What is it that all the skilled fighters have?

More powerful punches?
A slicker defense?
Or simply more fights?

I’ve compiled a list of qualities that I see in many intermediate fighters.
You’ll need all of these skills if you ever hope to become an “advanced fighter”.
Here’s what it takes to get beyond the beginner level…

What does it take to stop being a beginner?

No More Getting Tired

Getting tired is one of those things that only happens to noobs. Some last a few rounds, some last a few hours, but sooner or later, they all get tired. The most obvious indicator of a beginner fighter is that he still gets tired.

If you’re still getting tired,
you’re still a beginner.

Doing unnecessary work

The biggest problem is that beginners train with the wrong attitude. They’re always trying to use as much energy as possible and do everything the hard way. They go crazy inside the ring and use far more movement than is necessary. You will ALWAYS get tired if all you do is try to use all your energy and do everything with full force.

Instead of trying to do as much as you can, try doing only what is necessary. It sounds like I’m telling you to be lazy or be conservative but I’m not. It’s about being more efficient. Don’t jump 12 inches when you only need to cover 3 inches. Don’t throw with 100% when 80% will do the trick. Less is more. And the less that you need to do, the more you will be able to do. Being able to get the same results with less work, will allow you to do more.

Let’s take handspeed for example. I see so many guys trying to throw faster combinations by using more energy. Instead of trying to throw faster punches with more power…how about throwing faster punches with less power? (The less power you try to have on your punch, the easier it is to throw it quickly.) Instead of having all 5 punches with maximum power and maximum speed, why not try throw some of them at high speed and then only adding maximum power for the ones that are more likely to land?

Fight Conditioning

This is something only serious athletes will ever understand. Boxers are athletes. Athletes are very physically capable people. I don’t become an athlete at the gym. I am an athlete 24/7, 364 days all year round. I’m athletic from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to bed. It doesn’t turn off. I can run 5 miles at any given moment. I can do it even after an all-day boxing workout. It’s no big deal.

How was I ever able to get to this level? By living like an athlete. Conditioning is something beginners do to get in shape and transition from their unhealthy lifestyles. True athletes are in shape all the time. We’re always up for a run, always ready to train, always ready to spar, always ready to play in every other sport with our friends because our bodies are conditioned for it.

We don’t need to train for anything, BECAUSE WE’RE ALWAYS TRAINING.
…BECAUSE WE’RE ALWAYS BEING ATHLETIC!
…BECAUSE WE’RE ATHLETES
Get it?

Running for an hour? NO PROBLEM
Crunches for an hour? NO PROBLEM
Sparring for an hour? NO PROBLEM
How about all 3 in a row? STILL NO PROBLEM!

Fatigue in the Ring

The ring exposes everyone and most especially the beginners. Everyone looks like a superstar athlete until they get in the ring. It breaks people down. It makes people nervous. And for many beginners, the ring makes them quit. The ring is the ultimate test in boxing, nothing else.

I’m at a place where I don’t get tired in the ring. I might get beat up, but I don’t get tired. I might be outclassed or outsized, but I don’t get tired. I can be winded, with my legs stuck in the mud, and my arms punching through water, but I always have more in me. Do you know what I mean?

I’m not doing this to be a tough guy. I’m not trying to show off to be everyone in the gym or prove how crazy I am. I just love being in there and I’m comfortable. I could be losing a fight and still be comfortable in the ring. I love it in there. I trained for a long time to be in there and now that I’m in there, I don’t wanna get out. Being in the ring is as comfortable to me as being in a jacuzzi. I mean, yeah….it’s physical…but I love it, I don’t get tired of something I love.

Instant Counters

• Beginners will trade punches. (ALL OFFENSE)
• Advanced beginners will evade, and THEN counter. (DEFENSE, then OFFENSE)
• Intermediate fighters will trade punches. (OFFENSE & DEFENSE, simultaneously)

It’s funny but that’s how it works. When you gain experience in fighting, you stop waiting around for the counter. You don’t do anymore of that “block & counter” or “slip & counter” crap. You start realizing that you can attack even as you’re evading punches. The point of boxing defense techniques is to put you IN position to counter, not make it harder for you to counter.

Intermediate level fighters are constantly attacking, and then defending simultaneously only as needed. The only time they wait is when they’re looking for a bigger opportunity. Otherwise, they’re constantly on the offense or counter-offense.

Flow

Another way to look at a fighter is to see how well he flows. Being able to flow allows you to be natural in your boxing movement. it gives you efficiency, speed, and power. Being able to flow is the difference between feeling that boxing movements are easy natural to you vs feeling like boxing movements are hard and unnatural to you.

When a fighter flows, I see a guy who makes 1 movement, but it AFFECTS 10 times.

When a fighter doesn’t flow, he makes 1 movement but only gets 1 effect.

In other words:

• A fighter that flows only has to generate 1 energy and with that he can turn it into 10 different movements.
• And when he doesn’t flow, you can see his body constantly having to re-generate new energy with every single movement.

When a flowing fighter moves around in the ring, it looks so easily and effortless even as he’s jumping in and out. But when a non-flowing fighter moves around, it looks like he’s using a lot of energy and having to push back and forth and using a lot of muscle. The flowing puncher looks like his punches are rolling out of his arms, whereas the non-flowing puncher looks like he has to keep pulling his body back and forth.

• Can you flow with constant in-&-out movement?
• Can you flow two left hooks together?
• Can you flow while slipping and punching simultaneously?

The difference looks like when you see somebody relaxing easily down a slide without having to do much. Whereas as the non-flowing guy is constantly jumping up and down. If you don’t understand this metaphor, don’t worry about it.

There used to be a time when I practiced slipping and ducking everyday in front of the mirror because it was such a hard move to do. Nowadays, the move is natural for me. To some degree, it’s because I’m more coordinated for it. But to another degree, it’s because I’ve learned to slip using the natural movement of my body. I slip by letting my body twist with gravity rather than pulling it over with muscle. And I’m breathing naturally the whole time. It’s completely natural and completely relaxed. I can flow through multiple slipping movements instead of jerking my head all over the place.

Adaptive Footwork

Intermediate-level fighters know how to deal with awkward foot placements. They know how to readjust or fight from any position in the ring. I’m not talking about a guy who turns southpaw occasionally. I’m talking about a fighter that knows how to fight when his legs are tangled on the inside. He knows how to step or pivot or readjust his body to help him land shots. It’s not about being southpaw or doing shit that you rehearsed in shadowboxing. It’s about being able to move your body to a comfortable position (EVEN IF IT’S ONE YOU’VE NEVER BEEN IN BEFORE) and fighting from there.

He’s comfortable when the feet are tangled up. Or when one fighter is behind another. Or when his opponent is leaning on him. Or when his opponent is grabbing his hand. All the random scenarios that happen during a fight. Like I said before, “awkward foot placements”. This is something you only learn after sparring so many times with so many different people. Part of being experienced has to do with being able to respond well in situations you’ve never been in before.

Sharp Breathing

You can tell different levels of fighters even by the sound of their breath. A beginner fighter’s breathing sounds very labored and weak. The more experienced fighters have a very sharp and powerful breath. You will know the difference simply by watching high level fighters spar.

The way I feel about it is that the more powerful the breath, the more powerful the engine (the core) and the more powerful the athlete. When the experienced fighters punch, you can feel the power of their breath. You feel its quickness and calm strength. It’s like they’re releasing power. The beginner’s breath feels like work, like they’re struggling to push out the air internally.

Varied Punches

While the beginners are still arguing over the “perfect punching technique”, the intermediate-level guys are switching up their punching technique almost with every combination during the fight. A beginner is obvious to me because he only throws one jab and it looks and feels the same every time. Beginner jabs have the same thing in common: they only care about speed and power.

The intermediate-level jab feels very different inside the ring even if it looks the same from the outside. Sometimes he’s using a little more shoulder and reaching in to try and get me to go for the counter. Sometimes he’s using more forearm because he’s waiting for me to open up for his right hand. Or he’s using more lat muscle because he’s trying to pop me with a hard jab. And then he’s moving his head to new positions with the jab or walking in different directions because he wants to walk me into a right cross or a left hook. There are a million more variables that I can’t explain. And this wasn’t only for the jab!

Intermediate Boxing Techniques

I imagine some of you don’t care to hear that intermediate-level fighters are better at moving their bodies. You only care to know what it is that they can do in the ring. I’ve provided the list below for your entertainment…but just know that all the previous points are far more important.

Flowing Right Hand

One of the easiest ways to tell a fighter’s experience is from watching his right hand. The jab is easy because it’s the first punch everyone throws. You’re always in position to throw it and it’s the punch you throw the most often so it’s easy for everyone to have a jab that looks good.

The right hand is so much harder for many reasons. First off, it’s longer and requires more energy and commitment to the punch. You have to be confident enough to throw it because your head and body is completely exposed when you throw the right hand. (This is why practicing on the heavy bag doesn’t mean much.) A lot of it will have to do with timing. If you don’t know or don’t understand the timing, you might feel like you’re never in position to throw the right hand against better opponents.

On the technical side, a great right hand is difficult to throw because it comes after the jab and requires you to rotate your shoulders in the opposite direction. You have to really setup the right hand and part of your right cross technique has to do with your jab technique. If your jab technique sucks, you will offset your body and make it harder to throw the right. The jab should SET UP the right hand, not make it more difficult to throw the right.

When a beginner throws a 1-2 combination, it looks and feels like two separate punches. But when an experienced fighter throws the 1-2, it looks like two punches but feels like one punch that hits twice. Imagine the jab is the arrowhead, and the cross is the tail of the same arrow! A great right hand will flow beautifully after the jab.

The thing is the right hand can’t be trained on the bag or even on the mitts. A truly effective right hand can only be made in the ring. A great right hand is not so much about its speed or power but how well it flows after the jab and delivers power accurately to the intended target. The right hand needs to be setup and it needs to have purpose!

Left Hook to the body

This is definitely a tough skill that beginners don’t have. It’s not about only being able to aim a left hook to the body. The real skill is getting in position for the left hook to the body. Advanced guys are very comfortable at slipping or getting into position without coming off balance or contorting their bodies or feeling like they have to rush the punch.

When I see beginners throwing the left hook to the body, they always look like they’re taking a giant risk. First off, it looks like they’re afraid of the right hand counter and don’t even know how to throw around the right elbow. Second, they don’t know the timing for the left hook so it always feels like they’re rushing to sneak it in before the opportunity closes. Lastly, they need so much movement that they’re never fast enough to put the hook there in time.

Purposeful Blocking

The more advanced guys almost never block punches. From a visual standpoint, it LOOKS like a block because they’re putting their hands in front of the punch but they’re doing so much more than that. Usually what they’re doing is parrying, except so slightly and subtlety that you can’t see it. Every “block” is really just an opportunity for them to make contact and use that contact to divert the punch elsewhere.

Anytime that you block a punch straight on, it becomes a pushing battle. WHICH MEANS…if you’re going to block a punch straight on, you should use it to push your opponent back, rather than to let him push you back with his punches. The point is: it’s never just a “block”. You’re either directing the energy elsewhere, or sending it back into your opponent.

Slip 3 Punches Comfortably

You can slip any punch simply by jerking your head in almost any random direction; you can even slip 2 punches simply by jerking it twice. You know an experienced fighter when he slips a 3-punch combination without blinking. Or one that rolls easily under a combo. I’m not talking about a guy jerking his head around. I mean one that doesn’t even look like he’s trying. It’s looks like he’s doing it in slow motion. It looks like he did it while still breathing slowly.

It has a lot to do with experience. After being so good at slipping single punches, such as the jab or cross or hook, you start to get good at slipping entire combinations. There will be certain combinations that you start to learn over time such as the 1-2-3 or 2-3-2 or 3-2-1, etc. Sometimes you get into the ring with a guy and you already know how he’s going to move because his movements feel so familiar to you.

Experienced fighters can slip punches,
without looking like they’re slipping.

Roll Under Punches

Intermediate level fighters can roll under punches comfortably. They do it calmly, relaxed, and without having to bend down too much. Many of them can do it even as they’re almost standing upright. The trick is in knowing the timing and knowing when your opponent is about to punch. I start rolling under as I feel him about to turn his body for the hook. I don’t wait for the hook to actually come out (by then it’s too late).

The problem with beginners is that they can’t sense the hook coming and so they’re always too late. You can practice all you want on the slip rope or exercise your legs but you’ll always be too slow if you start rolling under too late.

Wrestling Skills

Intermediate level fighters are very adept at dealing with the clinch. They know how to push you, pull you, spin you, or move away without taking any damage.

When I watch beginner fighters in the clinch, they make it look like such a big struggle. I can see them resisting each other and trying very hard to control the situation instead of letting the situation pass through. They look like 2 guys trying to push each other without letting themselves fall. The way intermediate fighters wrestle is different, they try to “fall” first so they can get to the new position faster so they can take advantage.

When I clinch, I can feel which way my opponent is more likely to fall. And then I give him just a simple pull or push and watch him fall through. If I feel myself falling, then I connect my body to his and let my body weight affect his balance. If I feel him push me, I redirect his push so that he bounces off me. I don’t actually think about all of these things of course, it just happens naturally.

Imagine if you were to close your eyes and walk up to a bike, and then figure out the best way to push it over. That’s how I feel my opponents in the clinch. I can feel which way they are likely to fall and then I LET them fall. The harder they try to push me, the easier it is to let them fall. Sometimes it’s not a fall, maybe it’s a rotation. Whichever way their body wants to move, I let it move that way while I move my own body to take advantage of the new position we will soon be in.

Intermediate fighters wrestle very quickly. A quick bump on the inside and then a spin-out and the fight resumes. Beginner fighters on the other hand are hugging each other for a whole minute even. Intermediate fighters only take a few seconds in the clinch. I mean…c’mon…how long does it take you to fall?

Fight Stalling

Intermediate level fighters are incredible at stalling a fight. It’s a very useful skill and something I should write about some day. They know how to close off the angles and keep moving so that the opponent has to keep readjusting his feet or reestablishing his balance in order to punch. It can be as simple as rolling under an opponent and grabbing his waist and spinning him around you. Or it can be using your forearms and constant head movement as you keep walking away from him. It can also be parrying in a way so that he always falls into your clinch.

Shifting Density

I couldn’t think of an easier name for this but basically the intermediate guys are very good at being grounded and un-grounded. When you fight a beginner, it feels like you’re pushing over a bookcase. They feel tall and not very well balanced so you feel like you can push them over easily.

But when you fight an intermediate level boxer, one moment you feel like he’s as heavy as a rock and that you can’t push through him. But then in another moment, you feel like he’s non-existent and that you just fall right through him and then he counters you. But the real trick is that he looks the same in both moments. You never know when he’s grounded or un-grounded and you’re never sure when to commit to your punches.

We’re All Beginners

In the grand scheme of things, we’re all beginners. Or at least that’s what I think I am. Some people say you need to have that attitude to keep your ego quiet so you can learn things from others. But I actually KNOW I’m a beginner. The way I’ve seen other fighters move around in the ring…holy shit…they’re definitely doing something I don’t understand. I feel blessed even just to be able to SEE what they’re doing.

Being able to appreciate the skills of others is what motivates me and inspires me to work harder. I think everyone works harder when they’re able to see the next level. Which is why I wrote this guide. Hopefully, it’ll open up your eyes and take you where you want to be.

See you at the next level

I don’t normally write this sort of random article but I learned so much from a private lesson yesterday that I had to share it with my readers. This is the sort of thinking that changes the way you look at things and changes the way you fight forever.

I was so amazed by what I learned, I had to write about it.
I only wish all of you could have been there with me that day.

A little background

As some of you may or may not know, I have a few side hobbies outside of boxing, one of them being tango. My brother is a 2-time USA tango champion and 3rd place in the world in 2011. He recommended for me to take a private lesson from one of his teachers and so I did.

This is a guy who had been dancing for 40 years. And also done martial arts for nearly just as long. He looks about 55, white hair and with a calm relaxed smile. He stands completely relaxed but walks as smooth as a cat. And when he turns, it’s as swift as a snake. You get the feeling you’ve met a real life ninja.

Unfortunately, I will not tell you his name.

The Private Lesson

Being relaxed to MAXIMIZE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND

He asked me, “So what are your problems? What do you want to fix?”

I told him, “I’ve been dancing for a year and a half and also boxing for nearly 10 years. I want to become heavier, I want more balance, more power, more grounding.”

And then he asked me, “And how are you trying to balance yourself?”

I replied, “Through proper body positioning, alignment of the spine, and then core strength to maintain the tension and contact with the ground through the legs.”

He smiled and said “come over here”. He knelt down to the ground and placed his hand flat on the ground. And explained “See how when my hand is relaxed, it lays flat on the ground? Completely spread out and has as much contact with the ground as possible  If i try to grab the ground or create tension through my fingers, part of my hand lifts off the ground, lifts my body weight, lifts my center of gravity, and decreases my connection to the ground.”

I nodded in agreement as he continued.

“…you cannot create balance with tension. Because all tension goes up. I nodded my head again but he still didn’t believe that I fully understood.”

“Have you ever tried to carry a sleeping person?”

• I had to think about the last time I did this.

“Have you ever tried to carry a drunk person?”

• I nodded my head laughing.

A sleeping or drunk person is SO heavy because they are completely relaxed. You have to be relaxed like a sleeping person. Just like when you go to sleep and lay on your bed, you let go of everything. You have to let go of all tension to be completely connected to the ground. Gravity is natural. Balance is natural. Tension is not natural. Once you learn how to be relaxed, you will never go back to using tension.

The best dancers are the most relaxed,
not the most tensed.

Being relaxed for FREEDOM

“Let me show you 3 positions.”

“This is tense.”

• He stood straight up and puffed his chest out. Arms and knees totally locked.

“This is relaxed.”

• Still standing striaght but his arms relaxed and his knees softened although he still appeared straight.

“This is collapsed.”

• He let his shoulders sag as his chest caved inwards and his head hunched over a bit.

“The reason why we want to be relaxed is because it gives us FREEDOM. We have the most balance, the most power, and also the most freedom to move in whatever way we want.” He swung his arms around back and forth while his body stayed glued to the ground.

“If you are tense and try to hold a frame, you limit your freedom. Maybe you hold a certain frame or position for more balance or for more power. But then you cannot move from this frame because then you will lose your balance. This is not freedom. You are stuck and trapped. and the tension you carry makes it easy for your opponent to push you over.”

“On the other hand, if you are collapsed and sagging you also limit your freedom. You cannot move freely if your body is bent over in an angle and can’t move because you’re off-balanced to one side or have extra pressure on your joints. Moving from a collapsed position is difficult because you need to create tension to move.”

He went on to show me how to “relax” my back and how to “relax” my legs. It was funny being taught precisely how to bend my knees but boy was it effective!

“There are basically 3 versions of all positions: tense, relaxed, and collapsed. You have to find the RELAXED POSITION. This will give you the most freedom to move.”

There are always 3 positions: tensed, relaxed, collapsed.
The RELAXED position gives you the most freedom.

Staying balanced in movement

“Show me how you walk balanced.”

• I started walking across the floor smoothly but cautiously with my arms out like wings. Immediately he yelled out at me.

“Put your arms down. Why do you lift your arms like that? That’s tension. Tension in your back, in your shoulders, in your arms. One arm easily puts a few pounds of tension to one side. And then now you have to balance the other side. And then your focus goes to your arms and you forget about the core. And once the core is weak, you will fall over anyway even if your arms are balanced.”

“Let go of the tension. Put the arms down. You cannot fall to the side if you don’t have any tension pulling you to the side. Keep your arms inside and the only way you can fall is down!”

When your body is relaxed, it will fall down. If you fall to the side (OFF BALANCE), it’s because something or some tension somewhere did not let it fall down. When tension blocks your body from falling down, it then falls to the side.

Let go and let your body fall down. Your body has to release to fall down, maybe it has to twist somewhere, or release a certain area of tension. You have to become more aware of tension in your body in order to release it.

The reason why you fall to the side is because
tension prevents your body from falling down.

Presence as balance

BECOME relaxed with awareness, NOT tense in focus

“You have to be strong in presence. And presence means to be aware and to be focused, not to be tensed. To be present somewhere, you have to relax there, not become more tense there. Many people have a problem where the more they focus on something, the more tense they become there. You have to do the opposite. Become more aware and more focused so that you can relax in that area and become more present, not more tense.”

Presence starts in the core

“You have to be present in the chest. Everything, 100% attention goes to the chest. Not the legs, not the arms, not the shoulders, or the back. Relax and be present in the chest so that the chest can connect to the ground. If the top of the body is not connected to the ground, you are not balanced and you’re only working against gravity, not with it.”

He made me walk across the floor again. This time he followed along and commented every time he saw tension.

“RELAX THE ARMS!”
“RELAX YOUR LEFT SHOULDER!”
“YOUR LOWER RIGHT BACK!”

Every time he noticed an area, he would touch it with his finger and because I could feel his touch and become aware, I was able to immediately relax that area. It was amazing how accurate he was simply by looking at me. I’m sure he’d fetch a great pay as a masseuse.

Trusting the ground

“Here, feel how I walk”. He had me place my hands on his chest as he walked into me. And sure enough, he felt much MUCH heavier than he looked. It felt like I was being pushed by a car on neutral.

All of the sudden, he surprised me by leaning to one side and I immediately tensed up to regain my balance. I smiled already knowing what he was going to say.

“Many people become more tense when they lose their balance. This makes it easier for them to fall. If you are losing balance, you need to relax more to connect with the ground, not become more tense and throw yourself off the ground.”

I nodded my head in agreement but he didn’t believe I fully understood the concept.

• “Come here, sit down in the chair.” We both sat down as he looked over and asked, “How do you feel?”
• I feel relaxed.
• And why do you feel relaxed?
• Because I’m sitting down and don’t have to hold myself up.
• But you can still choose to have tension in your body even when you’re sitting down, right?
• Yes but I don’t need to have tension because I know the chair is going to hold me.

His eyes lit up as a big smile flashed across his face. I wasn’t sure what it was but I had said the right thing.

“It’s because you trust the chair!”

“That’s the problem with many people. They don’t trust the ground to hold them. They become more tense when they lose their balance because they don’t trust the ground. If you can relax the same way on the ground like you do with the chair, the ground will hold you.”

You have to trust the ground to hold you.

The ground is your friend

“The ground is your friend. If you know how to connect with the ground, you will have an extra friend in your fight. The ground will hold you up, give you power, and give you freedom to move. If you do not let the ground hold you, you will have to hold yourself. And if you’re too busy holding yourself, you won’t be free to move. and you have no balance. Don’t fight the ground, let the ground hold you.

The ground gives you balance, power, and freedom.

Many athletes trust tension, not relaxation

“The problem with many athletes is that they have so much muscle and have learned how to use tension over the years. They trust the tension in their muscle because they’ve been doing it that way for so long. When you know that your muscles are stronger than the other guy’s, you tend to trust your muscle. Now you have to learn how to trust your relaxation. And learn how to relax to connect with the ground.”

“I promise once you learn how to relax and connect to the ground, you will never go back. Because this is the easier way. This is the natural way.”

Believe in relaxation, not tension.

Using tension

It’s not that muscle strength is useless, it’s that you want to apply tension at the BEST time. And the best time is when you are at your heaviest and most connected to the ground. Once you are fully relaxed & grounded, all it takes is a little tension to send a lot of force. On the other hand, if you’re not fully relaxed & grounded, you can use a lot of tension and very little of it will transfer.

*** I imagine this is similar to how boxers are taught to relax the punch outwards and tighten their whole body and fist only at the very last moment.

Always relax first, and then tension. Too many people use tension first. Right away, the fastest thing they do is tension and it never works. You always become a block, and fall over. Have to relax first and connect with the ground…and THEN, if you need, TENSION.

The end of the lesson

He showed me some simple but very effective balance drills and just like that, our time was up. I wish I could tell you more about what he did and how he did it but some feelings cannot be understood with words. You have to be there and feel it and see it for yourself to really understand. He was more than just relaxed, he was calculated, he was precise, accurate, so present and so aware of everything that was going on. He knew how to adjust his body immediately to any situation.

I felt so relieved for having met him at this point in my life. It took 10 years of boxing to come across knowledge of this level laid out in that manner. But i also felt proud for myself. If that’s the only thing I learned this year, I would say that I learned a lot this year.

As eye-opening as this session was, I’ve also had private lessons with amazing dance teachers who told me the exact opposite. They believed in maintaining balance through tension and that to hold a perfect position required tremendous amounts of muscle and a constant effort. The article you have just read represents one side of the puzzle. In time, I will share the other lessons.

Learning how to use your body weight will help you throw harder punches or even defend against harder punches. All it takes is a little technique to help you ground for when you need more balance and power.

This simple tip will increase your offensive and defensive fighting abilities.

THE SECRET – Drop the Hips

How does dropping the hips help a boxer?

Punching

Without a doubt, you need to drop your hips if you want to throw more powerful punches. Dropping the hips will ground you, giving you more balance and power. On the other hand, lifting the hips will make you lighter and decrease your balance and power. Raising your hips during a punch will make your punch less powerful and also leave you vulnerable to being pushed off balance.

Defending

Dropping your hips while defending can help you ground so that you don’t get pushed off balance. If you’ve fought a trained fighter before, you might notice that they become very heavy when blocking your punches. And that sometimes you even felt like you were being pushed back when you threw at their guard. They’re able to push you back because they were heavier than you were. You can become heavier while blocking by dropping your hips so you can push back your opponent using his own arm.

Moving

Dropping your hips while moving will make you more grounded, allowing you to move with more balance and control. Being more grounded allows you to change directions easily if needed, and always be ready to attack or defend. On the other hand, floating above the ground leaves you vulnerable to being pushed off balance and you can’t attack or defend.

How to Drop the Hips

The secret to dropping the hips:

RELEASE the hips,
not lower the hips.

Many people misunderstand what it means to “drop the hips”. They think it means lowering the hips and so they end up bending their knees too much and taking too long to throw the punch. The right way is to drop your hips slightly right as you land a punch, or drop the hips right as you block a punch, or right as you move.

The proper way to drop the hips

1. First release the hips

• Relax your hip muscles the same way that you relax your arm at the initial phase of a punch.
• The hips are being relaxed as you exhale during the movement (for a punch, block, or footwork).

2. Catch the hips

• “Catching the hips” means to tighten your hips for a split second right at the end of the release.
• You tighten your hip muscles for just a split second right at the moment of impact (the same way you tighten your fist at impact).

3. Use very little energy and very little movement

• It’s about relaxing and releasing more so than it is about tensing and tightening.
• The hip drops maybe an inch or a centimeter at most, it shouldn’t be an actual “drop” that you can see.
• The moment of tension is only for a split second.

Exercises to help you drop the hips

Drills to try:

• Jumping rope without “jumping” your hips too high.
• Slipping and rolling punches without lifting the hips.
• Shadowboxing without letting the hips get too high. (Watch how Pacquiao shadowboxes, you will see that he always appears to be pulled down to the ground. He moves quickly, but doesn’t fly off the ground).
• Do footwork drills while focusing on keeping the hips heavy.

Common mistakes

Many people think dropping the hips should mean to feel as much weight as possible in their hips. This visualization can be incorrect as they relax the hips too much that it shakes around and doesn’t connect to the core. Or that the hip becomes too loose that it’s always tilted forward, backwards, or sideways, which reduces balance and power.

You should also be careful that the “drop” is simply the release of the hips. It doesn’t mean to actually try and lower your hips to the ground or to walk around with constantly bent knees. Your knees should be slightly flexed but not bent to the point that it’s tiring to stand.

The ultimate goal of “dropping the hips”

Learning how to drop the hips is something that takes time to master. Beginners will end up using a lot of energy or a lot of movement with very little effect. Whereas a skilled fighter can drop his hips even just a centimeter and generate so much more power out of it. Advanced fighters might not seem to move at all, but I can assure you, they are creating power within their body!

Great fighters can generate maximum power
using the smallest movement.

The best punchers will be able to punch without lifting their hips, and can even throw multiple punches without lifting their hips. When done right, you will feel like dropping your hips gives you faster power because your hips are always grounded to punch. Whereas if you lift your hips during punches, you have to wait until your hips come back down in order to punch again.

Dropping the hips isn’t only going to make you a better boxer, it’s going to make you a better athlete. You will be a phenomenal mover and power generator in any sport you choose to do as long as you learn how to keep your hips grounded. Jump, run, move, and twist your body any way you want…as long as you drop your hips!

What makes a punch combination deadly?

Is it the accuracy?
The speed?
The power?

What’s the MAGIC SKILL that makes your combination truly effective?
Why is it that skilled fighters can be effective even with the most basic punches?

First learn how to throw different combinations.
Then learn my secret to killer combinations.

How to Create Your Own Punch Combination

Start with the Basic 1-2-3-2 combo

Everything starts off with the basic punch combination. Use this combo as the basis for all the tips below.

The following tips will help open up your mind and give you ideas on how to mix things up. Once you know how to create your own punching combinations, I’ll show you how to make them deadly.

Create your combos based off the basic punch combo:
JAB, CROSS, HOOK, CROSS (1-2-3-2)

Body Shots

Maybe his defense is too good or he slips all your punches. If head punches don’t work, try going to the body. This will cause him to defend up and down and increase the chances of you sneaking some punches through.

“Going to the body” can mean a lot of things. Are you aiming for the stomach or the solar plexus? The chest or the ribs? Or the liver? The same rule applies for the head: are you aiming to the face or the side of the head? The forehead or the jaw? Concentrate your attack to one area to make him guard there, then attack elsewhere. Mix it up!

Attack the body to expose the head, and vice versa.

Ideas for body shots:

• Jab to the body, then right cross to the head. (Then 3-2)
• Jab to the head, then right cross to the body. (Then 3-2)
• 1-2 to the head, then left hook to the body. (Then a right cross)
• 1-2 to the body, then left hook to the head. (Then a right cross)
• 1-2-3 to the head, then right cross to the body.

Different Punches

You should leave the jab as still your first punch but you can switch everything else out. Try using a left uppercut or left cross instead of the left hook. Try using an right uppercut or overhand right instead of the right cross. Changing the punch will change the angle and make it that much trickier for your opponent to evade your shots.

If you absolutely want to lead with a left uppercut or left hook, make sure it FEELS like a jab… which means it should be light, fast, and snappy. It should FEEL like a jab except only has the surprise angle of a hook or uppercut. (Don’t make the mistake of loading power which then makes it too obvious and leaves you vulnerable.)

Use different punches to create new attack angles.

Ideas for different punches:

• 1-2-3b-2 (Jab, cross, LEFT HOOK TO THE BODY, cross. Instead of all head punches.)
• 1-6-3-2 (Jab, RIGHT UPPERCUT, left hook, right cross. Instead of the usual 1-2-3-2.)
• 1-2-5-2 (Jab, cross, LEFT UPPERCUT, cross.)
• 1-6-5-2 (Two uppercuts to really drop his guard for the right hand.)
• 1-4-3-2 (Jab, OVERHAND RIGHT, hook, cross.)
• 5-2-1-2 (lead with a fast tapping uppercut)
• Add punches to the end of the combination. (If you’re landing punches, why not continue?)

Change Rhythm

Rhythm is the easiest and possibly most effective way to change up your combinations. Changing the rhythm allows you to change the way your combinations feel, without actually changing the combination itself.

For example:

Let’s take a simple combination like the JAB-CROSS-HOOK (1-2-3). Most beginners will throw all hard punches which sounds like BAM-BAM-BAM! A more experienced fighter might speed up the 1-2 to quickly blitz his opponent and then surprise him with the hook. This way it sounds like bibip-BAM! And the left hook can be aimed to the head or body, anywhere you like.

The second example can be more effective because you’ve traded power for speed which helps you open up the more skilled opponents. You can apply this same principle to any boxing combination.

Trading off power for speed,
can help you penetrate the more defensive opponents.

Ideas for changing the rhythm:

• Fast, then power. (Throw the first few punches with speed, and then lay down some hard shots. Great way to make opponents block and then you surprise them with a hard shot.)
• All fast punches. (Throw any combination but using all fast punches. Great for flurrying and surprising opponents with speed.)

Double Up

Another way to change up the rhythm by becoming trickier is to repeat punches. It’s common for opponents to expect punches coming LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT-RIGHT but if you double up on one side, you can easily screw up his defense rhythm. This tactic is especially effective against boxers that slip or shoulder roll a lot.

If you’re clever, you’ll hold back your power to speed up your double punches and strategically place power shots when they’re most likely to land. (Sometimes the first one is the power one. Other times the second one is the power one.) Another smart idea: instead of throw a double hook, you can try an uppercut and then a hook or vice versa. And yet another smart idea: try aiming at different targets when you double up your punches. (like throwing the first hook to the body, and the second one to the head)

Double up punches to change your attack rhythm
and become harder to defend.

Ideas for doubling-up punches:

• Double the first jab. Or triple it, or more. (Can give you more time until you’re ready to throw the right cross.)
• Double the first right cross. (This can confuse your opponent momentarily to really open him for your left hook.)
• Double the left hook. (Many opponents don’t expect two hooks. Use it to hurt him or surprise him, which then sets him up for the delayed-and-now-unexpected finishing cross.)

Feints

There may be times when you’re more focused on opening up your opponent, rather than landing punches. This can be the case for the more defensive or more skilled opponents. There will be times when you purposely throw punches to make him guard in one place so that somewhere else is left open. In these moments, a feint can be safer to use because you’re creating offensive pressure without actually throwing punches and potentially making yourself vulnerable.

A clever feint can make an opponent react in any way that you want, and create the opening you need. A quick wave of the hand or even a half-thrown punch can fool even the quickest opponents. Fake a movement, to create a desired reaction, and then take advantage from your uncompromised position.

Feints can open up your opponents,
without opening up yourself.

Ideas for feints:

• Feint at the head and throw at the body. (Or vice versa).
• Feint with one hand but throw with another.
• Many combos starting with a lead right or lead hook, are more effective when used after a jab feint.
• Feint with a head movement or foot movement before throwing your combo.

Head Movement

Using head movement during your punch combinations is a great idea and one used by many experienced fighters. It’s never safe to leave your head dead center in the middle of combinations unless you’re completely in control and ready to evade incoming punches. Moving the head during a combination not only makes you more elusive but also creates new punching angles and makes it less likely for your opponent to throw back (because you keep moving).

Using head movement while throwing punches,
can create new angles while making you more elusive.

Ideas for head movements:

• Bring the head in when going inside. (Start the jab with your head outside but then bring your head in as you throw aggressive punches.)
• Bring the head in and out. (Bring the head in as you punch, and pull it back out as you finish.)
• Move the head with every punch. (Slip your head into new positions with every punch.)
• The trick to head movement is to do it subtly. Move it only as much as needed to get into position or evade an oncoming punch.

Footwork

Using footwork while throwing combinations is a very hard concept but definitely possible. If anything, it’s far easier to use footwork in between combinations.

The general idea with using footwork while punching is either to A) make you more elusive or B) create new punching angles. Long-range footwork like IN-&-OUT movement is better suited for using footwork before and after combinations. If you’re going to be using footwork while throwing combinations, it is most likely a pivot or stepping out at an angle.

The trick is to be RELAXED. If you feel like you’re jumping all over the place, it won’t work in a real fight. When you practice, the footwork has to use no more energy than a single bounce on the jump rope. (Hopefully, you’ve been jumping rope for boxing.)

Using footwork while throwing punches,
can create new angles while making you more elusive.

Ideas for footwork:

• Pivot with every jab. (And then ground yourself for all the other punches. Pivoting helps you circle your opponent.)
• Step in with every 1-2. (And then ground yourself for the follow-up hooks and crosses.)
• Pivot or back-step with every left hook. (To help make space for your right cross against aggressive opponents.)

The Secret to Killer Punch Combinations

True punching quality

“Doing different things” is not the same as “doing things differently”.

When I first showed you how to create new combinations, that was showing you how to do different things.

Now I’m going to show you how to do the same things differently, such as throwing the same combination but in a different way.

It’s not WHAT you throw,
it’s HOW you throw it.

There are so many beginners watching Youtube and trying to copy their favorite fighter’s combinations without any luck. This is because they lack the QUALITY. Sure you can throw a hard 1-2 but can you throw it like Ali? I can assure you that the difference between Muhammad Ali’s punches and yours is more than just speed and power. Ali has a specific QUALITY to his punches.

When I say, “quality”, I’m referring to the punch’s ability to fit the unique situation. It’s not about just speed and power. It’s about being sensitive to the situation and responding accordingly. Fighting is like a conversation, like a dance. You have to see what’s in front of you and then react to it. Every opponent is different. World champions might LOOK like they’re doing the same thing over and over, but I can assure you that they’re making subtle adjustments constantly throughout the fight.

And this quality is something you can only develop from years of being in the ring. I would get countered EASILY if I threw punches at my opponent the way I threw them on the bag. For some opponents, I have to throw jabs a little faster than normal. For other opponents I have to throw jabs with my head a little off to the side. Or for some guys, I aim my jabs at their forehead and other guys I aim my jabs at their chin. I remember discovering one day that if I angled my right cross a certain way, it made it far more likely to sneak through a guard. These details might seem small or plain common sense, but they often make the difference between winning and losing.

Every combination should feel different

The point of having different combinations is to be able to threaten your opponent in different ways.

This is again where skill and experience really makes all the difference. I can make the same 1-1-2 combination feel like 10 different combos. Whereas a beginner can throw 20 different combinations but they all feel the same.

Here’s what I FEEL from a beginner opponent:

• Ok, he’s starting with straight jabs.
• And now he’s throwing a 1-2.
• Ok, now he’s throwing jabs and crosses with occasional hooks.
• Oh look, now he’s throwing a couple left hooks to the body.
• He’s adding uppercuts and trying to be tricky but everything still FEELS the same.
• OOOOH, now he’s trying really hard. But his combos are too predictable… All LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT-RIGHT. All same rhythm and comes from the same angles.
• *And then I roll off everything without breaking a sweat.*

Here’s what I FEEL from a skilled opponent:

• He’s testing me with jabs. Some to the head, some to the body.
• *THAK!* Darn it, he found an opening at a very weird angle to my left temple. I’ll have to lift my glove now. (I become very defensively aware now.)
• *Bu-BAP!* He jabbed to my new glove position and then a HARD JAB to my chest. (Now I have to protect my head and body.)
• *Bu-Bup!* He threw a really fast 1-2 at my guard and then leaned back when I threw the counter hook. (I’m very aware of his head moving in and out now.)
• *Bu-BAP-BAP-BAP!* This time he threw a very light jab and then jumped all the way in and cracked me hard with a 1-2-3-2 combination. (Now I know he can be both elusive AND aggressive.)
• Now he’s standing in a slightly different position. I feel like he’s going to do something weird and then–*DAMMIT*–he hits me with the same combination again.

It’s all about the feeling

It’s more than just throwing different punches at different angles and different rhythms. The goal is to make your opponent vulnerable. You have to become sensitive enough to find new ways to move against him (sometimes on the spot). Sometimes you have to abandon everything you practiced because it doesn’t work!

Sparring should increase your sensitivity.
Teaching you to adjust by creating new ways
to do the same thing.

A real fight is far more complicated than what I could ever explain. I’m always doing things differently. I might be throwing jabs over and over again, BUT IT’S NOT THE SAME JAB. My aim might be different. My head placement might be different. My hand and foot position might be different. One jab might be for setting up the right hand. Another jab might be setting up the left hook. Or maybe the breath is different. Or maybe the way I position my chest is different.

I often hear beginners asking me, “But Johnny if I keep throwing jabs, wouldn’t that make me predictable?” And it makes me laugh because I know it means he’s throwing the same jab every time. With that attitude, it doesn’t matter what he does. He could throw different punches and he would STILL be predictable because they would all feel the same.

I remember getting beat by a guy with a killer left hook. He would chase me down with head punches and then out of nowhere, a big left hook to the body. Over and over again. And do you want to know why I couldn’t defend it? BECAUSE IT DIDN’T FEEL LIKE A LEFT HOOK! His incredible skill wasn’t in his punching technique but rather his ability to MASK his left hook to the body. It always felt like something else, anything but a left hook. How can you defend something when you don’t feel it?

A skilled fighter can throw the same punch
OVER AND OVER,
because he’s able to give it a different quality.

Skilled fighters have a way of being very unpredictable. The way they stand or position themselves makes you expect a certain punch but then something else comes. Or the way they hold their hands makes you feel very vulnerable to their hook. Or the way they throw their right hand makes you feel like you’ll never be able to counter them in time. Some guys have a way of coming in on you where you feel like they’re in range but then you throw and you’re not even close. Some guys have a way of making you miss not because they slipped so well but because they knew how to make you throw at the wrong place. It doesn’t matter if you do the same thing over and over, as long as you’re still being unpredictable.

Skilled boxers can make me FEEL like I can’t fight back. They know how to move their bodies in ways that cause me to make mistakes. Against skilled fighters, I feel like their hands, their heads, their feet, their bodies are all constantly moving around pressuring me from different angles as they throw the same punches over and over.

If all your combinations feel the same to your opponent, he’ll be able to defend them easily without ever having to adjust to you.

It’s not about what you throw,
it’s about what your opponent feels.

Boxing combinations are more than simply a series of punches.

Strategy is needed even for something as basic as swinging your arms around. First you’ll need punches to open up your opponent. Then you’ll need punches to take advantage of the openings.

But what punches should you be throwing?
And in what order?
And where do you aim them?

Learn how the basic boxing combination works.

What is the Basic Punch Combo?

The basic boxing combination:
Jab, right cross, left hook, right cross. (1-2-3-2)

Watch my video to see how I throw the basic punch combo.

1. The JAB sets it up

The jab is your number one punch. It’s your longest and fastest weapon, making it perfect for starting every combination. Although it doesn’t do much damage, it doesn’t leave you as vulnerable to counters either. This is why you should probe your oppponent with the jab and not commit to anything else until you see an opening. Just about every coach you meet will say:

Everything comes off the jab.

Using the JAB

• Use the jab to create openings for your right cross.
• Throw it straight at your opponent’s face.
• Or throw it as his body.
• Or throw it anywhere else to feint him and make him shift his guard.

2. The RIGHT CROSS causes the damage

The right cross, usually thrown from your dominant hand, is easily your strongest punch and flows naturally after the jab. Although it leaves you a little more vulnerable, the right cross has best power and reach of any punch. For many fighters, an effective 1-2 combination is all they really need.

The right cross is your longest power punch.

Using the RIGHT CROSS

• Throw it right after the jab.
• Aim it at the head or body.
• The right cross is to hurt your opponent.

3. The LEFT HOOK opens the side angle

The left hook naturally follows the right cross, giving you the first power punch from your lead hand.

The left hook is particularly dangerous because it comes from a side angle making it harder to see and harder to defend. It’s speed can surprise many because the front hand is closer to the opponent. The side angle can cause more damage because it increases the likelihood of your punch turning your opponent’s head which increases the concussive effect. Because of your boxing stance, the left hook is also the most effective punch for targeting the body.

The drawback is that the left hook doesn’t have great range and can leave you vulnerable when you miss. Then again, that’s why you don’t throw this punch until the opportunity is presented. The tricky left hook is most useful when you’re in range of the opponent and have a punching rhythm established.

The left hook is dangerous
because of it’s tricky side angle and versatility.

Using the LEFT HOOK

• The left hook causes damage after the right cross.
• The left hook can open him up if he blocks your first couple punches.
• The left hook can target the head or body.

4. The RIGHT CROSS finishes the combination

Finish up all your combinations with the right hand. As long as you’re looking to attack rather than to defend, it should be natural to finish all your combinations with your best power punch.

• The jab opens him up.
• The right cross causes damage.
• The left hook opens up a second attack angle.
• The right cross hurts him again.
• And if you like…add more punches at the end such as a jab to establish range again, or even another power punch.

Master the basic punch combo,
then start creating your own.

Right now your goal is to memorize and practice this combo. With time, you’ll learn how to change little details to make it more effective. You’ll learn why it’s natural and why it works so well. Whether beginner or advanced, everyone uses this basic punch combo.

In a few days, I’ll release another guide to teach you how to create your own killer punching combinations.

SPECIAL GUEST POST FROM SPYRO – certified kettlebell instructor!

I have a task for you: just go ahead and search the Internet for the term ‘kettlebells’. Then check out some of the resulting pages and I dare you not to think that these ‘cannonballs with a handle’ (a new banality is born every minute…) are some god’s gift to humanity.

I bet you are going to read stuff promising you serious muscle building, core strengthening, fat ‘torching’ and tremendous conditioning. There are also going to be some references to old school Russian strongmen eating iron nails instead of spinach, the infamous Spetsnaz, and – who knows? – maybe even Rasputin and Stalin too!

Well, let me tell you a little secret: not everything about kettlebells is exactly as advertised! And who better than a kettlebells coach to make this clear?

Kettlebells: what’s wrong with this picture?

Think of it this way: kettlebells are marketed mainly to the fitness crowd, people who ‘work out’ as their main physical activity. Their ‘sport’ is working out at a gym or at home, a couple of times a week, maybe more, and what they need is quite simple: some muscle building, some core strengthening, some fat loss and some work for their cardio-vascular system. Do kettlebells deliver the goods to this target group? You bet! And frankly, I find conventional kettlebells training way more challenging and beneficial than running on treadmills, or dancing to the Zumba beat.

The problem arises when one tries to market kettlebells to athletes, as a tool that will help them enhance their performance. Let’s take boxers, for example: if it is only muscle building, fat loss, core strength and conditioning they will find in kettlebells, i.e. general physical attributes, why would they bother? To those ends, boxers have been skipping rope, hitting bags, pads and sparring partners, doing roadwork, lifting weights and doing calisthenics since… forever! Why change what they have been using successfully for so many years?

You don’t fix something that is not broken: it would seem like a no brainer, but check out the training programs kettlebells coaches suggest as suitable for boxers and you will only see (anaerobic) conditioning programs: snatches alternated with burpees or push-presses alternated with chin-ups for a prescribed number of rounds, and so on. Well, I’ll tell it like it is: this training is good, but there is nothing special about it – it’s just generic conditioning. Even more, snatches and push-presses can just as well be performed with dumbbells! Our question remains then: what can kettlebells training do for boxers?

Sport-Specific Training For Athletes: Have Fun, Save Time!

As a physical preparation coach for combat sports athletes, I’m all about specificity in training and making the athlete’s life easier. Let me give you an example: if it is aerobic fitness a boxer wants to improve, why do roadwork (slow, long-distance running) when he can do boxing-specific activities (shadow boxing, hitting the pads or the bag, etc) for the same amount of time, while maintaining a heart rate of 130-150 bpm? This way the same physiological adaptations can take place (increased cardiac output and developed vascular network) and boxing technique can be trained at the same time.

We should always keep in mind that athletes took up boxing because they like to box, not because they like to spend hours at the track or practice exotic conditioning techniques with names such as ‘the rack’, the snatch’ and the ‘jerk’! So, to make it simple: when doing physical preparation training for athletes, do it in as much a sport-specific way as possible, so that both the athlete and the coach are happy.

Kettlebells For Boxers: What’s In It For Me, Then?

So, if the conditioning abilities of the kettlebell are ‘just OK’ for boxers, is there something about them which makes them exceptional for boxers? Sure there is! In my experience, kettlebells are by far the most suitable tool for highly specific exercises in order to increase power output in the key movements of the sport… Yep, it’s punching power I’m talking about!

Here’s why:

• Punching is a ballistic movement [1] par excellence (you launch your fists; you do not push with your fists). The big kettlebells lifts (swing, clean, snatch, push-press, jerk) teach power generation through ballistic movement. No other training method does that nearly as well, except for Olympic weightlifting, but…
• …an Olympic bar can only be used in bilateral movements and boxing movements are not bilateral. Kettlebells can be used from a staggered stance and give themselves very well to unilateral and contra-lateral (rotational) movements, such as the ones found in boxing.
• Kettlebells can provide training for the specific type and speed of muscular contractions used in boxing, namely starting strength for the upper extremities, accelerating and stretch-shortening strength for the lower body [2].
• All the kettlebells pulling exercises (swing, high pull, clean snatch) require dynamic hip extension performed repeatedly. Hip extension is the most important component in generating punching power, which has been greatly overlooked due to a ‘cultural’ attachment of combat arts with rotational movement (no, you do not need twisting sit-ups to punch hard!).
• The correct way to grip the kettlebell handle in positions such as the rack or the overhead lockout promotes the correct wrist alignment and the rigidity of the joint that will allow for a full transfer of the power of a punch into the target. During exercises such as the clean and the snatch, a big chunk of cast iron, moving at high speed with significant momentum, has to be stopped at just the right moment in the rack or overhead lockout position, so kettlebells can teach both the correct way and the correct timing of the wrist lock. Performing snatches or presses with a dumbbell won’t help with any of that.

Check out the video above to see just a few of the exercises that can be used for dramatically increasing punching power.

Please keep in mind that the exercises shown in the video are suitable for athletes who have already developed the minimum degree of range-of-motion and strength required to properly execute the techniques of boxing.

This means the exercises are NOT recommended for beginners. Also, a basic level of proficiency in the safe execution of the basic kettlebells exercises (two- and one-arm swing, clean, snatch, press and push-press) is necessary before trying to perform some of the more complex variations in the video.

Don’t believe the hype…

The purpose of this article was to point out that, marketing kettlebells exclusively as a training tool for conditioning simply does not do them justice, making them appear one-dimensional and limited in scope. While kettlebells are more than adequate as a training implement in order to improve a boxer’s physiology and energy systems, it is through enhancing striking biomechanics that they can provide the most impressive results inside the ring! Go ahead and try them and make sure you let me know what you think!

[1] A ballistic movement is a forced movement initiated by muscle action, but continued by the momentum of the limbs.

[2] For a better understanding of explosive strength, rate of force development, starting, accelerating and stretch shortening strength, plus the best methods to train these attributes, I highly recommend the book Understanding Physical Conditioning: A Movement Based Approach, by Luis Preto MSc.

Spyro Katsigiannis is the founder of the Dynamo Concepts training methodology, for teaching martial arts and enhancing athletic performance (www.dynamoclub.se). He is a certified Kettlebell Systema Coach under Denis Kanygin and a San Shou (Chinese kickboxing) coach. He offers consultation to combat sports clubs in biomechanical optimization of movement and power generation enhancement.

You can leave comments for Spyro below and he will answer them.

Here’s something I see the pros doing all the time but never any amateurs.

They warm up the jaw before they get in the ring. Loosening up the jaw will decrease the chance of injury to your jaw and even help you take punches better. It’s surprising to see that not many fighters do this!

It looks funny but here’s what you do:

How to Warm Up Your Jaw

Move the jaw around to loosening it up!

• open it wide and then close
• move it side to side
• move it in a circle one way, and then the other

You can do this while stretching or right before a sparring session or a fight. Start off slow and then a little faster if you like. Do it for at least a minute. Watch my video above to see how I do it.

Warm up your jaw to take punches better
and reduce the chance of injury.

My favorite double end bag drills to improve your fighting skills. There’s so much you can get out of this tricky punching bag!

Here are some fun double-end bag drills to improve your punching accuracy, hand speed, defensive reflexes, footwork, and overall boxing skills.

Great Double End Bag Drills

Watch my video to see how I do my double-end bag drills.

Make sure you read my first guide on How to Hit a Double End Bag. It’ll help you get started!

1. Constant Combinations

As you already know, you should be able to hit the double-end bag with constant combinations. Solid, steady, quick little punches are the way to go. Remember: the double-end bag is more like a speed bag than a heavy bag! (Another note: it can be difficult to throw quick combinations if the cords are so loose that the bag swings far away from you.)

The most import thing is to keep hitting the bag consistently and not wait for it to slow down!

Don’t wait more than 2 seconds between combinations.

LLR/RRL Basic Rhythm

The LEFT-LEFT-RIGHT and RIGHT-RIGHT-LEFT are basic rhythms you should have learned in the first guide on the DE bag. Start out with this to warm-up.

Straight Punches

Throw nothing but jabs and straight rights. Try to keep the bag straight; you’ll have to be very accurate and hit the right part of the bag to keep it going straight.

Example combos:

• 1-1-2
• 1-2-1-2
• 1-2-1
• 1-2-1-2-1
  
• Make up your own.

Hooks & Uppercuts

The hardest punch to land on the double end bag is the left hook.

Example combos:

• 1-2-3
• 1-3-2
• 3-1-2
• 1-2-3-2
• 1-2-5-2-3-2
• Mix it up and create more combos. Add uppercuts, too.

Head & Body

Now go up and down. Some punches for the head, some punches for the body. If your double-end bag has only one section, then try aiming your “body punches” at the cord under the bag. Likewise, you can also hit the cord above the bag.

Example combos:

• 1b-1b-2 (1b = jab to the body)
• 1-2-3b
• 1-2-3b-3-2
• 1-2b-1-2
• Make up your own.

2. Combinations & Defense

Here is one the unique qualities of the double-end bag–it can help you drill your defense. Throw punches and then defend as if the bag was punching back at you. (Note: it may be easier to practice your defense on a loose bag that swings back more.)

Punch & Block

Throw some punches and block so the bag can bounce off your guard, then immediately go into a combination. You can practice your shoulder rolls too! If the bag doesn’t swing far enough to hit your guard, you can try getting closer OR you can keep track of the rhythm and continue as if it made contact.

Example combos:

• 1-2-BLOCK-2
• 1-BLOCK-1-2
• 1-2-1-2-BLOCK-2-1-2
• Make up your own.

PUNCH & Slip

Punching and slipping! This makes perfect use of the double end bag and can be a lot of fun.

Example combos:

• jab & slip, double-jab & slip twice
• 1-2-slip-slip-1-2
• 1-2-slip-2
• 1-2-3-2-slip-2-3-2
• 1-slip-5-2-slip-2-3-2
• Make up your own.

A general rule is to slip to the side you just threw from. (For example: slip LEFT after a jab. slip RIGHT after a right hand.) You can deviate from this rule once you get the hang of punching and slipping.

3. Combinations & Footwork

Now we’re going to punch and move. Beginners should work on being able to move after every combination. Advanced boxers can move during the combinations. Take your time and keep practicing if you don’t get it. It takes a lot of coordination to be able to punch and move.

Moving AFTER Combinations

Throw a combo and then take a step either with the right foot or the left foot.
If you’re new to this, you can start small:

• throw a combo
• move the left foot to the left just a few inches (circling around the bag)
• throw another combo
• slide up the right foot
• throw another combo

You can also go in the other direction, and you can also try pivots instead of the usual step-drag. Move your feet only a few inches at most. A slight tweak is all you need. Right now you’re developing only the coordination, later on you’ll be able to move both feet after a combination and move around more. The challenge is not only the movement itself but being able to maintain your accuracy/rhythm on the bag because it will come at a different angle.

Moving DURING Combinations

This is much harder. You can move during combinations by stepping in with your step jabs (common) or sliding up the right foot when the right hand hits (less common). Another common example is to pivot with the jabs and left hooks. This is very tricky because you’ll have to be able to hit the bag at different angles in the middle of your combinations.

Example combos:

• 1p-1p-2 (1p = pivot jab)
• 1-2-1p
• 1-2-1p-2
• 1-2-3p-3-2
• Make up your own.

For beginners: try repeating the same combo several times before moving on to a new combo. You’ll see how this can get quite challenging very quickly. If you’ve gotten this far, try mixing up everything you’ve learned so far. Head punches, body punches, blocking and slipping while throwing punches, moving DURING & AFTER combinations.

4. Double End Bag With a Partner

This is one of my favorite drills to do on the heavy bag. Nothing is more motivating than training with a partner because both of you create new combinations and movement on each other. Both of you will force each other to punch faster and be more alert.

COMBINATIONS with a Partner

Take turns throwing combinations—BUT MAINTAIN THE RHYTHM. As soon as one fighter finishes, the other fighter has to throw punches right away. Don’t wait for the bag swing back and forth 3 times and slow down. Throw immediately so the bag is always being attacked. This will force you to be accurate under pressure.

COMBINATIONS & MOVEMENT with a Partner

Same deal as before but this time you move right after throwing a combination. So when your partner is hitting the bag, you’re moving. And when you’re hitting the bag, your partner is moving. Both of you take turns hitting and moving WITHOUT dropping the rhythm on the bag. Keep hitting the bag!

COMBINATIONS & DEFENSE with a Partner

This time you’re punching and slipping. Try to slip the bag as your opponent throws punches. This will be very tricky as the bag can fly out at different angles unexpectedly. Once you’ve gotten the hang of this, combine the defense with the footwork. Sometimes you’re slipping when he punches, sometimes you’re moving with he punches. Whatever you do, maintain that rhythm!

5. Punching with the Boxer’s Bounce

This last drill is very relaxed and very easy to do if you’ve been skipping rope. All I’m doing is bouncing with every punch. I’m not throwing real power punches. I’m standing pretty square in front of the double end bag (although I sometimes stand more angled like a real boxing stance), and bouncing as I throw quick little punches.

This is a great exercise (similar to the jump rope) that can develop your body coordination and rhythm as your warm-up or warm-down drill. I like to do this whenever I’m “relaxing” in the gym such as when I’m chatting with the guys at the end of the day or when I’m watching a sparring match.

You’ll have to watch my video above if you need to see how I throw punches with the boxer’s bounce. The general idea is that I use the same boxing shuffle rhythm that’s normally used on the jump rope. If you don’t have the rhythm, keep practicing until it’s natural and doesn’t take much energy. Ideally, you should be able to do this forever.

Once you get the hang of it, you can use the boxer’s bounce while throwing real combinations and during the other double-end bag drills.

• Want to land knockout punches?
• Want to be a deadly puncher?
• Want to have faster combinations?

Every fighter NEEDS to train on the double-end bag!

But for some reason, it’s only the more advanced fighters that do it.
I’ll tell you why the pros do it and then I’ll tell you HOW to hit the double end bag.

What is the Double-End Bag?

The double-end bag, (also known as the floor-to-ceiling bag, or the “crazy bag” or “crazy ball”), is a small air-filled bag suspended at both ends to the ceiling and floor by a stretchy cord. Double-end bags will vary in size, shape, and rebound elasticity to offer you different types or different levels of punching skill workouts.

You typically have the following kinds of bag training:

Heavy bag – great for developing your power and conditioning. The bag swings around freely allowing you to use your legs as you move with the bag. The heavy bag has its limitations such as being too easy to hit and not giving you anything to react to. This is perhaps why beginners have the most fun on the heavy bag, because it’s easy to hit and feel amazing.

Speed bag – great for developing your rhythm, timing, hand speed, and endurance. It’s a great way to condition your shoulder muscles and arm muscles for throwing many punches without getting tired. The limitations of the speed bag is that it’s quite predictable to hit after a while and doesn’t challenge you to move around or be accurate. You can pretty much use the same motion over and over to hit the bag.

Double-end bag – something in between a heavy bag and a speed-bag depending on how you look at it. It’s similar to a heavy bag in that you can hit it with proper punching technique and also move around the bag. It’s similar to a speed-bag in that it requires rhythm and accuracy to hit.

The benefits of training on the double-end bag

The double-end bag is the perfect tool to develop your punching skills and overall boxing ability! Many experienced fighters love double-end bag training to develop their higher-level boxing skills.

Timing - the double-end bag isn’t just stationary like the heavy bag, it moves back and forth quickly (more realistic of an opponent’s head) making it more challenging to hit. Not only do you have to hit the bag but you have to hit it at the right time to make your punch effective.

Accuracy - the double-end bag is a smaller target that moves around a lot requiring you to use your eyes and be more accurate. It isn’t like the heavy bag which lays there waiting for you to hit it and making it easy for you to hit. The double-end bag will raise your accuracy especially if you can hit it with multiple punches in a row.

Rhythm – the double-end bag moves constantly back and forth requiring you to build up a rhythm in your punches instead of only throwing punches at awkward moments. Developing this rhythm in your body makes your fighting more effective and energy efficient in the ring.

Reflexes - This is what I love about the double-end bag so much. It forces you to use your eyes and be 100% aware of the double-end bag. It develops fast eyes and fast reflexes unlike the heavy bag which allows you to be land punches even when you’re lazy and mentally only half-awake. Skilled opponents move more like double-end bags than heavy bags.

Hand speed – the double-end bag moves quickly requiring you to use fast punches all the time in order to hit it. This is an important workout because many fighters get used to throwing slow punches on a stationary heavy bag and end up being too slow in a real fight to land punches.

Endurance – the double-end bag doesn’t bounce your hand back at you like the heavy bag, which means you’ll have to use more muscle to retract your arm, especially when you miss punches.

Power – punching power is not the same as punching skills. Good technique and conditioning can make you a more powerful puncher but you need punching skills (timing & accuracy) to actually transfer the power to your opponent. This is why many high-level fighters use the double-end bag. The heavy bag is also not so important for older fighters because their hands are worn down over the years. They rely on their punching skills rather than brute strength anyways.

The double-end bag develops your
timing, accuracy, rhythm, hand speed, endurance, and power.

Different kinds of double-end bags

Recommended double-end bag setup for beginners:

• a single ball or pea shape (not a double-ball or peanut shape)
• not larger than 10″ in diameter
• positioned around shoulder height
• cords are elastic enough to make the double-end bag bounce back 2-4 feet when you hit it
• wear lighter gloves 12oz to 14oz

But if you have no choice, that’s fine too—use whatever your gym has.

Different variables in double-end bag setup:

• size (accuracy) – obviously a smaller ball will move faster and be harder to hit.
• shape (accuracy/punch-angles) – the shape of the double-end can force you to be more accurate with your punches. The shape can also allow for more punching angles. Some double-end bag shapes (pea shape) only allow straight punches and hooks whereas other shapes (ball shape) make it a little easier to hit with an uppercut. This isn’t a big deal because this training is mainly for timing, accuracy, and speed, not actual punching technique.
• 1-ball vs 2-ball shapes (head vs body punches) – some bags come with an “upper and lower” ball for you to practice your head and body punches. If you only have a single ball shape, you can still practice your body punches by hitting the cord
• cord elasticity (punching/defending rhythm) – this is probably the biggest variation. No gym will ever have the exact same cord elasticity and so every double-end bag setup will force you to train at a different rhythm. Generally speaking, using tight cords will keep the bag from moving too much. The bag will wiggle very quickly and force you to throw faster (and perhaps smaller) punches. Using very loose cords allows the bag to move all over the place making it more challenging to be accurate but at the same time, easier to time because you have more distance to aim your punches. A bag with very loose cords can also force you to slip because the bag will swing back enough to hit you. It’s not uncommon to see gyms with both a “tight double-end bag” as well as a “loose double-end bag”.

Double-end bags varying in size, shape, and cord elasticity
offer you different types of of punching skill workouts.

How to Hit the Double End Bag

Watch  my video to see how I hit the double-end bag!

1. Start with small combinations (LLR or RRL)

Use small quick combinations

This is crucial but I see so many beginners doing it wrong. Don’t hit the bag so hard that it flies far away. This makes it hard for you to land a combo and impossible to get a steady rhythm going. Use small punches that don’t make the bag go back any further than 6 to 12 inches. It’s easier for you to control this way and develop quick fluid combinations. Start with combinations, rather than single power shots!

The double-end bag is more like a speed bag than a heavy bag.
Hit it with consistency, not power.

Hit with a LEFT-LEFT-RIGHT or RIGHT-RIGHT-LEFT rhythm

This is one of those things that changed my life but nobody ever taught me. Nobody that is, until Pepper Roach (Freddie Roach’s brother) came over and told me how to do it. It’s a great starting rhythm and will teach beginners how to understand the punching rhythm in boxing.

The reason why you use a left-left-RIGHT or right-right-LEFT rhythm is so that it teaches you how to chain big shots after small shots without breaking your rhythm. The first two punches are to help you find your opponent (the bag) which then sets him up for your final finishing “power shot”. The problem with beginners is that they’re always coming in with a power-punching mindset and trying to hit with a left-right-left-right rhythm which then becomes a slow rhythm without first setting up the “opponent”.

Again, throw 2 quick tapping shots with one hand, and then finish with a power shot on the other hand. (When I say “power”, I just mean like 50% power or even less….don’t hit it with everything you have or you’ll lose control and break your rhythm again.)

Double-end bag rhythm for beginners:
left-left-RIGHT or right-right-LEFT

Throw any punch you want

The double-end bag is about rhythm, timing, and accuracy more so than technique and strategy. This means you can throw any kind of punch you want and relax a bit. Sure, you can mimic realistic combinations like always start with the jab but I find double-end bag training to be more effective (and creative) when you start throwing experimental combinations.

For example if I use the LEFT-LEFT-RIGHT combination, I’m experimenting with all kinds of punches:

• jab-jab-cross
• jab-hook-cross
• hook-jab-cross
• uppercut-jab-croos
• uppercut-hook-cross
• uppercut-jab-uppercut
• etc

Likewise if I use the RIGHT-RIGHT-LEFT combination:

• uppercut-cross-jab
• uppercut-cross-hook
• cross-uppercut-hook
• cross-cross-hook
• etc, you get the point

Free your hands (free your mind), stand square if you like, break from your “perfect boxing stance” and loosen up your shoulders. Start developing a rhythm from all angles and with all punches.

2. Keep throwing (DON’T WAIT)

Do not wait for the bag

This is another one of those things every beginner does. They can’t hit the bag (maybe because they hit it too hard in the first place) and so they wait for it to stop moving before they hit it again. If you wait for the bag to stop, you’re defeating the point of double-end bag training–which is to build timing, rhythm, and accuracy. Generally speaking, you should throw the next combo 2-3 seconds after the previous combo.

Don’t wait for the double-end bag to slow down
before you throw the next combination.

Rely on the LLR or RRL rhythm

Again, this is where the LLR/RRL rhythm comes in handy. Let’s say the bag is moving too much and you can’t see it, let alone even hit the bag…the worst thing to do is to throw LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT-RIGHT rhythm because you will miss.

The smart thing is to throw a bunch of quick little punches from the same hand to help you control and “find” the bag which then sets up the real punch from the other hand. For example: if you throw multiple lefts, you will see that it’s easier to hit the bag, and even if you miss, the bag will come to one side of your hand…which then makes it easy for you to guess where to throw the right.

The LEFT-LEFT-RIGHT or RIGHT-RIGHT-LEFT rhythm
helps you hit a moving target.

Mix up your combos

Throw a LLR, then RRL, then LLR, maybe LLR again, maybe LLLLLR (because the bag was moving too much), then RRL, another RRL, RRRRRRL. Whatever you like. Use the base rhythm and then mix up your punches. Once you get the hang of hitting this crazy ball, you can break from the standard LLR/RRL rhythm and throw your typical combinations that you use on the heavy bag.

3. Move around in between combinations

Take one step after every combination

This was something one of my coaches stressed. Always take a step after every combination. It can be a step in any direction. It can be a linear step or a pivot. It can be big or small (preferably just a few inches) as long as you develop a rhythm of always being able to hit and move. Even if you throw a combination and shift one foot just slightly that will do you plenty good later in the ring.

After a while, you’ll be able to move your feet more often without feeling like you’re punching with lifted feet. For example, I’ll take small steps with my left hands, then throw a harder right hand, step over to one side, then come back with another combination. Other times, I’ll stay in place and use the [boxer's bounce] with every punch. You should watch my video above to see how I punch and move at the same time.

Train on the double-end bag with a partner

One of the best ideas is to train on the bag with a partner. Take turns hitting the double-end bag so that when one guy finishes, the other starts immediately. This way, both of you will be forcing each other to raise the pace and always stay ready to punch. It’s a great way to push each to be faster, more aggressive, and more accurate. (Completely new beginners can also practice this drill on the heavy bag.)

Then, if you can, take steps while the other guy is punching. So when your partner is punching, you move (just 1 or 2 steps). Then when you punch, your partner is moving. You can quickly develop your hit-and-move skills very quickly this way. Again, don’t focus on power, focus on rhythm, timing, and accuracy!

Train on the double-end bag with a partner
to push each other to react faster.

The Ultimate Goal of Double-end Bag Training

Technique and conditioning gives you power.
Timing and accuracy allows you to use that power.

Throwing power punches is easy. (TECHNIQUE)

Landing power punches on a moving target is hard. (SKILLS)

Training on the double-end bag took my boxing skills and punching skills to a whole other level. I’m faster, sharper, more energy efficient. I know how to time my punches and I can throw quick snapping punches that land at the perfect time to do the most damage. I’m not just a better puncher but I’m also able to move better because I have more rhythm in my body (developed from skipping rope and double-end bag training).

There’s really no substitute for the double-end bag. And no, the reflex bag is terrible. I really don’t like that bag at all, it seems similar to the double-end bag but it feels so different. There’s a reason why the pros and higher skilled boxers rely on the double-end bag!

The next time you find yourself waiting for the heavy bag at the gym, go over to the double-end bag instead which is probably not being used. It might be humiliating at first because you can’t apply any of your macho strength to it but give it some time. Learn to relax and get a rhythm going and you’ll notice your punching skills improving faster than ever.

Training on the double-end bag has now become one of my many “resting exercises”. I’m always bouncing and hitting the double-end bag even when I’m talking to people at the gym or watching others spar. It’s a crucial piece of boxing equipment and you’d be cheating yourself by skipping it.

Coming soon:

• Double End Bag Drills

WHAT is the corkscrew punch?

HOW do you throw a corkscrew punch?

WHY should you corkscrew punch?

…and WHEN should you throw the corkscrew punch?

The corkscrew punch is no secret amongst trained boxers. If anything, it’s standard punching technique. But for everyone else from untrained fighters to even martial artists, it’s been built up to be some kind of magical secret weapon.

Here’s my explanation to demystify, once and for all, the “secret” behind the corkscrew punch technique.

What is a Corkscrew Punch?

*** Image from BoxRec.com

A “corkscrew punch” is a punch delivered with a twisting of the wrist.

• The fist rotates inwards as the arm extends so that the palm is facing down when the fist lands.

This punch was said to be invented by a famous boxer named Charles “Kid” McCoy who (fought from 1891-1916) learned the punch by watching a cat strike at a ball of string.

McCoy imitated this corkscrew motion to add power to the punch and cut the opponent’s skin (boxers had very little hand protection back in the days). Being that he was wildly successful and known to be one of the great punchers in boxing, you can see why his punching technique became famous over time.

Over the years, many other fighters and practitioners of different martial arts have made similar discoveries resulting in many more variations of the “corkscrew punch”. What remains the same is that a corkscrew punch is a punch thrown with a wrist rotation.

CLAIMED BENEFITS of the corkscrew punch

I don’t agree with many of these but here are the popular reasons I’ve heard over the years regarding the corkscrew punch. I also listed my brief thoughts regarding their validity.

• increased power – POSSIBLE, but it depends on how you do it
• increased speed – POSSIBLE, but it depends on your fighting stance
• cuts the skin – NO, we have better hand protection now and cutting the skin has to do with angle and timing of the punch
• better wrist protection – YES, a punch thrown with a sideways wrist is less likely to get injured
• helps the punch get around a guard – YES, it can be easier to throw overhands with a horizontal fist than a vertical fist
• protects your chin – YES, a great benefit especially while trading punches

Why do boxers use a corkscrew punch?

1. Increased power & wrist protection – a sideways wrist is more stable allowing for more power transfer

2. Faster reaction time – to go from a defensive stance to a strike

3. Overhand punching angle – boxers throw many overhand punches unlike other fighting arts that focus more on straight punches

As I’ve already said before, the corkscrew punch is standard punching technique for boxers. They’ve been doing it since day one whether they knew it or not. You can always hear old school boxing trainer in the gym referencing the corkscrew punch technique by yelling:

• “Turn your punches over!”
• or “turn your hands over!”

Like I said, if you’re a boxer, you probably already learned how to throw a corkscrew punch. But if you’d like some more tidbits for extra punching power, keep reading!

How to Throw a Corkscrew Punch

Corkscrew punch technique for straight punches – (JAB or STRAIGHT RIGHT)

• Rotate the entire arm (shoulder, elbow, fist) as you extend your fist, so that the punch lands with the palm facing down.

Corkscrew punch technique for head hooks – left hook or overhand right

• Rotate your entire arm (shoulder, elbow, fist) as you swing the hook, so that your punch lands with the elbow at the same level of the fist (hooks) or higher than the fist (overhand).

Corkscrew punch technique for uppercuts – left uppercut or right uppercut

• Use the reverse motion of the corkscrew. Rotate your entire arm inwards as you dig the uppercut, so that your punch lands with the elbow down inside to support the uppercut.
• This type of corkscrew technique isn’t necessary for all uppercuts (especially for strategic reasons) but very powerful for tight uppercuts on the inside.

Principles of the corkscrew punch technique

1. The fist needs forearm support to deliver a powerful punch.

Every punch must be supported by the forearm! This is why the elbow always follows the line of the fist. Try throwing any punch without the elbow (and forearm) behind it and you will feel that it’s far less powerful and may even hurt your wrist. This is why your wrist hurts when you throw punches with a bent wrist (where the forearm is not directly behind the punch).

• When you throw a straight punch, the elbow must shoot forward (not out sideways).
• When you throw a left hook, the elbow must swing across at the same level (notdrop at a lazy angle).
• When you throw an uppercut, the elbow must be low in for the forearm to support the fist at an upwards angle.

The corkscrew isn’t so much of a technique anymore once you see that it’s natural movement. Wherever the fist goes, the elbow must follow it in order to support the punch. And the palm will face in whatever direction that feels more natural (downwards for straights or hooks, sideways or upwards for low hooks and uppercuts).

2. The corkscrew motion is to rotate the entire arm and lift the ELBOW quickly.

The point of the corkscrew punch technique
is to bring the elbow up quickly.

Try these motions from your boxing stance — with your elbows pointing down.

Hold your fist at a vertical angle (palm facing sideways) and punch straight out. You will see that your elbow points down and the forearm does not support your punch until your arm is fully extended.

Now hold your fist at a horizontal angle (palm facing down) and punch straight out, you will see that it’s more natural for the arm to rotate and the elbow points out sideways much sooner.

If you compare these 2 methods (horizontal fist vs vertical fist), you will notice that the horizontal fist causes the entire arm to corkscrew and that the elbow comes up quicker. And because the elbow comes up quicker, your punch will be stronger and have more power especially even if it’s not fully extended. This is the main difference between horizontal-fisted punches and vertical-fisted punches.

Some people like to argue about “boxing punches vs karate punches” or “horizontal-fist punches vs vertical-fist punches” and the answer is THEY ARE DIFFERENT PUNCHES. I don’t care so much about which one is better and why and how, etc. The most important thing is that I use the right punch to fit my strategy. And for most boxing-specific purposes, the corkscrew punch is more applicable (which is why it’s the standard). Boxers are by far the most powerful, most skilled, and most versatile punchers of any fighting art.

3. The corkscrew technique is a motion, not a position.

Why is it that boxers corkscrew their punches? Can’t we just position our fists and elbows already sideways to be in position to punch? The obvious answer is no because turning your fist palm down will likely force out your elbows sideways and make it hard to defend your body from your boxing stance.

REMEMBER: the basic boxing stance has your elbows down to cover your body. And if the elbows are down, this means it’s more natural to have your palms either facing sideways or even facing inwards towards your face.

And so the corkscrew punching technique is the motion that allows you to punch from your defensive position. The corkscrew punch will allow your elbow to go from being point downwards (for defense) to quickly lift upwards and rotate into your punch for maximum power.

NOTE: another benefit of the corkscrew punch is that it activates your shoulder and rotates to protect your chin as you punch. Try throwing a vertical-fist punch vs a corkscrew punch and you will see that your shoulder covers more of your chin with the corkscrew punch (well, it should). The exposed chin from vertical-fisted punches are another reason why vertical-fisted punches aren’t thrown in boxing.

4. Some punching angles can only be reached with a high elbow.

Aside from the increased power and chin protection, corkscrew punches are sometimes the only way to get around an opponent’s guard. Take for example, the typical overhand right. If you’re used to throwing only vertical-fisted punches with the elbow pointing down, you’ll see it’s impossible to bend your elbow to loop over your opponent’s defense. In these cases, using a corkscrew punching technique allows you to bend your elbow up sideways at an angle which then allows your fist to come around the guard and downwards at his face.

In boxing, we throw all kinds of punches – straight, over, under, and around. Whichever way the elbow needs to bend, we let it bend. And in many cases, letting the elbow bend out sideways gives us the necessary punching angles.

Secrets of the corkscrew punch technique

Corkscrew Punch Secret #1:
Corkscrew the entire arm! Shoulder, elbow, fist!

Don’t think about the fist! Think about the entire arm, especially the elbow and the shoulder. Try to feel the snap and quick rotation in your elbow and shoulder. This will require a relaxed arm which then SNAPS into place with the corkscrew motion.

When you do it right, you will feel your elbow flick up quickly as the entire arm supports the punch. I recommend practicing your corkscrew punches with straight punches first. A big tip: you need a very relaxed arm to corkscrew right.

If you’re a PUSH-PUNCHER or someone who likes to drive through every punch, the corkscrew motion will slow you down and make you feel like you’re using a lot of energy. Instead you should feel like the corkscrew is a fast, easy way to snap your elbow from defense position to punching position.

Corkscrew Punch Secret #2:
Snap your lats and shoulders to rotate the fist.

Again, don’t focus on your fist. Try to initiate the corkscrew effect from the most powerful muscles farther back in the arm—mainly the shoulders and lat muscles. All you have to do is rotate the forearm and elbow and the fist will turn with it.

Relax your entire arm and then just snap with your lat and shoulder muscles. Once you get the snap right, all it takes is a little squeeze from the fist and forearm and you will feel a VERY POWERFUL SNAPPING CORKSCREW PUNCH!