap With Weights
This is a great exercise for really challenging your neck muscles. Start by attaching a neck strap to a weight machine or dumbbell. Place the strap around your neck and adjust the weight, so it’s comfortable but challenging. Slowly tilt your head back, using the weight for resistance, until you feel a stretch in the front of your neck. Hold this position for ten seconds, then return to the starting position. Aim for ten reps.
10) Modified Bridges
This is an excellent exercise for strengthening your neck, chin, and jaw muscles. Start by lying on your back on a flat surface with your feet flat on the floor and your arms at your sides. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground. Slowly lift your hips off the ground, keeping your legs straight. Keep the back of your head on the ground, so your weight falls on it. Hold this position for ten seconds before going back to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 10 times.
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