The 6-Week Punching Plan to Better Fitness - Lesson Three

The Lead Jab

Added:Sun, 25th October 09

Now that you have mastered making a fist and learned how to stand in a perfect boxing stance, we need to move on to the first of the basic punches- “THE LEAD JAB”.

This is not the most powerful of the four basic punches, but the most important as it is a great way of stopping your opponent in their tracks! This opens the door for following up with more powerful punches like a cross. It can be thrown to the head or body in rapid succession. It has many uses:

to find out your opponents weaknesses in defence

a fake for a more powerful technique

to keep your opponent at distance

to prevent your opponent charging in

to help to find your range of your target

The Lead Jab is used as the first punch as a set up for a combination sequence and also a great point scorer if in a competition fight. It is the most used punch of a boxer or kick-boxer and is known as your “bread and butter” punch. Out of all of the four main punches “the lead jab “should be practised the most. Practice on a heavy punch bag or with focus mitts if you have a training partner. It is used most effectively by some of the world’s greatest boxers - Sonny Liston, Larry Holmes, Hector Camacho, Lennox Lewis, Sugar Ray Leonard and the greatest of all Muhammad Ali.

Execution of “The Lead Jab”

The jab is always thrown from the same side as the leg you have forward - left leg forward, left jab and right leg forward, right jab.

1

Begin in your fighting stance, left leg forward if orthodox and right if southpaw. Start to transfer your body weight onto your lead leg and at the same time start to extend your arm whilst also turning your fist so your palm is facing downwards.

2

As you continue to extend your arm in to the jab, you must continue to transfer your body weight forward. The arm must come out fast and straight but do not over extend and lock your arm which will lead to possibly injuring yourself. Remember to keep your chin tucked in behind your shoulder when executing the punch and the rear hand glued to the other side of the chin.

3

On the point of impact, strike with your first two knuckles and twist your arm in a corkscrew like motion that will give you the snap you require for a good punch, it’s like the whip of a towel when you flick it.

4

After impact you must bring back the arm quickly with either back into stance position, or immediately throw a cross, hook or uppercut.

Imagine you are punching into a thin pipe; the arm must come out of the pipe the same line it went in.

The jab when executed must come directly forward from the ready position, if you go slightly backward to begin with this will advertise your intention to your opponent and leave you open for a counter attack.

Quick Tip!

When you practice the jab on a heavy bag or focus mitt you should hear a loud pop that resonates in the room. If you cannot hear that, snap your hand out more, or use more of a twitch in the hip.

Quick Tip!

Use your bodyweight as it gives you added power to your punches.

Quick Tip!

Always practice for speed as the jab is used to sting your opponent to make him a little dazed.

Quick Tip!

Use your jab to feel out your opponent’s style, if a counter puncher, they will have certain ways of dealing with your jab. Study their style before working out your combination of punches as mistakes can be very costly.

Quick Tip!

One final tip for you, never throw a lazy jab. Lazy jabs are characterized by a lack of speed, snap and intent. A good boxer will punch over the top of a lazy jab and knock you out.

This Week's Practice

Before we move on to next week’s “cross” punch, I have a new exercise for you to practice. Practice the jab over and over again in both orthodox and southpaw style and also use the drag and step footwork method described in lesson 2. Step, drag and jab.

Happy jabbing!

Train Hard! Fight Hard! Sleep Easy!