Mixing up your repertoire of jabs is key to making you a good fighter
Mixing up your repertoire of jabs is key to making you a good fighter. You need to learn how to throw your jabs from all angles, to create openings for your power shots.
When I am training my clients with the pads, or if we are working a session on the bag, I will always encourage them to mix up their jabs. I want them to constantly change the power and speed of their jabs – soft, hard, medium, fast, slow, and also to feint the jab. Using these skills will keep your opponent guessing, and will make you a tricky adversary.
It is important not to keep repeating the same technique in the ring. Being an unpredictable fighter is advantageous, as it actually makes your opponent stop and think before throwing and will slow them down. Mixing up your jabs and techniques/combos means your opponent won’t have the slightest idea of what you are going to do next and will put them on the back foot.
The jab to the body is one of the techniques that I like my students to play with when practicing different jabs. It is a great ‘counter to the left’ jab, and sets your whole stance up for some great power punches. With slightly bent legs, you can push up through the floor, and land some devastating right hands, uppercuts or hooks.
Early on in training, people often seem to focus on ‘head hunting’, rather than going to the body, but if you destroy the body the head will topple – FACT. When you jab to the body, it inevitably brings your sparring partners hands down, in defence. You can then use this reaction as your opportunity to punch over the top of their guard. Alternatively, feint the jab to the body to get the same defensive response.
When fighting/sparring in the ring you should use this same mindset with many of your punches. Make sure you are firing off hooks and crosses to the body as well as the head. A great boxer will attack up and down the body, it’s a great way to force openings in your opponents defence and start landing your own power shots.
You need to be in a low stance when throwing the jab to the body, plenty of boxers simple lower themselves straight down in their standard stance. I prefer to lower myself and lean to the right when throwing the jab to the body – I find it keeps my head out of harms way and my left shoulder covers my chin more against counters.
Have a go at the jab to the body in your next training session and see what you think. Make sure you mix it up e.g.
• Jab to the body – Jab head
• Jab to the body – Jab head – Jab to the body
• Double Jab Head – Jab to the body
Follow these 3 quick examples with a cross to the head and see how you get on.
Related posts about the ‘Boxing Jab’…
Basic Jab – How to Box (Quick Video)
Double Jab – How to Box (Quick Video)
Double Jab, Cross Hook – How to Box (Quick Videos)
Left Jab, Right Cross – How to Box (Quick Video)
Selling the Jab
Boxing Jab – Coach Cornelius Carr