Wanderlei Silva Quotes

I, for one, refuse to box without headgear as an amateur. With the rising awareness of concussions and head injury, it is becoming more evident that we need to protect our brains as much as possible. There hasn't been enough research to conclude that it is safer to box without the use of headgear.

Athletes, coaches and parents today are increasingly aware of the danger of concussion, and this awareness influences decisions about buying new and reconditioned football helmets.

I do not like getting hit. I can take a hit, but I don't want to damage my brain if I don't have to.

Football has always been violent. In the early days of the game, they didn't wear hard helmets. They wore soft helmets, which were just designed to protect the ears. In the '40s and '50s they began to introduce hard helmets, which provided much more protection against things like skull fractures.

I used to spend a couple of hours in the weight room, but really, an hour is long enough. I lift twice a week and on other days incorporate more core yoga and different exercises. It's important to listen to your body. I will shut it down if I'm tired.

The integration of a headgear in professional boxing would do so much to make it safer for young men. They could go into the sport, make a lot of money and then come out and be good grandfathers.

I do shadow boxing and use a heavy bag, but I don't spar with anyone.

I believe you can be young and compete in gymnastics if you have a coach who is looking out for you and if there is a good gym environment where the coaches are taking care of you emotionally and physically.

He played football too long without a helmet.

It's great playing a sport where you don't get hit in the head.

Young boys must be taught to play football without leading with or lowering their heads. Young players must be drilled over and over and over with Heads Up Football skills until that skill set becomes muscle memory and second nature.

I don't actually think boxing is a particularly dangerous sport, I wouldn't even put it in the top ten of dangerous sports, but that's only if you take it seriously. Whenever I stepped into the ring I was well hydrated, I was at the right weight and I was prepared. It wasn't a dangerous sport for me.

I want to leave this sport with a little bit of my brains left.

I've had concussions, and I'm still here. I still love the sport.

I've had knee trouble, and I worry about my shoulder, but I think my weakest link is my head. A helmet can only do so much, and I have seen the effects of brain injuries. That is a big fear. I think everyone's weakest link is their brain because it's their most fragile link.

It's football. Guys get hurt all the time.

Kids' brains are developing. Their heads are a larger part of their body, and their necks are not as strong as adults' necks. So kids may be at a greater risk of head and brain injuries than adults.

Yeah, I mean there's points in every game where you get a hit and you feel a little woozy. Not every game, but mostly every game you hit someone and you're like, 'Whoa, that was a good one.'

It makes common sense that children, whose brains are rapidly developing, should not be hitting their heads hundreds of times per season.

For some reason, I have a thick skull.

One of the wonderful things about wrestling, to me, is that you can protect people who have had head injuries.

You're just taking punishment every day, getting hit all the time. That's something we're going to cut back on. I'll train hard but the sparring will be cut in half.

I never had a concussion playing rugby.

After the situation I had with my concussion in 2015, how long and lasting the effects were, I'm just more careful about it.

Once the surgeon said the skull is strong enough with the helmet on, I decided to return to training with the team.