This is a guide base solely on training out your flinch reflex. I’m talking about the natural reflex where a fighter may blink or close his eyes and stiffen up his body when he sees punches coming his way. It’s natural but there is a way to fight through it. You basically have to practice.
For most beginners, the flinch reflex is when they can’t keep their eyes open when they are taking punches. For other fighters, it has to do with them panicking a little and holding their breath when they’re taking punches. This only makes their condition worse since they will get the wind knocked out of them when they get hit with a clean punch. In fact, part of the reason why fighting in the ring is so tiring is because people can’t overcome their flinch reflex and so they keep freaking out and holding their breath instead of relaxing.
Below are two drills to help you get rid of that flinch reflex.
Glove-Tapping
- This is a very basic drill but is still recommended for all boxers regardless of their skill level. Basically the boxer walks around the ring forwards and backwards as the trainer (or another boxer) keeps tapping him on his gloves. (These are not properly thrown punches, it’s just a bunch of quick gloves taps from the “attacking” boxer. You rapidly tap his gloves at awkward rhythms.) The point of the drill is for the defending boxer to be able to block all the light punches while keeping his eyes open and his breathing in perfect rhythm. It will take a lot of practice but soon you will be able to take punches without getting your rhythm broken up.
Jab – Jab Counter
- Many fighters lose because they have not perfect this drill. This drill basically prevents you from leaning back when you’re taking a punch. Basically you and another boxer will move around the ring taking turns at jabbing each other. Here’s how it works: Boxer A jabs at Boxer B first. Boxer B immediately cuts the jab short by blocking it with the right hand and returns with a counter-jab at the air ABOVE Boxer A’s head. NOW HERE IS THE CRITICAL POINT: when you are taking a jab, do NOT flinch and lean back to cushion the punch! Instead, you must quickly stop the punch and then step forward and make an assertive counter-jab into your opponent. It will take time but soon you will be able to quickly catch a jab, and instantaneously return a counter without wasting a split second by leaning back.
Once you learn these basic drills, you can learn the next reflex drill which is the Push Down and Counter On Top.
37 Comments
jab- jab counter
thanks for providing this and other useful information. i’m attempting to coach my 8 year old son
Thanks! Do feel free to ask questions from time to time if you need any assistance. I’ll be happy to help.
im sort of new too boxing…i was wondering …what are the steps to being a pro aka a paid boxer ?
Find a gym where pro’s train at. Come in there and talk to the owner, tell him you want to go pro. He’ll introduce you to some trainers and managers and they’ll check you out. If you’re willing to train hard and put up a good fight, they’ll pay for your boxing license and medicals and off you go!
strenth
Good stuff
stuck in the mud
All good tips.
For someone like me, who is just a few months in but has quick back stepping reflexes, I enjoy ‘stuck in the mud – I’m not allowed to move my feet while the trainer throws slow combos – jabs, hooks, crosses…
I can bob, weave, parry, catch, or block with the elbows (elbows in tight to the body).
Keep up the good work!
hi im a boxer and i’m 13 and these are the drills are do but there very good tips to be fit and be stronger
good stuff
I have a big problem when sparring I always lean back I have got to break this habit if I wanna fight soon plz help
beating the lean back habit
Learn to use your defense and spar at a slower speed with guys that don’t intimidate you with their power. You need a chance to get accustomed to not be afraid during sparring. You also need to do more shadowboxing and footwork to get use to not leaning back. You can also try building a habit of where instead of leaning back, you just step back entirely. Also remember to keep yourself off the ropes so you always have room to step back when you need.
this is a very nice drill thanks
Great!
I find this very useful however I have one problem, when a punch is coming it takes me a bit long to decide how to react, could you please help me. I’m ready for the punch but I always find the need to see whethere its a jab, hook, body punch coming to counter or block it.
Try playing jacks you can find out where to get it. Also if you become unsure jab at him and move around more… make sure you get a good examination of this genius. Look at the lenghth of his arms and legs before you scrape Him sparring and last get familier with all types of boxing styles and punches, you should practice all types of angles to punch from so you can be familier with his material. Think about it.. if someone tries to set a trap on you and you made the trap before Theres no way your ganna let yourself fall for it. Hope I helped.. let your opponents know!! I slam the hammer on the table!!!! Enforce guilt on them for dreaming about thinking of even getten close to beating you!
To be honest, deciding what a punch is will always be tricky. The only way for you to really fine-tune the reaction is to practice the defensive move until it becomes second nature. If you have to guess in the moment, there will always be a possibility that you will guess wrong. Train the reaction so it becomes second nature like blinking. It takes years to be this good. Sometimes, if you can’t figure out if it’s a jab or a hook, just roll with it and that will take some steam off.
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Ok my huge weakness is my reach and timing. I’m fast but whats the use of it if I can’t land a hit?
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My weakness is my reach and timing. I can move fast and be evasive but whats the use of it if I can’t seem to land a hit? Eventually my opponent will see this and gain confidence.
@ Sukaichii – I agree with you completely.
Slow and Heavy
I am getting back into boxing after about 14 years. I have a fairly stocky build and am heavy on my feet, I can’t move quick but I have immense power when I land a punch. The guy I was training with can’t seem to find any techniques that will help with this. Like I said I have the power but lack the grace and speed. Is there any help you can offer a rock?
@ Huck F – Sounds to me like your punches are fine and you just need some serious footwork and grace. Starting jumping rope. Do LOTS of jumprope. Try an hour a day, everyday for 2 weeks. Also do more shadowboxing and double-end bag. Lighten on your power and work on pure speed. Stay away from the heavybag.
no training partners
Hi, This is a great article, but I don’t have the luxury of having a training partner to practice these drills with. Do you have any suggestions/drills I can do by myself without a training partner in order to get rid of my flinch reflex? Thanks a lot.
Started boxing training about 6 weeks ago. I’m 42 with no prior boxing experience. I’m pretty fit and my trainer says I have some natural ability. Taking it up as a challenge and to take my fitness to another level. Have been sparring with some bigger guys and took some punishment in my last session. After reading your advice on sparring I want to take it back a level as got quite beat up during the session. Flinching still happening but getting better. Thanks for the tips. Will keep practising. Aiming for first fight in a couple of months. This site is really helpful.
@yo – reflex training is all about training yourself not to flinch to somebody’s else movement. More specifically, you want to not to flinch to somebody’s else punches. It’s a bit hard to train this without somebody actually throwing punches at you. Even if we find another way to train, there’s no guarantee the anti-flinch reflexes you developed will stay when you enter the ring. It’s just easy to train with a partner…and maybe even multiple partners so you get used to looking at multiple punches.
@stewy – awesome! (you doing boxing…not the getting beat up part). Keep up at it and good luck on your first fight.
lone wulph
are there any solo exersices to train out your flinch reflex, or more importantly mine?
The best solo exercise is probably to work with a double-end bag.
Sorry to be mentioning my robot boxing arms again, but I’m being honest when I say they really helped me not to flinch and not turn my head. It is much better to keep looking and stay focused so you can block and counter. A fast blink takes about 100 ms and a normal blink takes 400 ms. A fast jab takes about 160 to 200 ms (that’s with no tel’, add to the time if there was a tel’). An average “good” reaction time takes about 200 ms, meaning once your brain tells the muscles to move, it won’t happen till 200 ms go by. I trained hard to be able to get my muscles to start to move in 100 ms or less, but I still have to factor in time to move to block.
The point I’m making is, you HAVE TO keep a sharp lookout and detect a punch RIGHT FROM THE START to be able to have a chance to block it, that means seeing it happen. Hopefully, your opponent is like most fighters that have not learned to not give a tel’ when they strike. You have to practice not flinching and realize it makes getting hit worse.
I didn’t know about those reaction times! Good stuff, John.
When I get back to sparring once my leg is fully recovered, I’m sure going to be going over both exercises. I might practice on my siblings first (thats what they’re for, right?).
Laura, I’m glad I don’t have you for a sister.
Hey Johnny
Great Artical. I have one question…will premediated mitt training defense help me get more fimilar seeing punches? Like if I had a friend throw punches at me and I block the mitts…even If i know What punches will be thrown?
Pre-mediated training helps you improve form and technique. Random training helps improve reflexes and response.
when you say random training do you mean punches that are thrown at me thats not pre-mediated?
Exactly, Que.
Won’t jabbing the air above boxer a’s head will make used to jabbing the air above my opponent’s head when I actually fight?
The drill is to work on the flinch reflex, not jabbing the air. So focus on the flinch reflex. The bad habit you described will not be a problem with this drill.
Your website is really good and it has helped me alot. I really love boxing and got into it recently. I want to take up boxing as a profession but the problem is i dont have a boxing gym in my city and im 19 years old i did manage to get the equipment at home, i’ve got the dedication and i work daily so do you think that i have a chance
You need to find a gym. You need experience and sparring partners and guidance of experienced coaches. Training alone is not going to prepare you against opponents that practice everyday under the supervision of world class trainers.
when you first started johnny were you a natural or did you have to work hard?
I didn’t have natural reflexes. I had a lot of flinching and panic reflexes. After proper training, I developed trained reflexes. Now I’m pretty comfortable.