Blocking

[Gutbuster]

Does he train mainly amateurs?
The reason I ask,is that stance is usually used as a cheat for that level since there isnt alot of body shots to worry about
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That may be the answer... He's only training amateurs as far as i know, and he's actually a young amateur himself. He seems to be more interested in teaching us pro style though... encouraging us to go to the body and usually working us on 3 minute rounds for example. my options are kind of limited here though and i think he does a good enough job with the basics... plus we have classes 6 days a week whereas the last gym i was with only had instruction two nights a week (up until they shut down without refunding)

Picture shows up now btw

[Trainer Monkey]

Does he train mainly amateurs?
The reason I ask,is that stance is usually used as a cheat for that level since there isnt alot of body shots to worry about

That may be the answer... He's only training amateurs as far as i know, and he's actually a young amateur himself. He seems to be more interested in teaching us pro style though... encouraging us to go to the body and usually working us on 3 minute rounds for example. my options are kind of limited here though and i think he does a good enough job with the basics... plus we have classes 6 days a week whereas the last gym i was with only had instruction two nights a week (up until they shut down without refunding)

Picture shows up now btw
[/quote]
I generally avoid it myself,for just this reason,its almost useless in the pro's (some guys get away with anything though,look at Ali)so why develop bad habits early
Alot of guys will say "I only want to do amateurs" but what if you change your mind?
Rather be fundamentally sound from the get-go

[Sharla]

In my gym they get us to hold our hands high but say as we go on we can develop our own style more. I tend to find that if I aim to hold my hands high I actually end up dropping them a little anyway.

I've heard a coach from another gym say to always exaggerate bending your knees because when you actually spar/fight you won't bend as much as you do in other training anyway. Not so much using it as a minimum technical standard but for conditioning allowing for some human error to bring it back to the minimum.

Opinions?

[Chris Nagel]

Don't forget that while you are punching the other hand is on defense. A lot of knockouts and hard shots could have prevented if the hand was on guard to begin with.

I enjoy watching guys like James Toney, Mike McCallum, or Floyd Mayweather because of how versatile their defenses are. They utilise their shoulders for defense even while they have a low left lead. Watch their shoulder roll. With Floyd and many of the guys their right hand was up there to catch hooks and straight shots. They kept their body's in an angle so that it was difficult to hit them on the head or the body.

Hey Trainer Monkey, do you practice the shoulder roll/block counter?

[Chris Nagel]

In my gym they get us to hold our hands high but say as we go on we can develop our own style more. I tend to find that if I aim to hold my hands high I actually end up dropping them a little anyway.

I've heard a coach from another gym say to always exaggerate bending your knees because when you actually spar/fight you won't bend as much as you do in other training anyway. Not so much using it as a minimum technical standard but for conditioning allowing for some human error to bring it back to the minimum.

Opinions?

This has to do with levels Sharla. Imagine throwing a punch from a upright position, can you see how open you'd become? This can be practiced in front of a mirror, Scrap recommended taping/marking a few lines on a mirror so that you can better recognize the shifting of levels. I also believe this gives you better overall alignment on your straight shots.

As for keeping your hands up like your trainers said I agree with them, but you also ought to explore the ins and outs of other stances as well.

[Sharla]

I'm not and my trainers are not against exploring other stances here. The principle I'm wanting opinions on is that of training in a way which anticipates you are unlikely be as tight when you spar/fight as when doing easier partnerwork, drill etc. The idea of training in a way which accounts for the way we all are a little less technical under pressure.

[Chris Nagel]

It's all about learning all the right things early and then improving on them later on. It's difficult to change if the movements are already ingrained in your body's muscle memory.

Anyways I recall a good idea by Andre that helps develop that kind of anticipation/timing while staying relaxed under pressure that you may be looking for. Give me a minute, I'll go pull it up...

Here I found it.

This takes a bit of patience and practice ,

With sparring partner or friend practice just relaxing your arms (not necesarily out and in a fixed on guard mode either ) just whatevers comfortable and freed up ; so you can concentrate on other things flowing together.

Now just practice letting his blows come through but you simply lean back out of contact and then as you straighten up follow his glove back with your own attack. Follow the elbow back and go low OR follow the glove back and go over it ,wherever the opening occurs.

This allows you to set your visual skills into the correct timing mode.

It also sets you into a rythem whereby your attacks will be harder to see comming for him due to his own retreating movment ,therefore more devestating once you put it into practice in real ring terms.

HE has to work in with you, you both just remain in a fixed stance to begin with and add stuff and get faster as you go along so your reactions catch up to your vision and visa versa.

After a few months of practice you can bring other footwork into play ,but for a start begin at the start.

Swap around so you both a get the appreciation of the exersize.

This is a good exercise that teaches you a lot without being concerned with technical aspects.

[Trainer Monkey]

Don't forget that while you are punching the other hand is on defense. A lot of knockouts and hard shots could have prevented if the hand was on guard to begin with.

I enjoy watching guys like James Toney, Mike McCallum, or Floyd Mayweather because of how versatile their defenses are. They utilise their shoulders for defense even while they have a low left lead. Watch their shoulder roll. With Floyd and many of the guys their right hand was up there to catch hooks and straight shots. They kept their body's in an angle so that it was difficult to hit them on the head or the body.

Hey Trainer Monkey, do you practice the shoulder roll/block counter?

We do,but its a little down the road for my fighters other then Feur,keep in mind I just got the other two,so Im trying to build their basics
Feur even though I make her do it,is better at using those big long legs and stepping out and countering,but once I get Talleys blocking down it'll probably work well for him
Even with it we do a variation of it with all fighters new and old the Johansen rising cross just to get them used to the idea

[Sharla]

I like slipping punches and using movement to evade an attack Chris I do it all the time. I actually prefer that to blocking but that's not what I was getting at. I agree it's a good exercise though.

[Chris Nagel]

The most important thing before anything else is to have them work on movement. Being able to move in any direction with good posture with balance and posture, and making sure that carries through with their punches.

You're right that they have to start with the basics but you should also get them ready for the other moves down the road like you said.

Even your boxing idol had to start where we all do, but when it came to it he was willing to buckle down and learn some new moves for his repetoir. Hopkins could do the shoulder roll himself, and keeping his body in an angle he could keep his right hand out of sight until he saw the moment to go "Surprise." As you probably know, Hopkins spent a great deal of time studying a lot of great fighters of the past. That move that I just mentioned was from Archie Moore, the shoulder roll was used by a lot of fighters back in the day, and today there's only a handful of fighters that can do it properly.

For a good rising cross check out that boxing manual that I posted a while back, it's an awesome move because if it is set up right the opponent won't see it coming.

[Trainer Monkey]

The most important thing before anything else is to have them work on movement. Being able to move in any direction with good posture with balance and posture, and making sure that carries through with their punches.

You're right that they have to start with the basics but you should also get them ready for the other moves down the road like you said.

Even your boxing idol had to start where we all do, but when it came to it he was willing to buckle down and learn some new moves for his repetoir. Hopkins could do the shoulder roll himself, and keeping his body in an angle he could keep his right hand out of sight until he saw the moment to go "Surprise." As you probably know, Hopkins spent a great deal of time studying a lot of great fighters of the past. That move that I just mentioned was from Archie Moore, the shoulder roll was used by a lot of fighters back in the day, and today there's only a handful of fighters that can do it properly.

For a good rising cross check out that boxing manual that I posted a while back, it's an awesome move because if it is set up right the opponent won't see it coming.

Like I said,right now Im in the break them down build them back up mode,position of body,maintaining balance,maintaining a base,etc
B-hops shoulder rolls are awsome arent they?
And believe it or not,teaching the cross as the rising cross is a great way for a stubborn student who isnt getting it.
Feur had the hardest time getting that punch until I showed her the Hammer Of Thor
Now she can throw it at will

[Chris Nagel]

I like slipping punches and using movement to evade an attack Chris I do it all the time. I actually prefer that to blocking but that's not what I was getting at. I agree it's a good exercise though.

The thing about blocking is your commited to blocking a punch. When it comes to slipping you can avoid their punch while be in position to attack.

Why don't you show that exercise to some of your gym mates, it'd give you some valuable practice time.

A lot of amazingly gifted defensive fighters were able to do the things that are mentioned in that exercise. Even while they are open to an attack they are able to get out of harm's way.

You could improve upon that exercise if you being to focus on a few other points. For one you always have to keep in mind where your opponent's rear arm is, so then you can move away from it while you are backing up or circling.

If you keep yourself in an angle and begin to incorporate your shoulders a little bit you may find that you are more often in a position to attack.

You can also look at any movement's that your partner makes so that you may have extra time to prepare to counter. See if there are any preliminary movements, or if they make any extraneous motion or if they commit to their punches. Just little things like that to train your sight and powers of observation.

[Sharla]

I agree Chris but if your reply was for me I'm still not talking about the order of learning things either though Chris. I'm talking about the idea of exaggerating a few things you might find physically difficult for the whole of your boxing career so that you're neater when you do it in sparring and competition.

Doing things like keeping the hands a little higher, knees bent a little more and parrys as small as possible when working on the bags, doing mitt work and partner drills - so it's still good when you let it go a little in sparring.

[Chris Nagel]

The most important thing before anything else is to have them work on movement. Being able to move in any direction with good posture with balance and posture, and making sure that carries through with their punches.

You're right that they have to start with the basics but you should also get them ready for the other moves down the road like you said.

Even your boxing idol had to start where we all do, but when it came to it he was willing to buckle down and learn some new moves for his repetoir. Hopkins could do the shoulder roll himself, and keeping his body in an angle he could keep his right hand out of sight until he saw the moment to go "Surprise." As you probably know, Hopkins spent a great deal of time studying a lot of great fighters of the past. That move that I just mentioned was from Archie Moore, the shoulder roll was used by a lot of fighters back in the day, and today there's only a handful of fighters that can do it properly.

For a good rising cross check out that boxing manual that I posted a while back, it's an awesome move because if it is set up right the opponent won't see it coming.

Like I said,right now Im in the break them down build them back up mode,position of body,maintaining balance,maintaining a base,etc
B-hops shoulder rolls are awsome arent they?
And believe it or not,teaching the cross as the rising cross is a great way for a stubborn student who isnt getting it.
Feur had the hardest time getting that punch until I showed her the Hammer Of Thor
Now she can throw it at will

How does that rising cross of yours work by the way? Do you throw it from an upright position, do you have a low right hand prior to throwing it? I'd like to know a thing or two of what you found if you don't mind me asking.

[Chris Nagel]

I agree Chris but if your reply was for me I'm still not talking about the order of learning things either though Chris. I'm talking about the idea of exaggerating a few things you might find physically difficult for the whole of your boxing career so that you're neater when you do it in sparring and competition.

Doing things like keeping the hands a little higher, knees bent a little more and parrys as small as possible when working on the bags, doing mitt work and partner drills - so it's still good when you let it go a little in sparring.

It was just a few things I thought that I ought to toss out there.

In regards to what you're talking about you want to keep that constant throughout your training just as you said it yourself. You ought to practice shadowboxing in the mirror, it'd give you some extra feedback to what your doing.