I remember still back when I was fifteen years old and just beginning to box. I thought it would be dead easy. I thought that all I needed to learn was how to throw a few punches and take an opponent down. Just beat him up, basically. Simple, right?
Wrong.
Little did I know that there were far more intricate, technical details involved in the art of boxing. The proper way to stand. The proper way to guard. Even the punching had a right and a wrong to it! Naive as I was, I was in for a pretty hard lesson back then. All these basics now, I will look to cover in this article. First and foremost...
The Proper Boxing Stance.
One of the first things you should learn, one of the most important things....and unfortunately, more often than not, one of the most overlooked as well. The proper boxing stance will lend you a distinct advantage due to it's ability to allow you far better maneuverability and balance. Without this, you'll find yourself going down far easier, both due to loss of balance and simply being unable to evade your opponent's offense. Remember, in boxing, the whole point is to try and NOT get hit! Not to mention your own offense will suffer severely if the proper stance is not adopted. As you can probably tell....the stance is crucial.
Firstly, your feet should be set comfortably apart. Ideally, about shoulder width apart. Bend your knees slightly, but only to the point that it actually allows you comfortable maneuverability. If you find yourself getting tired too quickly from your stance, chances are you're crouching too far down and giving your knees unnecessary strain. Also, by placing the weight on the balls of your feet, you will once again optimise maneuverability. Lastly, turn your body just a measure sideways, enough that your hips and shoulder are equally aligned. In doing so, you reduce the amount of available areas for your opponent to effectively strike at, so that even if you are unable to evade his or her offense, you are still able to successfully defend yourself against it. By adopting this stance, you will have successfully optimised your defense.
The Proper Way to Guard.
Really, this ties in directly with the stance, as this guard position is one that you MUST maintain throughout a bout for ready effectiveness. However, given the form some beginner boxers tend to adopt, I felt it deserved a section of it's own. The way you uphold your guard is vital to whether you win or lose, so you must pay close attention to it at all times. One loose chink in your guard, and you may find yourself flat on your back and staring up at the lights.
Secondary hand position: Your secondary hand...aka, if you're right handed, your left hand...if you're left handed, your right, should be slightly extended in front of you, in line with your shoulder, to maximise your reach and attack speed. At the same time, however, be sure not to extend it too far, or you merely open up the loose chink in your armour that we spoke of earlier.
Main hand position: Your main hand – if you're right handed, your right hand, if you're left handed, your left hand – should be practically hugged close to you, elbow tucked into your ribs and fist at your chin, basically covering all your vital points...from a boxing standpoint anyhow. Remember to keep your body loose and relaxed. If you're overly tense, you will once again risk loss of maneuverability.
The Basic 'One, Two' combo.
The most common combo utilised in boxing is the basic 'one-two' combo, consisting of a jab followed swiftly after by a cross. The key to understanding this combo is understanding the reason for each punch. The jab, in truth, is hardly intended for the most part as anything other than a distraction, it's true meaning being to conceal the incoming cross soon after. By jabbing beforehand, by the time your opponent sees the cross coming, it will usually be far too late for them to react. It is therefore crucial to balance the power you put into each of these punches accordingly.
Many times, beginner boxers will simply throw the punches, not actually knowing how to do this. Once again, however, this combo too ties into having adopted a proper stance. If you have adopted the proper stance, you should notice that the side of your good hand should also be the side of your front foot, and vice-versa. The back foot is what actually plays the key to maximising the power of your punch. After having thrown your jab to distract your opponent, twist your back foot as though attempting to put out a cigarette on the curb simultaneous to throwing your cross, leaning into the punch. By doing so, you should be able to feel the whole weight of your body going into that punch, thanks to the leverage applied accordingly from that back foot. Yet again, we see exactly how crucial a proper stance can be, offensively as well this time.
And so there you have it. Three basic of the basics boxing tips that are all too often overlooked by overzealous beginners. Remember.....sometimes, it's the simple things that end up mattering the most.
Lee Wilson - Unlike many writers, Lee has never attended any form of college or otherwise, instead having dropped out of home schooling after passing ...
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