Martial arts have influenced popular culture and spread to gyms, schools and sports centres throughout the world. So much so that most of us will have probably tried at least one of these martial arts at some stage of our lives. 

If your answer to that is in the affirmative, then you are about to stir the hornet’s nest.

Boxing is a sport that has been popular throughout the ages; it’s also excellent exercise. Despite a common misperception, boxing is not the rough and ready pursuit it might appear to be. In fact, it is a highly skilled and disciplined sport that needs training and dedication. Popular with women these days as well as men, it may have fallen out of fashion somewhat in the late 20th century, but nowadays is very much in vogue. 

One of the most common questions about martial arts training is whether the techniques work in real situations such as street fights. The answer isn't simple, and it depends on several factors.