Jab/Cross & Footwork

02.08.18

Tonight my new client began a 10 hour lesson in Western Boxing for Martial Arts Cross Training. We covered basic guard, stance, footwork, the jab and the cross. After some standard mobility exercises we moved onto footwork moving forwards, backwards, laterally and stepping off on angles. Guard retention, balance and the importance of lining up the body were carefully observed alongside mobility through the footwork. A vital area I emphasise early on and throughout my fight coaching is protecting against vulnerability when moving. Fighters often get caught out when they move. We then moved onto the jab. I explained there are many different types of jab, but we will be covering the most common type used in modern boxing. This is the jab used to set up other punches and to gauge distance when fighting. We looked at developing speed and accuracy whilst keeping a firm eye of guard integrity. The technique was then combined with all the footwork already covered. Coaching was done first without gloves and as a targeting exercise. Then gloves and focus mitts were donned for more impact development. The section was finished with the low jab. The cross was introduced as a knockout power punch. We looked at using the hip and the ball of the foot to generate force in the cross. Balance and stability are key areas that often suffer when throwing this punch. It is also important to relax and breath out as the punch is thrown. We then combined the cross with the jab. I used restrictive punching exercises including punching from the wall and punching trapped elbows to promote better body mechanics. The lesson finished with my standard 30/30/30 technique/speed/power exercise. Here is a great isolation exercise recommended for my client to use at home to improve his punching speed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_Q0f5W8QhU