The Mechanics of the Jab

After watching a video tape of one my bouts and spending some time going through some threads, I realized my mechanics were off with the jab. Please tell me if this is the recommended way:

1. Weight on back foot. Front foot is for direction and balance. Weight does not get transferred to the front when jabbing. Even when stepping in with the jab, you push from the back foot gliding foreward with the weight still kept back. So is there any weight transfer with the jab?

2. Elbow to the body. I used to have my elbow flare out slighly, and the angle of my forearm in front of me would be at the 1 O'clock instead of vertical at the 12 O'clock position.

3. The emphasis of the jab is a combination of a snap of the elbow, rotation of the left hip and shoulder, and the pull back of the right shoulder. I never though of pulling back the back shoulder.

4. Try to make contact with the left shoulder and the left jaw keeping you chin back not tucked or down on your chest.

5. The use of elastic rope attaching your feet together to build balance and body awareness. This really showed me how I always had my weight favoring the front foot.

6. Resistance bands while jabbing. With the tension, do you attach the band on a post in front of you (more resistance at the guard position, less resistance when the jab is extended to help speed extension), or should the bands be attached behind you where there is more tension when the jab is extended so that when you snap it back the extra pull aids return speed. Or do you simply mix it up and do both?

Thanks in advance for any advice/input. I enjoy this board and the knowledge of the members. If I asked these questions at my gym, the answer would likely include 50% good advice, 20% bad advice, and 30% cursing.

On 4, concetrate on pulling the right shoulder and hip back rather than turning the left. The habit stops you reaching and keeps the shoulder above the knee, plus gives more turn on the back foot.

Thanks Scrap, that's a better way of thinking about it. Also, when the hand is turned over just shy of impact, is the turn in just the hand itself? Or does the arm rotate with the fist? The latter rotation thus causes the elbow to flare. Is the proper way to try to keep the elbow pointed mostly down through the movement?

A good way to practice is standing shoulder against the wall smooth wall. Throwing the Jab and making sure the Hand never leaves the wall, and the shoulder Hitting the Chin. Good way of learning and producing the correct Biomechanics. Couple of minutes you will feel it.

Could you maybee explain this a bit clearer scrap as i would like to try this but i dont quite understand what you mean.

Stand with your left shoulder against the wall if orthadox, left elbow and fist touching as well. Also left foot all the left side you are looking along the wall. Know keeping everything touching throw the jab along the wall turning the jab as you do 2 minutes you will feel it stand off and give your arm a shake ;D. then give it some more. This will give the muscle correct memory. One thing while doing it turn the fist so the shoulder hits your chin if your shoulder is hitting your chin He isnt ;D

One of the things that it helps with is preventing you from bringing your elbow up too soon.

It's kind of difficult to explain but when jabbing correctly should it feel like youre shoulder kind of clicks into place as you turn it over sort of like hitting that little sweet spot i once heard someone describe it like jabbing down a pipe.Am i right in saying that a nice compact jab should also come to the left hand side of the centre line but not past it.For instance if you were standing face on in front of the mirror it it would come to the left hand side of youre chin sort of like where you would rest youre chin if you were to fire a rifle although obviously it would be the opposite side for a righty lol but you know what i mean.

In the mirror theres a southpaw in front of you.

good point ;D

I have also been using a slightly narrower than shoulder width stance and stepping into a s/w stance when i step with the jab if that makes sense.Is this correct or should i be shoulder width before i step?

When you start, and when you finish.

k i think im overcomlicating things in my head again.Paralysis by analysis

hey guys, ive been trying the little tip u suggested scrap and it seems to make sense however when i try to get into position with my left shoulder lead foot touching the wall it seems as if im holding my left hand out wide to my left to get my fist to touch the wall, im just wondering should i turn more into the wall so my hand can touch it without reaching out to the left but also when i try this i cant get my usual stance because the wall is in the way of my lead foot as i fight from quite a low stance usually, could you please help scrap as i think this will lead to perfect form once learnt properly, it feels really wierd now and sort of awkward to jab that way but i guess its just because ive been jabbing wrong for quite some time now and im used to flareing the elbow a bit earlier than is allowed during this exercise i think

also i like the idea of pulling the right shoulder back it seems to make everything more crisp and snappier in a way if those words make sense to you :confused: hah, i just wondered should i apply this technique to straight right hands aswell sort of pulling the left shoulder back to throw the punch and then pulling the right shoulder back to return to position sharpish? it sort of seems like a good idea to apply this to most punches if possible

What moves the left shoulder is the right shoulder simple Biomechanics. If you pull the left shoulder back when throwing the right it does 2 things. 1st it keeps stability on the back foot, 2 the hook that follows has better Technique, through balance. The muscles in the arm and shoulder have had bad practice, if you keep working at it, it will come right. It feels strange at 1st, the joint has bad habits.

Scrap i was wondering exactly how you determine what shouler width apart is,I mean do we walk,run,or jump with our feet shoulder width apart or would that be narrower? I think i have quite broad shoulders for my size would that make a difference or is it just more as a guide not to be taken literally?

The width is your walking Gait, thats your natural Balance. Comes back to Feel, and natural movement.

Thanks scrap i must say these tips have helped me to no end, helps me touch my chin with my straights i feel more snappier with my straights through not reaching quite as much, i was wondering today when i throw the left hook after the 1-2 would i take a small step with my right foot forward and to the right to distribute the weight back to my right leg as i throw the left hook? or do i just simply plant my right foot where it is and throw the left hook while lifting the heel of my lead foot off the ground? it seems my form has had so much room to improve for so long and i dont want to dordle about it i wanna get started on it right away.

A little tip, Throwing a jab then cross on a bag will make it move foeward and put the Hook out of range. This cofuses a beginner with distance, making them reach with the Hook. A simple way is throw a double jab stay where you are, then meet it with the combo on the way back. It will give you the Feel and balance you reqiure.

Is it correct that the jab should come to the left hand side of the centre line but not cross it and the right cross comes past centre?

In line with your Bollocks both of them ;D

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Originally Posted by Scrap

A little tip, Throwing a jab then cross on a bag will make it move foeward and put the Hook out of range. This cofuses a beginner with distance, making them reach with the Hook. A simple way is throw a double jab stay where you are, then meet it with the combo on the way back. It will give you the Feel and balance you reqiure.

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Just the reply i was looking for thanks scrap ill start doing that tomorrow, my straights are getting there now, felt wierd at first but im getting used to jabbing differently now

Are we talking both bollocks or both jab/cross ;D

Seriously though i always thought that the jab didnt come as far across as that.Like i said before i always tried to imagine my jab running down the left hand side of centre axis but not past it.
There seems to be a fine line there,to far across or right with it and you loose length,But too far wide or left with it and it gives the right hand to much ground to cover and exposes you down the middle.

No length is lost or balance, its all to do where the back foot is for flexabilty of movement, being able to turn it in balance with the Body. Also the Head being where it should be so the Ears and big Toes can understand the message.

I see, So straight down the centre with the jab,So as long as i pivot the back foot and the heel is in alingment.
I guess it's kind of like when the trainer holds the pads and youre coming across youre own body ie: my left to his left.It teaches you to pivot properly on the back foot.

I know it's splitting heirs here but with which knuckles,The two big knuckles index and middle finger?

Depends what the shot is and where its going.

Sorry but im still not really getting this jabbing to the centre thing.It feels funny to me when i come to far across to my right with it.
Should it just be my thumb or inside of my left glove that comes to centre?
Most coaches just seem to say that youre shoulder comes up to protect youre chin without really getting into where it should be landing in relation to centre.
If i stand in front of the mirror should it be like jabbing to my own chin?
I know im probably over thinking this whole thing but it seems to me like it would be important.

Feet a bit wide but didnt reach, if He had been standing the Hook would have got Him. Plus He gave his back foot a view by moving His front foothttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqH03LtRLJs

Nice shot,But that was a right cross wasnt it?
Any good videos that demonstrate a textbook jab?

no it was a right hook if your crosses look anything like that there is like 80% wasted movement in your technique

What Happens is, Dunstan throws a jab and Hits Him on the glove in good posture. Gurov thinks He is in distance and reaches with His Wrong ;D. A jab can be used so many ways, its how its interpretated.

I think i understand it now scrap,when i thought i wasn't jabbing to the centre before i think i actually was,it was after watching that charley burley video that i realized that my head sits off centre when im standing in my boxing stance infront of the mirror.Is this a natural thing for a right hander to do as i didn't even realize i was doing it till i seen that.

Like everything its styles, Gurov has a habit of protecting His chin with that technique. It has flaws as regarding judgeing distance by pushing the shoulder and taking the Head with it, coming of your backfoot, your distance at all times.I was surprised it worked 1st time. He forgot his feet and had knowhere to go.

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Originally Posted by WayneFlint

no it was a right hook if your crosses look anything like that there is like 80% wasted movement in your technique

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Actually from what i understand even a right hook can be classed as a right cross.I think the term right cross came from describing a counter to the jab.Although in the video it was a soutpaw jab so im not sure if that would still qualify.

From what i remember of the video it was a right hook not used as a counter over the top of the jab, so didnt quite qualify as a right cross for me but it was a while ago i watched the video maybe im wrong

Always remember - the jab is a multi-purpose tool - sometimes the correct jab for the job doesn't fit the perfect text book suggested method.

Two extremes - Muhammed Ali's fast snapping jab that blinds the foe, and
Sonny Liston's booming power straight left like a 2X4 crashing into your face.