Boxing helmet

The first boxing helmets appeared, in fact, many centuries ago, when fist boxing was born, as the forerunner of modern boxing. However, in amateur boxing, the use of helmets became mandatory only since 1986. Most of the world boxing federations in 1986 came to the conclusion that it is necessary to use a boxing helmet in order to maintain the health of the athlete. The reason that the protective helmet did not take root in amateur boxing was mainly the assertion of many professionals that boxing would become less spectacular from this. In addition, there were boxers who claimed that the helmet made breathing difficult and generally prevented from moving around the ring. However, since the second half of the eighties of the twentieth century, the boxing helmet has firmly taken its place in the boxer's gear along with gloves and other accessories.

In 2013, the AIBA Federation decided to abolish boxing helmets. The official reason was the reduction in the risk of injury, which is allegedly associated with the presence of helmets ^[2] . In the AIBA application, it was written that the presence of a helmet increases the number of injuries and shaking of the head, since in a helmet boxers are more likely to miss shots, and without helmets they will think more about protection. If we talk about unofficial reasons, then they became the desire to increase the entertainment of amateur boxing, from which the average viewer turned away. The cancellation of helmets immediately led to an increase in cuts from blows and from a clash of heads, as well as to early victories in view of the missed heavy blows. Amateur boxing has become more spectacular. Now the combat competitive boxing helmet is used only in competitions of juniors and youths. In adult competitions, a helmet is not used. However, in training, both amateurs and professionals always use helmets. These are closed helmets that give maximum protection to the head.

Boxing helmets differ from each other in priority places of protection of parts of the face and head of the athlete. Five types of boxing helmets are produced that provide various degrees of protection:

1. Open boxing helmet - used to protect the forehead, ears and temples.
2. Boxing helmet with enhanced protection - in certain places of such a helmet there are softening rings.
3. Boxing helmet with a top - protects the top of the athlete from hitting from above.
4. Boxing helmet with closed cheeks and chin - protects the boxer's nose and jaw from side impacts.
5. Boxing helmet with a metal arc - protects the entire face of the athlete.

Back in the late twentieth century, boxing helmets were made of genuine leather and stuffed with natural horsehair. However, in our time, manufacturers often go along the path of cheaper production and use genuine leather only for the inner layer of a boxing helmet, using either leather substitute, or suede, or synthetic materials in general. Foam materials — foam rubber , polyethylene foam and others — are increasingly used for stuffing helmets.

The emollient ability of one or another boxing helmet depends on its ergonomics, and first of all, on the properties and thickness of the materials of which this helmet is made. In addition, the life of the boxing helmet also depends on the density and thickness of these materials. But the thickness of the helmet has a significant drawback, which lies in its greater weight. Modern helmets are made of lightweight high-tech materials, but these helmets are much more expensive.

Training boxing helmets have more protection, while combat helmets are open-type helmets.

The sizes of boxing helmets are standard: XL, M and S, which corresponds to domestic 58, 54-58 and 50-54 sizes.

Most of the most famous manufacturers of boxing helmets are world famous brands. Adidas , known not only as a manufacturer of sportswear and shoes, but also equipment, including for boxing. Adidas boxing gear is certified by AIBA, the Boxing Federation. Today, all Olympic boxers are only Adidas outfits.

The most popular brand of boxing equipment is the Everlast brand. The most famous and oldest boxing ammunition manufacturing company. The first helmet manufactured by this company was designed more than a hundred years ago. Today, under the Everlast brand, various items of boxing and other sports equipment are produced.

Boxing helmets manufactured by companies such as Green Hill, Danata Star, Title, Twins, Viking Sport, Cleto Reyes Cleto Reyes and many others are also known and popular. . The most prestigious brand of training equipment is the Japanese brand Winning. In this equipment, super boxing stars, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Saul Alvarez and many others train.

• Dau, Nathan, et al. Effectiveness of boxing headgear for limiting injury . // Annual Conference of the American Society of Biomechanics. Blacksburg, VA. 2006. (English)
• Adam J. Bartsch, Edward C. Benzel, Vincent J. Miele, Douglas R. Morr, Vikas Prakash Boxing and mixed martial arts: preliminary traumatic neuromechanical injury risk analyses from laboratory impact measurement data: Laboratory investigation . // Journal of neurosurgery 116.5 (2012): 1070-1080. (eng.)
• Schmid L., Hájek E., Votipka F., Teprik O., Blonstein JL Experiences with headgear in boxing. // Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness 8.3 (1968): 171-176. (eng.)
• McIntosh, Andrew S., Declan A. Patton. Boxing headguard performance in punch machine tests . // British journal of sports medicine 49.17 (2015): 1108-1112. (eng.)