Learn how to jab, cross and hook at home with these boxing strike tutorials.
You’ve read about the benefits of boxing, from building strength in your shoulders to being the perfect low-impact sweat sesh. The good news is that you don’t need a ring or any fancy kit to get started, as boxing is the perfect workout to do at home with no equipment and minimal space.
However, it’s crucial to learn the proper strike form to prevent injury and so you know what on earth the instructor means when they say “throw a powerful jab” or “follow up with five rolls”. Plus, understanding the moves means you can programme a solo session on the days that you just don’t fancy logging in to a virtual training class.
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First, learn the starting position. In boxing, most moves are set up from a wide stance with your dominant foot placed behind you and a small bend in your knees. Your weight should be placed lightly in your toes so you can bounce between your feet– from side to side (as though you’re trying to block your head from getting punched), your fingers folded into a loose and your chin down.
From that position, there’s six different moves you can make. These can be applied to boxing with an opponent, a punch bag or in shadow boxing when you simply strike the air. To help you perfect them, we asked boxing coach and personal trainer Kate Sutton to run us through the how and why of jabs, crosses and other boxing moves.
Jab
“This strike is the best to start off with when learning,” says Kate. “The jab can be used in many different ways and it’s a great strike to set up other movements.”
How to do a jab in boxing:
- From the starting position, extend your lead arm (this is the arm at the front, so the opposite to your usual writing hand) and as the arm is nearly straight, twist your fist so that the palm faces to the floor and your knuckles towards the ceiling.
- Bend your arm to bring your elbow back to your ribcage and hand back to your face.
- Remember to exhale every time you throw a strike.
How to use a jab in boxing:
In a speed drill
Pair with the cross and go for as many strikes in 45 seconds as possible as a speed drill and heart raiser.
To practice breathing
Repeat a single jab and exhale powerfully on the strike.
Cross
“This pairs perfectly with the the jab, so aim to link the two moves together by rotating the shoulders with the strikes,” says Kate. “As this move uses your dominant hand, you can make it a powerful strike.”
How to do a cross in boxing:
Stand with your feet wide, a small bend in your knees with your weight placed lightly in your toes.
- From the starting position, extend your rear arm (this is the arm at the back) forwards and across the body, twisting the fist at the end of the move so your palm is facing down and knuckles facing towards the ceiling.
- As you throw the punch, pick your back heel off the ground and twist your back hip forwards so you use extra power.
- Bend your arm to bring your elbow back to your ribcage and hand back to your face.
- Remember to exhale every time you throw a strike.
How to use a cross in boxing:
Practice target drills
Throw a jab-cross high (by punching upwards) and a jab-cross low (punching down) and repeat for your chosen interval times. For example, 45 seconds on/15 off or 30 seconds on/10 seconds off.
Uppercut
“This strike is thrown from beneath in an upward trajectory, aiming for the chin of your opponent,” says Kate. “An uppercut takes a lot of power from the ground up.”
How to do an uppercut in boxing:
- Bend the knees a little more than they are in the starting position.
- Drive your rear fist slightly forward and up, your knuckles aiming for the sky and your palm facing you.
- As you throw the strike, extend through your knees and push the floor away with your feet.
- This move can also be performed with your lead arm.
How to use the uppercut in boxing:
Work on speed
Throw continuous uppers cuts, alternating between the rear and lead arm, for your chosen interval time.
Train the full body
Practice pushing through your legs for full-body awareness.
Mix up your crunches
Rather than performing these standing, you can throw an uppercut at the top of a crunch. As you throw the strike, release that power and repeat.
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Hook
“These strikes are circular, as opposed to your jab and cross which use a straight arm. Twist the bodyto add power into the strike,” says Kate.
How to do a hook in boxing:
- From the starting position, initiate the strike from the hips by twisting your back hip towards your front so the hips are in line.
- As you do that, bend your rear elbow at 90° and throw the punch across your body in a semi-circle (as though it’s sliding across a table top).
- Your palm should be facing towards you at the end of the strike.
- This move can also be performed with your lead fist by reversing the movement.
How to use a hook in boxing:
Engage your core
Use the twisting motions to improve your core engagement. When you throw the hooks, draw your belly button in to your spine, feel your midsection twist and exhale deeply from the core.
Slip
“This is a defensive move rather than a stike and gives you a chance to load up on power to throw into strikes. Practicing this can help increase reaction time and agility as well as perfecting your defense game,” says Kate.
How to do a slip in boxing:
- From the starting position, bend your knees so you’re in a high squat.
- Bring your lead elbow (on your front arm) to your rear knee as you twist your body to the back and move your head off the centerline.
- Imagine moving as quickly as you can to avoid a counter strike while keeping your hands up by the face to shield the body.
- Don’t lose eye contact with your target or opponent.
- You can reverse this move
How to use a slip in boxing:
Work on co-ordination
Set a timer to go off at your chosen interval. Throw strikes continuously and throw a slip in as quickly as possible when you hear the timer before returning you fast-paced strikes.
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Roll
“A roll is a great way to open up space during a match, but it’s also going to work your legs – it’s essentially just a load of mini squats,” says Kate.
How to do rolls in boxing:
- From the starting position, bend your knees into a mini squat.
- Lean all of your weight onto the rear foot as you dip your head underneath an imaginary rope running parallel to your nose.
- Press the weight onto your lead foot and roll the head under the imaginary rope again to bring your head forward.
- Keep your stance wide throughout so you feel balanced.
How to use a roll in boxing:
Burn out the legs
Throw a few strikes before rolling one way, then throw more strikes and rollback. You will feel this in your legs so keep it simple and find a rhythm and flow.
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Images: Getty / Kate Sutton
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