After some fun running and other type stuff then we had to put on the gloves with the DT instructors for 3 minutes.  No hits in the head or below the waist.  I've never done anything like that before and needless to say I took some good shots to the sides and midsection.  What are some good excercises to toughen that area up?

Try working out using a stabilty ball.

Quoted: Try working out using a stabilty ball.

The young guys @ the gym I frequent, like myself @ that age, i rarely see using anything but the steel. Leg work and the sissle ball should help alot. Did you look @www.exrx.net

Squats.  Heavy, heavy squats.  Deadlifts.

1. Prevention - keep your elbows in to protect your ribs, particularly the liver area (the right/lower side of your ribs, where good boxers aim with their left hooks) and solar plexus.

2. Good excercises are lots of ab work like crunches, etc.  Also the stability ball mentioned above, and some good excercises with a medicine ball.  

A good basic medicine ball excercise is to hold it at your chest level (not touching) and do sit ups next to a wall.  When you sit up, turn at the waist, and touch the medicine ball to the wall, bring it back to your chest, turn, lay back, repeat.  Then change sides.  You'll feel it.