Welcome to episode 2 of boxing for beginners. In episode one, we went over one (jab), two (right cross), and 3 (left hook). If you’re a left-handed fighter, everything would be reversed.
In this episode, we’ll go over shadow boxing and a little bit of footwork. You know, this episode should have been episode 1. The most important elements in building a foundation for working aren’t very exciting: working on your jab, shadow boxing, working on your footwork, etc. But they are important because you gotta have a solid foundation.
Now, shadow boxing is something you want to do every day if you’re serious about becoming a good boxer because it helps you build muscle memory. That way, when you’re in combat, certain things will be normal to you.
Before you start…
To start, the first thing you gotta do is visualize yourself moving perfectly. You wanna see yourself throwing every punch smoothly. People like to say that practice makes perfect, but for that to happen, you gotta practice the right way. Because if you practice the wrong way, you’re gonna develop bad habits, and that can be costly—especially in a real fight.
So, always keep in mind PRACTICE DON’T MAKE PERFECT—PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. And, the most perfect way to practice is seeing yourself, in your mind, perfectly doing those movements you’re about to do.
Make sure you’re doing this
In episode one, we went over the 1 (jab), the 2 (cross), and the 3 (hook). So you want to be doing those in your mind all the time. From there, you go to shadow boxing. I would do no less than 10-30 minutes of shadow boxing every day.
You’ll get a nice sweat, it’s some good cardio, and also you’re just working on throwing those punches perfectly, you’re not only getting used to punching something nonstop.
Why Shadowboxing Is Key
Shadowboxing is something that’s been around since the beginning of boxing, and it will always be there. It’s one of the most fundamental elements and components of boxing.
As a beginner, you wanna do all the necessary things to get used to certain foundational things—you wanna make those things seem natural to you. You gotta start developing like if you were laying down bricks. You’re building them one by one. Every day you’ll learn and try something new.
Building a Solid Foundation: Footwork
First and foremost, we’re gonna do a little bit of footwork. Imma back up here. Alright, you lead if you’re right-handed with your left if you’re left-handed with your right. Feel those knees nice and soft, and your feet nice and wide. Think about a cat or a dog when they feel threatened. Their feet go wide. Here’s the same kind of concept.
You need to have a nice balance so that you’re able to bounce easily. You should always be in the ball of your foot with your back foot. Now, when you’re moving forward and whichever direction you’re moving in, your front foot is gonna lift off the ground, and the back foot is gonna slide.
You never want both feet off the ground. There’s gonna be times when this is not the case, but you gotta learn the basics. Remember, we’re after a solid foundation here.
Practice This Way
So, move forward and throw a jab. Pay attention to when I lift my foot, and when I throw the jab. Everything’s gotta be in sync. And at the same time, the backfoot slides. Practice the foot movement without throwing any punches, and then do so throwing some punches.
You can do it with the three punches I showed you in episode 1. Usually, I do more because I get bored, just throwing three punches. But if that’s all you know how to do the right way, stick to only those, for now, to avoid developing bad habits.
Watch me shadow box to put it all together. This actually makes for a great warm-up just like jump rope is. Get comfortable shadow boxing. This is something you gotta do every day if you wanna build that muscle memory and get good.
Go ahead and try this, then let me know in the comments what it was like for you!