Development of a modified form of boxing focused on participant safety and enjoyment

Paul Perkins & Allan Hahn

April 2015

Between 1890 and 2007, at least

1,216 boxers (923 professional, 293 amateurs)

died from acute injuries particularly to the head and neck

In additionrepeated head impacts can cause

anatomical changes to the brain (chronic traumatic encephalopathy)

with associated neurological dysfunction & behavioural problems

Why? Because Conventional Boxing is dangerous!

Additional Concerns

Central issue:

Intent to harm the opponent

Standing Committee on Recreation and Sport, 2011

Boxing-related are activities are popular for fitness and complex skill development

Almost 207,000 Australians regularly take part in such activities

The Other Side of the Coin

Is it possible to conceive of a form of boxing that removes the negative elements but retains the positives?

Box’Tag - a modified form of boxing developed in Australia

Head and neck excluded from target area (which is designated by white sections of vests in photograph below)

But participants still wear head guards and mouthguards as protection against any accidentally misdirected impacts

Rules also prohibit excessive punch force

2 4 6 8 10 12 140

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Punch velocity (m.sec-1)

Impa

ct fo

rce

(New

tons

)

12oz glove16oz glovePrototype low-impact glove

Effect of glove type on impact force

Low-impact gloves have been introduced

The gloves incorporate bladders to buffer

impact forces

Transceiver sends data by Bluetooth to ringside computer where dedicated software package (Spartan) applies an algorithm to determine if a point should be registered

Automated Scoring Technology

Instrumented vestwith sensor stripes

TransceiverGlove with attached conductive material

Ringside computer (& operator) Real-time display of scores

Mobile Phone Scoring Technology

Spectators can vote on contests via simple mobile phone messages

This promotes audience involvement and provides an alternative scoring method for clubs without resources to acquire fully instrumented equipment

The two different scoring methods can be used simultaneously

Who won?Red Blue

1 2

MarginSlight Small Moderate Large Extreme

2 3 4 5 1

ContestQuality

Very Poor Average Outstanding

99 01

Round 1

50

Send message to: 0475 453 774

Contest quality to be rated in percentage terms

Elapsed Break Time: O:14

Mobile phone scoring method

Name of Club

Josh vs LennyClock

0:25Round 2

Superinteractive

Score at endRound 1 14 12

Mobile phone scoring method

Name of Club

Josh vs Lenny

Round 1 14 12Round 2 13 11Round 3 12 14

Total 39 37

Bout Quality Rating: 63%

Final Result:

Superinteractive

boxtag

Mobile phone scoring method

The mobile phone scoring technology can be used in ‘Quality only’ mode(where audience votes on technical quality of contest rather selecting a winner)

This promotes teamwork between participants in a contest and a joint focus on technical excellence

It is ideal for contests between juniors

The automated scoring technology can be used in ‘countdown’ mode where each contestant is allocated a starting number of points and required to defend them. Handicapping

of contestants is therefore possible.

Scoring Options

The software therefore allows implementation of various new competition models

Specialised game-based activities have been developed for building Box’Tag skills and fitness

On-line resources have been established for Box’Tag coaches and athletes

and peer-reviewed research papers have been published

Inclusive Participation Model

Box’Tag aims to cater for broad, sustained participation – not gradual whittling down of participation in a search for champions

It seeks to be a vehicle for incidental education of participants, development of a thirst for learning and building of community spirit

Box’Tag is about

Sport for Development rather than Development for Sport

Safety

Prof John Pearn, a prominent Australian medical specialist who opposes conventional boxing, has attended several Box’Tag competitions and has provided his full endorsement

Other prominent advocates for Box’Tag include the Queensland Chief Scientist and former Chief Executive Officer of CSIRO Dr Geoff Garrett and former Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Sports Commission, Mr Jim Ferguson

Dr Geoff Garrett Mr Jim Ferguson

Physical Intensity

The low risk of injury in Box’Tag encourages considerable engagement, placing high physiological loads on contestants

Heart rates measured during Box’Tag contests have been close to maximum age-predicted values and blood lactate levels have been similar to those

reported for conventional boxing.

Box’Tag is a physically demanding activity that requires focus on fitness development

Skill Development

• much earlier age of uptake• more adventurous exploration of tactical

approaches• higher frequency of sparring and competition• greater longevity of participation

Former AIS and Australian boxing coach Paul Perkins, who now runs the Canberra Box’Tag

program

Skill Acquisition specialist Ric Shuttleworth, who has taken

an interest in Box’Tag development

This favours high-level skill development

Coaches and Motor Skill Acquisition specialists have noted that the relative safety of Box’Tag enables:

Many of the skills are potentially transferable to other sports

A Box’Tag program has been running in Sydney since 2006.More recently, exemplar programs been established also in Canberra,

Melbourne and the NSW Coastal town of Ulladulla.

Where does Box’Tag currently exist?

Group of coaches at Sydney Box’Tag facilityBox’Tag ring at Canberra

Police Community Youth Club

The Sydney and Canberra programs are the largest

Demonstrations of Box’Tag are being provided at numerous locations in eastern Australia

Who is taking part in Box’Tag?

Over the past 9 years hundreds of people have participated

About ¼ of participants are female

Participants vary greatly in age, socio-economic background and cultural heritage

Queensland Pilot Project 2011

Box’Tag training program made available to Year 7 students at large primary school in disadvantaged locality

• 35 % of all eligible Year 7 students nominated for the 8-week program (which involved committing three lunchtimes per week).

• 47 of the 51 volunteers completed the program (with average attendance rate of 70%) and showed significant increase in aerobic fitness

• Teachers reported that some students showed marked improvement in classroom and school ground behaviour

• There were no injuries resulting from participation in the program (but 7 students missed sessions due to injuries sustained in other sports and physical activities)

Summary

• maximises safety

• removes any intent to harm the opponent

• overcomes essentially all objections to conventional boxing

• provides an excellent means for fitness and skill development

• is highly inclusive

• caters for individual needs while having a community orientation

• offers novel approaches to training and competition

• is suitable for implementation in clubs, schools and universities

• gives the sport of boxing an entirely new dimension

Box’Tag is a modified form of boxing that:

Its potential for further uptake merits exploration