Boxing Punches

There are four basic offensive moves in boxing:

• the jab,
• straight right (or left),
• hook (left and right), and
• uppercut (left and right).

These boxing punches can be delivered anywhere above the waist and it is best to mix up where they are delivered.

You cannot win a battle without a great offense. You can have the best defense in the world, never allowing your opponent to hit you, but you cannot win if you don't hit him. That of course is where these boxing punches come in.

A couple of things you want to remember when thinking about the offensive part of your game. First, you always want to keep your opponent guessing. The worst thing you can do is forecast your punches or get in the habit of delivering the same punches in the same order over and over again. If your opponent is any good, he will quickly pick up on it and the effectiveness of your offense will be diminished if not completely obliterated.

You can forecast your punches in a variety of ways. Most common are wide sweeping punches and dropping your shoulder to kind of wind up and punch. All signs of a true beginner and not what you want to be known as. You have to watch other things as well like your breathing, facial expressions, head movement, the list goes on and on. Put on your poker face when you enter the ring.

Second, don't always focus on delivering the power punch. Have them at the ready but give a constant barrage of jabs. These smaller hits over the course of a fight can do a tonne of damage, don't take a lot of energy, and can win the fight for you.

So, with those points in mind, let's get technical. Oh, and one other note, I'm going to describe the punches for right hander's, that is left foot forward. If you're a left hander, please don't feel offended, just reverse the instructions.

A final note on breathing. Don't hold your breath, which, believe it or not, is the natural thing to do when you punch. With every punch breathe out through pursed lips making a quick short "fffffff" sound. This ensures you are breathing and aids in your power distribution. It's like karate guys yelling whenever they punch or kick. Kind of centers you...if that makes any sense.

One last thing to mention. Never forget about the hand which is not punching. It is a common error, especially for beginners to forget about the hand which is supposed to be guarding when the other is punching. This is especially obvious while throwing the jab with the left hand. Watch yourself in the mirror and you will be sure to notice that while you are jabbing with the left, your right mysteriously slides down to chest height instead of being up protecting the chin.

It's natural, gravity is pulling at it all the time, but everyone, especially in the beginning has to make a conscious effort to keep their hands up where they should be. Don't worry, it's even harder to remember when you have both hands flying out delivering combinations as we'll see next.

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