Before you even think about becoming a boxer, you must first perfect your punches. While that may sound obvious, many, if not most, skip this step. And yea, while it may be common sense, you must not listen to your comfort instincts and skip it.
To perfect your boxing technique, you must first work slowly. Then, you begin to incorporate footwork and weight-shifting to increase the force you generate through your punches. The difference in knocking out someone can, indeed, be whether you used proper footwork or not.
Perfecting your boxing technique—will require you to invest more time in slow movements—rather than go all-out on a punching bag. As a result, you have to deliberately not go all-out.
To ensure you start slow, warm up to your actual session by throwing slow punches with perfect technique. If you do so, your muscles will begin remembering what you did and fix your technique subconsciously, even when you don’t deliberately intend to throw a perfect punch.
So yea, it may be common sense to start slow—but, many boxers don’t. As a result, they develop bad habits with their punching skills right from the start. To ensure you’re not one of them, at the beginning of every workout, warm up by executing slow punches with perfect technique.
Before we dive in, I want to encourage you to read an article I wrote about the best boxing defensive moves you need to learn to improve your fighting capabilities.
Step #1 – Learn the basic punches
The first step to perfecting your boxing technique is to learn the basic punches. Yes, yes, I know. That’s the most obvious step. Believe it or not, I’ve witnessed several boxers not learning how to throw a proper punch before trying to get their professional boxing license.
Before you even think about doing anything else, you must learn the four main punching throws—and perfect them. That’ll be the jab, cross, uppercut, and hook.
Of course, you must also start as slow as possible, so to learn the technique properly.
Here are some practical tips: Always return to your guarding position once you’re done throwing a punch. By repeating that process for plenty of times, you’ll automatically be doing that. So, in the beginning, it’s more important than ever to keep your guard up at all times.
Secondly, you need to throw your punches from your guard position. What does that mean? Essentially, it’ll be best if you don’t throw punches from the hips or any lower position. That’ll cause the technique to immediately be imperfect.
The most indispensable thing—is to follow the basic moves your coach instructs you to follow. For example, when throwing the hook, you want to twist your hip and shoulder; as a result, you’ll be generating much more force with it.
Step #2 – Start using footwork
After you’ve learned the basic punches, it’s time to incorporate real footwork into your warm-ups. By doing so, you’ll be preparing for when you’re at an actual fight.
You should already know the basic footwork when throwing a punch or two, as your coach should have taught you that while you were learning to punch appropriately. If your coach hadn’t done that, it’s time to learn the basic footwork.
I do believe you know the basic footwork movements, such as twisting your foot when throwing a straight punch. Likewise, you likely know how to move after you’ve thrown a punch, whether it’s forward, backward, or to the sides.
I do encourage you to watch that video, as visual demonstrations are more clear when discussing martial arts, and especially boxing.
Here are some primary points to remember:
- Don’t be on your heels
- Be on your toes
- Have an about shoulder-width stance
- Don’t drag your feet
- Step in with your lead leg first
Start slow at first. Don’t rush the process. Instead, believe in the process of muscle-memory and the effects it can have on your long-term development as a boxer.
If you want to learn the best drills to improve your boxing footwork, follow the link to an article of mine I wrote explaining the drills and how they’ll help you.
Step #3 – Use your hips and feet
Now that you know how to throw the basic punches, and you’re familiar with using footwork to optimize the power you generate through your punches; it’s time we move over to the third step. That is, using your hips and feet with the skill of shifting weight.
While footwork will teach you how to use your hips and feet accordingly to your punches, you must learn to use them in other scenarios, such as retreating or moving to the side to prepare a fierce punch.
I’ve come across this video when I learned that skill myself. It has taught me the ability of weight shifting perfectly; so I encourage you to watch it.
Essentially, the most difficult part is to learn how to keep your balance while moving. At first, you likely won’t be as balanced and secure as professional boxers. However, with practice, you’ll improve your capability of using your hips and feet while shifting your weight—to generate more force and create more openings.
The primary point is to keep your weight centered. You don’t want to lean onto your lead leg when standing or throwing a combination. If you do, you’ll end knocked out in a real fight.
If you want to learn the process of becoming a boxer, ensure to follow the link to an article of mine where I present a step-by-step process to get your hands on a professional boxing license.
Step #4 – Start combining punches with proper footwork
You now know the correct way of throwing punches while using your feet. As a result, you’re more capable than ever to increase the power and force you generate through your punches.
Now, it’s time for you to start combining punches with proper footwork. That means that you can throw various punches in a row, while remaining steady and without shifting your weight onto your lead leg—to create combinations.
Here are some examples of combinations you can try for yourself:
- Jab + Cross (1+2)
- Jab + Cross + Left Hook
- Jab + Cross + Left Hook + Right Hook
- Jab + Cross + Left Hook + Cross
- Cross + Left Hook
- Jab + Right Hook
These are the combinations I’ve learned when I decided to start doing boxing. You can do the same, even if it seems far-fetched or difficult, which it shouldn’t be.
Do start slowly and build your muscle memory. Once you have done that, you can begin picking up the pace.
Step #5 – Increase the pace of your punches
Now, your punching technique should be solid. All the slow strikes you have thrown—should have built your muscle memory. That is all you need to perfect your boxing technique. Now, let your muscles work.
Start picking up the pace, slowly at first. Once you feel comfortable with the present pace, amp up the speed a notch.
You’ll notice how your muscles seem as if they almost act alone. You won’t need to think about placing your lead leg in that position and shifting your hip to that place. It’ll simply come naturally and without you even putting any thought into it.
That is what I aimed for you to achieve through this process.
Final words
I want to show my appreciation to the art of boxing. If you decide to train in it, you’ll be benefiting, both mentally and physically. For example, it’s not uncommon to see boxers reporting feeling more confident than ever.
If you want your punching technique, you have come to the right place. By starting slowly, you’ll be able to build muscle memory to such an extent that you don’t need to think before throwing a punch. The result will also be much more precise.
A key point is to always incorporate footwork, even when you just want to hit the punching bag. You’ll notice how you’re able to generate more force and momentum by using proper weight-shifting and footwork. So, be sure to learn that as well!
If you enjoyed reading this article, you’ll also enjoy reading about the best boxing shoes for your money. Such a purchase—is key to your overall boxing skills.