Lost Art of Bobbing and Weaving

Over the last few weeks I have been catching up on the "big" fights of the last year or so and I have been largely disappointed by most of them. It seems that it is now accepted that one stand square up to an opponent and eat right hands all night, and that using one's intelligence in a fight is now considered unsporting. I have also noticed that the bob and weave is apparently no longer in use and I have a theory or two as to why and some thoughts on how to properly and effectively carry out these moves.
The problem begins in the gym where there are too many trainers that are boxing ignorant. On countless "how-to" dvds and videos I have seen trainers try to sell a way of doing things that is not workable. In gyms I have worked with boxers that had never had anybody show them how to bob and weave without losing balance. The simple fact is that you maintain balance and flow through the shifting of your body weight from one leg to the other; you can't do it while keeping your feet in one spot, no matter how far apart you spread them.
To b&w correctly you must know how to slip a punch and there is plenty of material on that subject on here someplace. The question is what to do after the slip. Let's assume that you slipped to the outside (it went over your right shoulder) of your opponent's jab and, in the samemotion landed a left to the body. To weave to the inside slide the left foot forward and to the left, and pushing off with the right, transfer your weight to the left leg. . At the same time you get your body down low and swing it under his left arm, till its is over the left leg and standing up. Also as you pass under and your wt shifts you should hook a short right to the area under the heart. Once the wt is on the left leg and you are standing up, drop the weight to the rt foot and hook the left to the chin. The whole key to maintaining balance and, thus, fluidity of movement and pop in the punch is in moving your feet and shifting weight. If your trainer is teaching you to do these moves while keeping your feet in one place get a new trainer.
Remember to punch as you bob and weave; too often you see a fighter makes the moves then try to punch and either lose the opening or get clocked in return. Punch to the body as you weave your way to the inside or bob to the outside. You'll feel the point at which your weight is tunedand you can landsnapping solid punche to vulnerable sweet spots.

You would of enjoyed Lacy Calzaghe... ;)

Yeah, I missed that one, though I'll be seeing it this week. I have never seen Calzaghe fight and am looking forward to it.

Naz was good at bobbing and weaving, and so was Tyson and Frazier. (especially Frazier)
Joe did an excellent job at weaving Jeff's hooks

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Originally Posted by greynotsoold

It seems that it is now accepted that one stand square up to an opponent and eat right hands all night, and that using one's intelligence in a fight is now considered unsporting. I have also noticed that the bob and weave is apparently no longer in use and I have a theory or two as to why and some thoughts on how to properly and effectively carry out these moves.

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I agree with you on this. It seems that the fighters out there are either defensive (will use the bob and weave) or stand and trade till some one falls. It does not seem like there is a fighter out there that imploys both tactics well. I think that Coralles/Castillo is a good example of this. They both stood there and traded, but for me the best parts were when one would start to bob and weave and trade at the same time. But in never lasted long just portions of some rounds. I think that is when boxing is done at its best, when someone can stand in there bob and weave and trade at the same time. It makes the fights so much more exciting for me.

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Originally Posted by The_One77

Naz was good at bobbing and weaving, and so was Tyson and Frazier. (especially Frazier)
Joe did an excellent job at weaving Jeff's hooks

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heh i dont know if you would call Naz's dodging "bobbing and weaving" , he kind leaps , jumps, and leans, not the standard bending your knees and moving your shoulders tecqniques you normally see.

Yeah I agree completely. Bobbing and weaving is a lost art. It is a shame cause that is one of my key elements of my style. I love to bob,weave,slip, and dip. Ever since I was small I had a god given talent to avoid punches by moving my head and that gave me an advantage in street fights. Before I took up boxing or took it seriously I would put own boxing gloves and take on everyone in my neighborhood. My head movement threw everyone off, until I made a sad mistake and saw Mike Tyson for the first time.

I was around the age 14 and I saw Tyson utilize extraordinary head movement and I wanted to learn or be just like that. That was the complete downfall of my boxing training. I stopped listen to my trainer and only dedicated myself to being the next Tyson. Then I started to get my A$$ handed to me trying to be someone else. My head movement now has increase tremendously not trying to be like other fighters like Tyson to Whitaker. When you want to learn head movement do not try to be like Tyson or anyone else cause Tyson trained on Head movement more than anyone else. I have many friends who look at boxing and try to do whatever they see and I tell them you can emulate or imitate it but you can't do it in the ring. Everybody wants to be like someone else other than themselves and I had to learn the hard way. Trust me when the good book says God does not like envy or jealousy please believe it.

My Head Movement is touching the surface of Tyson level so I am almost there and it is good to see a trainer who teaches it other than mine own. Even though he teaches it every other fighter can not seem to get with the program.

I wouldn't call it a lost art, You don't see it much in the heavier divisions but most boxers still use it and all of the amatuer shows I've been to this season just about every fighter has used head work.

its definetly not done as much as it should be any more but its not non existant.

I think there is a miscommunication here; when I refer to bobbing and weaving I do not mean head movement, per se, though that is in fact the bobbing part. I am of the opinion that the movement should not be a random hope he misses thing, but rather a deliberate move to avoid a specific punch. Call it slipping because when you slip you can punch and when you bounce your head like a ball you get off balance and can't.
Weavingis the key element here. It is moving the body in out and around the straight lead to create openings to punch. You may begin by slipping to the outside position be dropping wt tort foot; as jab passes by lean slightlym forward while stepping in and left w/left foot, bend trunk slightly and move head to left under his lead and up to basic stance position. You can slip the left to the inside,bend slightly forward move head to right under opponents arm and up to position

Remember I stated that I tried to copy Tyson. I put Bobbing and Weaving in the same category as head movement. I love to slip, but nothing gets leverage behind a punch when you roll a hook and come up with your own hook or uppercut. Or was you talking to AdamGB, but I understand completely what you are saying.

This has been really helpful. Thanks.+

Is this from the training forum?

better now? ;D

I have to go sc some random people since I picked up another one overnight. >:mad

And CC gain grey I shadowboxed this move last night.

Interestingly, What nobodys touched on is one off the main reasons the technique isnt seen as much as in the old days. Footwear in the old leather soled days with resin there was a different feel and technique to the feet, you could shuffle and we called it polishing the canvas. Then in the 60s rubber soles came in which reqiured a different set of rules for movement and power

It's like what you'd often say, different horses for different coarses. I'd like to think that our boxing shoes today gives us an edge over the old timers. The rubber soles means better grip, this makes things easier from the way that we stand, to how much better we can use our big toes. More power to us. ;D



On another + note, these days we don't have to worry about getting resin in our eyes. :)

hey grey..

Do you think bobbing and weaving has alot to do with leg strength? Because i have weak legs and i was sparring today, i noticed everytime i slipped a punch or bobbed my way close and tried to throw a punch simultaneously with the weaving movement as you said, i had a hard time pushing off the ground for my punches. So im wondering if i need more powerful legs so right when ive slipped or rolled a punch and im in position, legs coiled up, i can spring up with more explosiveness. I can do fine on a heavy bag, but when it comes to sparring, my punches feel much weaker :-[ and i find it hard to dash in on my opponent to take advantage of openings and counter opportunities. suggestions?

I don't know about leg strength, per se, but how about timing? I'm not of the school of thought that I think a fighter has to have huge powerful legs...look at Ray Robinson, Archie Moore...If they keep you from falling down while you do you road work they are strong enough.
But here's the thing, and this is why you feel that loss of power. You'll do fine on the heavy bag because you can predict it's movements. With a live opponent it is much more difficult and this is why there are first rounds and feints and so on. That is how you learn to predict where he'll be and when he'll be there. I'm not trying to be wise here and I hope you see what I am saying.
The other thing is this. It isn't how you push off, it is how you shift your weight to carry the punch. In this case I think "live" legs are better for you than "powerful" legs. You get "live" legs by exercising properly and I think too many of you try to do too much. Don't jump rope on days you spar or run because that is overusing your legs. Don't run and spar. Don't run everyday. Use your legs, each day, and strenuosly, for the number of rounds you are preparing to fight.

Found a big problem with weaving and bobbing is noty the strength of my legs, but the flexability. I need to get more of a bend at the kness. working on uit.

First revolve both knees both ways clockwise then the reverse. then do a few light knee bends back and forwards with your hands on your knees for support .warm up all your joints this way .revolve hips ttoo and your ankles as you stand on one foot (close your eyes if you think your bored) .
Stand on one leg ,shake the other out to the side and make all your joints go floppy and loose as you do the shake,then do the other side.

Sitting on your legs like kids do .tops of your feet flat to the floor under your ass; knees bent and you sit on them and watch telly or do your home work. Start out lying on the floor face down and lift your body on your arms and go right back see if you can sit on your feet ,some can eventually sit in between them as they splay out and rest besides your hips.



Stretching your legs out in the splits. Stand then spread the legs and just hang your body down in the centre and go for relaxation only ,hang there until you are looser ,think loose.
Then sway around down there, very slowly! relax,hang out, and then roll around to the side and hold around one knee and hold that stretch down for about 30 sec no more at first. Do the same other side. repeat the process a few times.
Then move onto sitting splits.

Sitting in the half splits fashion (only as far as is extremly comfortable no stretch feelings). legs out on 45% in front of you at first or less if you like.
Lean down from your waist bodily and put both arms out to your knees ,ankles or around the bottom of your feet (depending on how loose you get, those are the stages) , and hold the stretch each time for around a min max less at first.
Come up and one side at a time, lean over your own leg one at a time holding that stretch for only 30 seconds at first too.
Its starts with both hands either side of the knee if your stiff and goes ,shin ,ankle and foot and around the bottom of the foot lastly .
Eventually once you can reach both hands around your foot, slide them up to the toes and lightly pull your heel off the ground (careful very lightly here and feel that new area) then you pull your self lower so your laying out flat along your leg.

The easier it gets the further out in splits fashion you can start off the routine.
Then in a few months you move your new found flexability onto the ends of your moving footwork and you will be creating angles you never dreamed of before and all with the benifits of boobing and weaving freely while on the move.
If you follow what Grey was getting at up there.

Thanks Andre thats really Helpful...
I gave you a CC, but changed it to a SC instead :)

Hmmm, so in twenty days or so it will end up being two for the price of one then ,thanks!