Repetition is the key to becoming a good boxer or martial artist when using any technique.

I hope you have all been training hard with your footwork, continuously changing your stance and throwing out a good lead jab. If you have worked hard you should have noticed an improvement in your fitness and the speed and power in the execution of the jab. As I said in lesson 3, the lead jab is not the most powerful of punches, so now we are ready to move on to the potentially knockout techniques.

The Cross Punch

The Cross Punch is also referred to as "the Straight Right" or "the Straight Left" depending on your stance. It is thrown from the same side as the one where your leg is back, and therefore it comes across the leading arm.

Left leg forward - right arm punch; and right leg forward, left arm punch

The Cross Punch is a very powerful punch that is thrown from the more dominant hand and used very successfully to achieve a lot of knockouts. Like the jab it can be directed to the head or body and is better used as part of a combination or as a counter punch.

When executing the cross it is important to remember to throw your body into it, achieved by pivoting on your rear leg to obtain the desired power. The better you pivot the greater the power

I read a great quote once wish sums up the jab and cross in a combination perfectly.

"The jab is the can opener and the cross is the spoon that digs the meat out!”.

EXECUTION OF “THE STRAIGHT CROSS”

The cross is always thrown from the rear. Left leg forward - right hand cross, right leg forward - left hand cross.

Begin in your fighting stance (left leg forward if orthodox and right if southpaw). Start turning your rear fist so that the palm of the hand is facing downwards. At the same time slightly lift your heel of the back foot off the floor and begin to pivot on the front of the same foot twisting your torso inwards. At this point start to extend your rear arm into the cross.

Continue to pivot and twist your torso whilst extending your arm forward, throwing it from the chin. The rear shoulder also begins to thrust forward as the arm continues forwards. At this point it is important to remember that your lead arm starts to retract to protect your chin on the other side of your face. Weight is also now transferred from the rear foot to the lead foot, resulting in the rear heel turning outwards as it acts as a fulcrum for the transfer of weight.

Fully extend your arm without locking your elbow and place the strike to your target with the first two knuckles of your fist. The shoulder is fully thrust forward with your chin tucked in behind it and the lead hand is fully retracted to protect the other side of your face. On the point of impact the body has reached full rotation in relation to the punch as has the weight transfer from the rear leg to the front leg. It is the body rotation and weight transfer that gives the “straight cross” its power.

After the strike, snap back your fist and arm following the same line as when throwing the punch. Resume your fighting stance. Or give a try to following through with jab to make up a combination!

The cross is always thrown from the chin, and is generally thrown after the jab as a combination which can lead to more devastating punches like the hook and uppercut.

When throwing a jab/cross combination you should always bring back the arms directly down the same line as you threw them in the first place. It’s like walking down a corridor, walk back the exact same way as you walked down it. This is the quickest and most direct way to get from one point to another in a straight line. This gives you effective speed and power when punching, and protection to your face after punching when returning to fighting stance.

In Lesson Five we will move on to another powerful devastating punch the “Hook”!

Practise

While waiting for the next instalment of the 6-week Punching plan, let’s get training hard now we have two punches to play with. Try different combinations

I can assure you after a few minutes of moving around and throwing your punches and working on your footwork you will get a great workout, and there is more to come with the Hook and Uppercut.

Good luck!

Train Hard! Fight Hard! Sleep Easy!