Shadowboxing Survey

Purpose: Most non-martial artists do not understand the purpose or value of shadowboxing, so the purpose of this study is to gather information from experienced martial artists about the purpose and value of shadowboxing. With feedback from 20 professional fighters, the purpose of this study is to educate non-martial artists about the purpose and value of shadowboxing. The feedback collected here will be prepared into an article that will be published and made freely available for everyone to read.

Inclusion Criteria: Since this project focuses on feedback from experienced martial artists, participants must have won at least 1 sanctioned professional fight. The project is interested in any martial art that utilizes shadowboxing.

Recognition and Compensation: All contributing martial artists will receive acknowledgment in the resulting publication “The Purpose and Value of Shadowboxing”. Contributors that complete the questionnaire and email it to me may receive a compensation of $20 USD. All compensation is at the discretion of the researcher and will be paid after verification of inclusion criteria (that the martial artist has competed in at least one sanctioned professional fight). The project is looking for 20 submissions (the article will focus on feedback from 20 professional fighters), so after 20 submissions have been received compensation will cease and the questionnaire will be closed. Any questions can be directed to Dr. Adam M. Croom at UC Merced: acroom[at]ucmerced[dot]edu.

Submission: Please complete the questionnaire below by answering the 23 questions in an email that you will send to me at my university email: acroom[at]ucmerced[dot]edu. If you would like your photo included in the publication, please attach it to the email you send me.

SHADOWBOXING QUESTIONS [download a PDF copy of the Shadowboxing Questionnaire here]

  • Q1. What is your name? Please provide your first and last name, and any nickname that you go by.
  • Q2: What is your age, location, and affiliated gym?
  • Q3. Which martial art do you practice? If you practice more than one, please specify.
  • Q4. How long have you been training in martial arts? If you have been training in more than one, please specify the duration of training for each.
  • Q5. How many professional fights do you have? If you have fights in more than one martial art, please specify the number of fights for each.
  • Q6. How frequently do you shadowbox? For example, how many times per month?
  • Q7. With your best guess, how many total shadowboxing sessions have you done in your life?
  • Q8. What is your shadowboxing-to-fighting ratio? On average, how many shadowboxing sessions do you do in preparation for a fight?
  • Q9. How long are your shadowboxing sessions? For example, how many minutes or hours?
  • Q10. Why do you shadowbox? What purpose or purposes does it serve for you? Please provide as much information as possible.
  • Q11. What do you think about or visualize when you shadowbox? Please be as detailed as possible.
  • Q12. What are the benefits of shadowboxing? List any benefits that you have experienced.
  • Q13. What are the harms of shadowboxing? List any harms that you have experienced.
  • Q14. On a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), rate this sentence: “Shadowboxing contributes to my experience of positive emotions”.
  • Q15. On a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), rate this sentence: “Shadowboxing detracts from my positive relationships with others”.
  • Q16. On a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), rate this sentence: “Shadowboxing detracts from my sense of accomplishment”.
  • Q17. On a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), rate this sentence: “Shadowboxing contributes to my experience of flow or absorbed engagement in what I’m doing”.
  • Q18. On a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), rate this sentence: “Shadowboxing contributes to my positive relationships with others”.
  • Q19. On a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), rate this sentence: “Shadowboxing detracts from my sense of meaning or purpose in life”.
  • Q20. On a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), rate this sentence: “Shadowboxing contributes to my experience of negative emotions”.
  • Q21. On a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), rate this sentence: “Shadowboxing contributes to my sense of meaning or purpose in life”.
  • Q22. On a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), rate this sentence: “Shadowboxing detracts from my experience of flow or absorbed engagement in what I’m doing”.
  • Q23. On a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), rate this sentence: “Shadowboxing contributes to my sense of accomplishment”.

THANK YOU for answering the questionnaire and participating in this study. Your feedback will help educate non-martial artists and novice martial artists about the purpose and value of shadowboxing.