Boxing Tip #12 - Double Slip - Bob - Body - Body - Hook

Sorry for the title of this boxing tip - I couldn't think of a clever way to describe what I'm about to tell you in something that would make sense any other way.

I have to take a moment and tell you that this technique opened my eyes and finally made me understand the whole concept of weight transfer. Once I worked through this combination a light bulb went on and I completely understood how one punch puts you in position for another. Maybe it was the explanation at the time, or maybe I was just open to understanding that day, but I hope I can do this justice and give you the same light bulb moment.

When to Use the Double Slip - Bob - Body - Body - Hook.

You can use this technique when your opponent throws a 1-2-3 combination (Jab, Straight Right, Left Hook). Think and visualize this. If you fight orthodox, your left foot is forward. Picture an orthodox opponent also with his left foot forward. Now in slow motion, picture him throwing a jab at your head. His lead hand is coming towards you and you slip to the right (outside). You immediately notice a straight right coming at you as your opponent's torso begins to twist, squaring off in front of you. Again you slip, this time to the left and now stop this picture in your mind at the extreme left of your slip. That's the double slip portion of the technique.

Like any good opponent, you can expect at least a three combination attack. The 1-2 will be followed by a 3, so as he brings the left hook around to catch you as you recover from your slip, alter your slip path and duck/bob over to the right as the hook flies harmlessly over your head.

How to Throw the Body-Body-Hook

Right at this point, your opponent has missed you (hopefully) and is fully extended and twisted slightly away from you trying to recover from his hook. You are now in a position to inflict some damage and regain the initiative in the fight. Think of how you are positioned at this point. Likely crouched, bent slightly to the right (weight more over to the front right). There is a giant body target in front of you, so nail it with everything you've got - Right Hook to the Body and follow through with the weight transfer. Ensure you keep low as you twist back to the left.

If you hit your opponent right, he is going to twist back to his left which will open up the body on the right. Take advantage of it and hit with a left hook to the body. That will likely drop his guard so follow up immediately with a left hook to the head. There's the body-body-hook portion of this boxing combination.

How to Practice the Double Slip-Bob-Body-Body-Hook

Best way to perfect this technique is to break it into two parts and then combine them once you've perfected both.

1. Defensive Portion - learn to thwart the attack and end up in the perfect position to launch your offensive actions. So, start slow and have someone throw a 1-2-3 combination at you. Keep low and tight and slip at the last second. You need to draw out the entire 1-2-3 combination in order to get yourself in position to fight back. If your opponent doesn't commit entirely to the 1-2-3 combination, it's going to mess up your plans, so provide him the targets - but be fast enough to ensure he misses. Slip, slip, bob - Slip, slip, bob. A lot of this comes from your legs, so keep crouched.



2. Offensive Portion - Here's where the weight transfer is extremely important. Throw the right hook to the body and notice how your weight naturally transfers over to the left. Let it. Follow through and let it load your left hook. Once loaded, throw it - Snap and then throw another left hook to the head immediately afterwards. The timing for the whole action is Snap--------Snap, Snap.

Ideally, you want to practice this with someone who can throw a 1-2-3 combination, but you can just as easily visualize what is happening with a heavybag. As I'm sure I've mentioned (if I haven't I should have), heavybag work becomes 200% more effective if you are visualizing it as an opponent. It is not just a big padded leather bag, it is an opponent complete with arms that throw punches at you. The sooner you picture that, the sooner you can develop those reactions required to evade those punches in the ring.

Let me know if you try this and tell me how it works out for you. Enjoy.