Bruised/broken ribs

[Meguro]

Having had my share of bruised and broken ribs over years of training-never got hurt competing- I'm always impressed by guys taking tremendous shots to their ribs (hook to body, round kick, knees) and continue fighting till the end. How do they do it? How do you do it?

Obviously it helps to have good D, but eventually there's a opening in your defense and a punch or kick gets through. My ribs seem to have the consistencey of dry crackers, could be the age thing. One good shot and I'm sidelined for weeks, this routine is getting old, literally. Other guys, maybe you are among them, can consistently take a beating with no breaks.

I can't do anything about age or genetics, but if it's about conditioning or breathing or something else, I'd like to know.

[Justfulwardog]

I took a good knee strike to the ribs in competition. It didn't hurt much at the time because I used the breathing technique of exhaling right at the point of impact. About 20 min. after the fight was over, the adrenaline wore off and I all of a suden I could not take full breathes. I could only breath in half way, and out half way, but the adrenaline got me well through the fight.

I credit that breathing technique as well, without it he surely would have knocked the wind out of me, and probably broke my ribs.