Thread: How close to your face do you keep your jab hand?

Lately I've been experimenting with keeping it out a bit farther a la Roy Jones Jr, especially when sparring with shorter guys. True, it has less pop that way, but 2 things occur to me... 1. the shorter the punch the faster it gets there and 2. if I can keep it in his face, even if the shots aren't as hard, it will make it harder for him to see. Plus it keeps your man away from you. But.... The trouble as I see it is that if you leave it out there you make yourself look like you're pawing it, you might be more succesptible to a right hand, as well you make your shoulder more tired from having to hold your arm up all the time.

any thoughts or feelings on this? when can or should it be done?

PS - are there any really good plyometric/weight exercises that can be done. Scrap, been doing your thing from time to time, but I want to step it up.

I'm thinking snatches with a kettle bell.

Originally Posted by Von Milash

Lately I've been experimenting with keeping it out a bit farther a la Roy Jones Jr, especially when sparring with shorter guys. True, it has less pop that way, but 2 things occur to me... 1. the shorter the punch the faster it gets there and 2. if I can keep it in his face, even if the shots aren't as hard, it will make it harder for him to see. Plus it keeps your man away from you. But.... The trouble as I see it is that if you leave it out there you make yourself look like you're pawing it, you might be more succesptible to a right hand, as well you make your shoulder more tired from having to hold your arm up all the time.

any thoughts or feelings on this? when can or should it be done?

I don't know how you look? or how effective you are doing that. the problem comes when the opponent completely eats that weak ( jab) you left out there away from the body . , and then steps in at the right time and now he have you by the snatch box and proceed to unload them shots . I personally like to bring everything back in tight , bring my punches back fast.. hard out and back fast to a proper tight position with elbows tucked. I have better leverage punchingfrom this position . This way I ready to slip shots and ready to fire. .. However I am a shorter fighter , if you Tall and rangy , and most important slick.. (good foot work) you going to do things a bit different then me. . However if your foot work is shit.. you bring your hands back as fast as you can.. As a general rule. leaving your hands out there away from the body is a BIG NO NO !

thanks. I actually think it was this shit and lazy little experiment that contributed to me eating shots from that chump last night.

btw, my left hook is nice and hard, if I do say so myself, but I'm still learning how to land it. I like to slip to the right, duck under to my left and pop back up while pushing off my left foot. Whammo. I've landed some beauties that way. and when it does land, what a feeling.

And about footwork, I try to be a student, textbook since I believe it is the single most important fundamental to have. Everything starts with the foundation, ie, all the leverage is based on where your feet are. kinda like a pool player leaving himself in good position for the next shot.

Think the two tees triceps to tits its where the elbows are thats the movement that extends or contracts the arm and gives the shoulders the ability to relax and the muscles the response to better feel response. Or take two tees when playing golf youre sure to loose one

so..what are you saying exactly?

Originally Posted by Von Milash

so..what are you saying exactly?

LMFAO ! I love scap! !!! what he saying is keep you elbows in tight a tad bit in front of your tits . you can bring them back for easy defense ( protecting the body) when needed and you in position to be throwing from a relaxed comfortable position . ( no chicken wingin ) keep those elbows in . and when your playing golf bring some tee's with ya ..

Originally Posted by Von Milash

thanks. I actually think it was this shit and lazy little experiment that contributed to me eating shots from that chump last night.

btw, my left hook is nice and hard, if I do say so myself, but I'm still learning how to land it. I like to slip to the right, duck under to my left and pop back up while pushing off my left foot. Whammo. I've landed some beauties that way. and when it does land, what a feeling.

And about footwork, I try to be a student, textbook since I believe it is the single most important fundamental to have. Everything starts with the foundation, ie, all the leverage is based on where your feet are. kinda like a pool player leaving himself in good position for the next shot.

and the student becomes the teacher ! excellent Von Milash

haha.cc to you and scrap.

You know, based on what you and scrap said, I think I finally found my jab. I used to hold it a bit off my chin, and guys at my gym said it was fine, even hard, but I always felt like it sucked, like it was my achilles heel and easily my worst punch. So I was screwing around in the mirror with BOTH hands tucked on my cheeks like you guys said, then snapped out a jab, and you know what, it was the first time I ever felt like it was good. So I took it downstairs to the basement, and I shit you not, actually got some nice snap on the bag for the first time ever. Thanks. I owes you lads a beer!

i used to think i was cool fighting like roy jones unitl i relized im not oy jones ........... keep ur handsup to cover ur face belive me it helpsu win fight easier

Originally Posted by Von Milash

haha.cc to you and scrap.

You know, based on what you and scrap said, I think I finally found my jab. I used to hold it a bit off my chin, and guys at my gym said it was fine, even hard, but I always felt like it sucked, like it was my achilles heel and easily my worst punch. So I was screwing around in the mirror with BOTH hands tucked on my cheeks like you guys said, then snapped out a jab, and you know what, it was the first time I ever felt like it was good. So I took it downstairs to the basement, and I shit you not, actually got some nice snap on the bag for the first time ever. Thanks. I owes you lads a beer!

Von Im worried about your jab, so heres a little thing you can do to help it get perfect or nearly.Stand in a corner with your leed shoulder against the wall and your back shoulder 5 ins off the other wall. now throw a jab along the wall keeping the shoulder against it and as you do drive the other shoulder into the back wall as you throw the jab. now you know where the back shoulder hit the walltape a handpad to it otherwise youll get a painfull shoulder. Make certain when you throw the jab the shoulder hits the chin, have fun.

I'LL DO IT!

Always keep it up on my chin when I'm in range. Elbows tucked in covering the ribs... I have long arms to I can cover my chin and floating ribs (mostly... won't be getting hit clean there with my guard up... )

i dont keep my jab hand right up to my chin i like to relax my arm when i jab but i dont keep it really low because thats suicide unless your roy jones or whitaker or ect