What makes an IRON CHIN?-A Physiological analysis

First off, a fighter is either born with a great chin or he is not. Due to specific physiological factors, which I will discuss in a moment, some boxers are simply able to absorb head shots better than others

Firstly, these are the Genetic factors-these things cannot be changed, a fighter either has them or he doesnt

Genetic Factors

1. Skull density-A fighter with more thickly built skull, of greater bone thickness and density, will be better able to absorb head punches, as the bone will absorb more of the impact.

2. Ability to maintain Intracranial Pressure-This is the pressure inside the skull. Surrounding the brain is fluid, this fluid acts a protective barrier to the brain. The volume of this fluid is generally fixed. However, sudden trauma can cause this fluid to change in pressure temporarily. These pressure changes can result in the brain being stunned, and lead to bleeding on the brain or gray tissue damage.

- The mechanisms that lead to maintaining intracranial pressure are not well understood, but it can be postulated that a fighter who possess the unique physiological traits to better maintain intracranial pressure would be better able to absorb sudden impact to the skull.

3. Skull shape- fighters with great chins most often have squarely built skulls, often with particularly thick bone density behind the ears and back of the head. This squarer shape benefits the fighter. When absorbing the punch, the punch energy will be most absorbed through the area of impact before reverberating throughout the skull.
-This is advantageous in an ironic way. Firstly, although the area of impact will absorb more damage, it actually protects the brain from some of force. On the downside, it also can lead to bone microfracturing, and is a less efficient form of energy absorption.
-It is a disadvantage though long term. Fighters that can take punch after punch will in the long run suffer great neural damage than a fighter that is simply KOed.

4. Neck length and musculature-It is often noted that long necked fighters are more susceptible to being KOed. This is true. A fighter with a longer, and often thinner neck is at a structural disadvantage when it comes to head punches. Their naturally longer neck will not be able to absorb as much impact energy as a shorter thicker neck, and punches such as uppercuts or crosses to the chin will snap the head sideways.
-Compare this to a weight attached to a very thick and short rubber cord. If you push the weight, it will not swing much, simply because the cord is too short and thick for their to be much range of motion
-However, if you attach the weight to a longer, thinner rubber cord, its range of motion will be much greater, simply because the cord is longer and not as thick
=Why is this rubber cord analogy relevent? Because when the head is struck and snapped sideways, the brain moves inside the skull. If the head moves quickly, so does the brain, and it will collide with the skull, resulting in a fighter being stunned or KOed

5. Actual Chin thickness and Jaw Structure- A Fighter with thicker and denser Mandible, thats the bone that makes the chin, will be better able to absorb punches, due to the mandible absorbing more of the impact before it travels to the skull. Additionally, a thicker jaw structure with more densely muscled temporomandibular joint (the joint of jaw bone and skull) will asborb larger amounts of impact fact, lessening the impact energy that the skull must absorb.

-A fighter with a lighter and leaner bone structure will have a structural disadvantage to taking punches specifically to the chin than a fighter with a thicker and denser mandible structure and temporomandibular joint.


Changeable factors-

1. Learning how to absorb a punch-Every has heard "the worst punches are the ones you dont see coming". This is true. When a fighter can predict or prepare to be hit, their punch resistance is dramatically increased, due to the increased tension in the neck and head muscles, as well the mental readiness
-Fighters that have never been hurt before can sometimes panic in the ring. Not used to getting hit flushed, they do not know how to react
-The flight or Fight response can be conditioned so that when a fighter is hit in the head, they "fight" back, either by immediately returning fire, or knowing how to tie up and not allow themselves to be hit again
-Fighters that do not have this conditioned response will make mistakes such as leaving themselves open to be hit again, and will act on instinct, backing up in a straight line and not tying up.

2. Conditioning neck muscles-Whether a fighter has a long or short neck, the muscles of the upper back and neck can be conditioned and thickened. Compare this to the rubber band being thicker. A thicker rubber band will not swing as much.
-This will be advantageous, as the neck will be better able to absorb the channeling impact of the skull.
-Additionally, when a fighter prepares to get hit, the neck will be better stabilizer than before.

3. Mental preparation-Studies have demonstrated that when athletes spend a minimum of 15 minutes each visualizing themselves performing at optimum levels, they can increase their actual athletic performance by 10-20%. For a boxer, mentally affirming that they "cannot be KOed/Cannot be Hurt/Can come back from anything" could have a dramatic affect on their punch resistance. By increasing their cognitive ability to take a punch, they synergize with their natural physiological advantages. A fighter could take this even further. By cognitively conditioning themselves to believing they cannot be hurt, they can create a conditioned mental instinctual response when they are actually caught flush. "He caught me, but I'll HURT him" for example.

- This would explain why some fighters when hurt will actually fight back with more aggression than they were prior. By priming their conditioned response with a natural adrenaline rush, the brain will recover faster due to the increased oxygen availability and blood flow. Additionally, the neurotransmitters of the brain fire faster and more efficiently. This facilitates a rapid recovery. Combined with the short term increase in strength and enhanced reflex response time, a fighter can attack their opponent harder than they were before


4. Hydration-(MOST IMPORTANT)-Hydration plays a greater part in punch resistance than any other factor.

To illustrate this, here is a comprehensive list of the effects dehydration can have on the bodies functions

*Most damaging are the changes in blood volume and blood pressure. The decreased amount of blood and lower blood pressure and viscosity leads to the following changes in body function:

-Athletes can experience a 10-30% drop in response time, muscular strength, speed, and overall athletic performance

-The brain is more susceptible to being damaged due to decreased fluid density within the intracranial cavity.

-Muscles become susceptible to cramping, and bruising is more immediate and more painful

-Nausea can result, headaches are more likely to happen, especially if head trauma should occur

-Balance can be severely affected, because of changes in intracranial and inner ear pressure.

-Dehydrated individuals can have clouded vision, may suddenly have blind spots in their sight, and may have difficulty focusing visually and maintaining spacial awareness. Head trauma/punches can all exacerbate this

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN=A figher MUST be properly hydrated to perform at optimal levels. Being dehydrated SEVERELY affects performance and puts a fighters health at risk

 

I certainly did, and I wasnt trying to steal from your thread. I wanted to present an easy to understand and compact analysis.

Much of what was posted in your thread was anecdotal or informed opinion, only a few of the posts presented sound medical and scientific analysis. I wrote this as a reference sort of thread, something that non knowledgeable fans could read and immediately learn from.

 

You may want to read the actual post