In this episode, I’m gonna go over some of the stuff that I’ve already gone through in previous episodes. We’ll talk about the jab, hooking off the jab, and also one of the most important combinations, in my opinion: jab/right cross (left, if you’re left-handed).
We’re also gonna go over distance. Listen, your punches hurt more if they reach full extension. To do that, you gotta know how to get the right distance away from your opponent.
This may sound basic to you by now. But, if you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know already that I’m all about the basics. Whether it is lifting weights or boxing, if you stick to the basics and really dominate them, you’ll be able to get great at doing things.
Your Foundation
One of the things that is probably the most important part of your foundation is your footwork. You gotta be able to move freely and smoothly. You wanna be light on your toes.
You also gotta make sure you find your range. The best time to do this is hitting the heavy bag or practicing with your coach. You must know how far you can be from your opponent to throw your punches and cause maximum damage.
Now, you don’t always wanna be in punching range because you wanna dictate the fight’s pace. So, what you wanna do is step out of range and stay there until you’re ready to engage.
When you’re out of range, you wanna be moving around. You never want to give your opponent a stationary target because there are several punches that you can throw to get within range while also hurting. I went over one of them in Boxing for Beginners Episode 3.
When you’re out of range and ready to start coming into punching range, you wanna first measure your opponent. You’ll use your jab for this. And, it doesn’t have to be in an aggressive way—it doesn’t have to hurt. You just wanna throw it so that you know where he’s at.
When you come in, you wanna throw your combo and then step away to assess the damage. See an example here:
The Basics: Combination 1-2
Listen, this combination may seem very basic to you, but it can very, very effective if you know how to throw it properly, and if you do so at the right moment. In this combination, your jab is used as a distraction and to measure your opponent. The actual damage is caused by your right cross (left if you’re a lefty).
Good Timing
You don’t have to be the fastest or the strongest fighter to be very effective. But, your timing has to be impeccable. The best way to think about the 1-2 is that your 2 should be launched before your left hand is even back to being close to your face.
Proper Footwork
When you throw your 2, your hips and feet play a major role—it’s not just arm. So, you wanna turn your hips and your foot like if you were throwing a ball.
Many people may think that your jab goes further than your right cross because it’s in front. But, your 2 actually goes further because you’ll use your body to throw it.
Why I’m Doing The Boxing For Beginners Series
Well, first of all, I’m doing this because I love boxing. But, I also wanna show you guys that fitness is not only lifting weights. Everything we’re learning in the Boxing For Beginners Series (link to episode 1) is great fat-burning cardio.
You can do many other things for cardio, such as playing basketball. But, in my opinion, boxing is the ultimate test of will because when you’re actually into it, you’re combining a lot of fast thinking while your body is getting fatigued.
Boxing is a thinking man sport (a thinking man that’s in really good shape). It’s about thinking clear and razor-sharp when you’re fatigued. It’s a constant battle. It’s like a physical chess game with higher stakes.
Go try this out today and let me know how it goes in the comments!