A faster jab

With my stance I've been taught to have my lead glove (left) cheek level with my forearm parallel to my upright upper body. This puts my lead hand a good 6" in front of my rear glove. My coaches say that this enables me to throw a short, quick jab while helping me block and parry right hands. They have said that it's a quicker jab since the distance it travels is shorter and there is less of a telegraph.

I have told the that holding this stance adds tension to the shoulder which makes it more difficult to relax, thus killing a key component to speed: relaxed muscles. I know that when I have my gloves under my chin with elbows resting against my ribs I feel no tension whatsoever.

His reponse is my conditioning needs to improve. Is he right?

Scrap is the resident trainer on this board and is quite knowledgeable in biomechanics, and in particular has made improvements on boxers' stance/posture in order to derive the most mechanical advantage out of the body.

Here's one of his posts on the subject:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Scrap

The jab depends on where the elbow is situated, biomechanically that's where the tendons and muscles that make a jab happen are situated. For safety and response its best to have it on the ribs for safety and response feel. It knows where it started touch and knows where to come back to feel. I don't like catching Jabs, too many bad habits down that road. Put it over the shoulder (as in slipping) is a better way or don't be there. The jab is mainly about finding where you are, before he does it's a 2-way thing. Movement is the key for the lie you're trying to make, no matter how small that movement is. Flexibility of movement and mind is the key to it. Hands above shoulders they are in the wrong place you cant punch, why the elbows aren't where they should be and have no response feel. Therefor the biomechanics have to be wrong to start the motion. Houston we have a problem... before launch.

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