How to strengthen my jab?

Wow! I knew balance was important but to be honest I have been a bit stuck lately as to how to improve mine.

I think I see what you are saying Scrap - if learn to understand how the body balances itself I'll be able to come up with drills that improve it more effectively than just cursing myself when I realize I've left my centre of gravity behind what was intended to be a power punch.

Do I need to take into account the position of my hips or if I am doing the right thing with my head and big toe should it just follow naturally? For some unknown reason I had assumed you meant the front big toe. Is it actually the back big toe or both big toes?

I am intrigued by your post Von. A little vid when you have time would be fantastic although I know you have to find time to do your own stuff too so if you're too busy I'll work it out from what you've written.

I'm copying everyone's words of wisdom into a file to share with my team mates since every time I take something to training with me they come and ask what I'm doing anyway. Fresh ideas are always welcome :)

Sharla did you see the speed exercises I put up for the feet they are the secret of posture. Sometimes its better to isolate movement from the theme of what youre trying to do, When I put it up my comrades thought I was mad giving to much away I said at the time it would get people scratching there heads wondering why they wouldnt get it Its advanced mechanics Ill have a look. What I dont understand is I worked for 2 weeks with the Australian National coaches I found them yery good is there no teaching foundation over there,

Thanks Scrap :). I usually start most nights with some footwork but it's just normal moving around without punching shadow type stuff. I'll look up those speed exercises as it's time I had some fresher ideas for working on my footwork.

I am in amateur boxing not professional so I can not comment on the quality of the pro coaches. I have competed in the nationals once but I've never been coached by anyone higher than the state coach.

I met Bodo at the nationals and tried to listen in to some advice he was giving one of the guys but I didn't get to hear much because he thought I was just a boxer's girlfriend and changed the subject - possibly to be polite thinking he didn't want to bore me.

I'm in South Australia and I guess as a boxing state we're a little behind other parts of Australia. Partly due to the fact that we have relatively few opportunities to fight outside of local circles - we have further to travel than the Eastern states.

There's also a lot of club rivalries which could be healthy except they mean a lot of the coaches are unable to work together to take on a lot of the principles the state coach wants to bring in from national training camps etc.

When I went to the nationals we had a state coach and an assistant coach looking after the team. They had a huge barney and the assistant coach quit the day I had to fight. Someone told the assistant coach my opponent was a southpaw but he didn't believe them and didn't pass on the info.

Plus he held onto the timetable and since the head coach didn't have his own copy (i tried to get one but they ran out) he wasn't sure when I was on. I got into the ring to fight the wrong girl and got booed out because I was meant to be up the fight after.

I'm not laying the blame on anyone in particular for how that day went but to me it's one example of the things which hold our state back a little. Many of the coaches are great so I don't mean this to reflect on all of them but I think they would admit themselves SA boxing has been a little too political and they are now working to improve that. Baby steps :)

step in when u jab as much as you can. dont be off balance just step in and step back in balance. Put ure weight into your jab as well as your other punches. hooks, straights etc.....