Is competitive slap boxing a martial art?

The likelihood is that most people aren’t aware of competitive slap boxing matches. These are when two people face off against each other and take turns slapping each other in the face. Here, you cannot use defensive postures and the winner is declared when someone is knocked out or quits. In other words, you could potentially have a slap boxing match go on for hours if neither opponent could finish the other one. This combat sport has taken off online recently due to the rise of social media and youtube, where it is watched by millions of viewers.

However, this leads us to the next question as to whether a slapping competition is actually a martial art or not. Whilst it certainly takes guts and requires technique, whether it is a martial art or not is up for debate.

Why competitive slap boxing is not a martial art

When looking at the definition of martial arts, it’s pretty clear that competitive slapping isn’t a martial art. This is because the sole purpose of being a martial artist is based on self defense. Of course, there are other facets that involve being a martial artist, such as mental progress, sporting achievements, and growing your physical body. However, to be a martial art, there needs to be a core that is based on self defense, as without this they are merely sports.

If you apply this definition to slap boxing, then sadly it isn’t a martial art. The reason for this is that during matches, competitors will literally let people slap them as hard as possible in the face. Whilst this is brave and tough, it has zero self defense applications. You could argue that learning to slap people hard could be used in self defense though. Having said this, as the slaps are done with both people standing still, it lacks reality – but at the same time it would certainly improve your power and technique and could be applied to using hook punches.

Where did slap boxing originate from?

These days, slap boxing is mostly done in Russia and some surrounding countries. Obviously, Russia has a rich history of martial arts so this isn’t too surprising given the circumstances. Interestingly though, slap boxing may have actually originated from India though which also has some pretty old martial arts. In India, slap fighting is called Thappad Kabaddi where two men will slap each other until there is a winner.

As ever with martial arts, it’s hard to track certain disciplines and there may well have been some kind of slapping art developed in Russia before Thappad Kabaddi which wasn’t unified. As a result, it’s fair to say that Thappad Kabaddi is seen by most as the original form of slap boxing.

What are the rules of slap boxing?

These days, there are a few different organizations that do slap boxing, so rules may differ per bout. For instance, some will have a total of five slaps to defeat your opponent and if no one can down their opponent then it’s a draw. Elsewhere, as previously mentioned some organizations have rules where you can literally slap until someone falls or quits.

Generally though, there are a few universal rules. Firstly, the person getting slapped cannot move their body and must stay still to avoid deflecting or lessening the force of the blow. Obviously, if someone flinches beforehand and moves their head, then it may significantly change the impact of the blow.

As for the person throwing the slap, you can hit the side of the face (and part of the neck) but you cannot hit the back of the head, as this can lead to concussions. If you’re facing the opponent though, it would be physically difficult to hit the back of the head with a slap. Lastly, you have to use open-palmed strikes which means you can’t punch.

Similarly, you can’t throw a ‘Bas Ruten-style’ punch either where the hand is curled to make it harder. Instead, your fingers have to be straight whilst slapping. As you may have figured, slap fighting rules are typically small and easy to understand, but some promotions have different rules compared to others.

Is slap boxing dangerous?

Compared to some martial arts, you could argue that slap boxing is dangerous in terms of concussions, CTE, and long-term brain damage. Whilst slapping is legal in MMA and other martial arts, it’s typically done against a moving opponent. As a result, you cannot just strike someone with no defense. Obviously, in slap boxing, this is not the case.

Because the person getting slapped has no defense or protection, often they can get knocked out when slapped. Sometimes, people think slapping is less impactful than punches, but remember if someone is strong and has refined technique, then they can feel very similar. Imagine doing a slap boxing match against a 300lbs opponent. This is where concussions can happen which isn’t good. Having said this, concussions aren’t exclusive to slap boxing and can also be found in other combat sports such as MMA, Karate, and boxing.

Another issue with slap boxing is that some people may just about survive the first couple of slaps. Here, they may have a bit of an iron jaw or are mentally strong and their legs tremble without actually hitting the floor. Then, the final blow lands, and they receive a strong knockout. As a result, the previous few strikes may create a snowball effect where the knockout is even more impactful than it first looks. As a result, it’s fair to say that slap boxing isn’t for the fainthearted. What’s more, if you fall then there’s a chance of knocking your head on the floor, causing more damage.

Conclusion

Whilst slap boxing may not be a recognized martial art, it is still a brutal combat sport that should be respected and taken seriously. As mentioned, the consequences of losing a slap boxing match are pretty dire. At the same time, whilst slap boxing will improve your technique in striking, it is also very narrow from a fighting point of view.

For instance, if you learn kickboxing then you’ll have a good set of fighting skills that are applicable for most combat situations. However, as slap boxing is based on very little movement and literally slapping with one arm, it lacks the diversity of most martial arts and certainly shouldn’t be pursued as a martial art either.

If you want to improve the power and speed of throwing punches or slaps, then check out this punch bag which is great for solo training.