My first boxing video: Punching Form

[Peter Som]

This is a video of me demonstrating how I have learned to punch.

My present situation is this: I'm an unemployed University student (for the moment) learning how to box only through the infinite charity of the internet. I have a heavy bag, boxing gloves, 1lb, 2lb and 4lb dumb bells, head gear, and hand wraps (all accumulated before my unemployment x_x).

So this is a two part thing. I'd like constructive criticism on my punching form and I'd also like to know where I can start as joining a gym is not an option for me at the moment.

I'm 25 years old, 175 lbs (I'd love to lose weight, for pre-hypertension reasons) most of it is athletic weight from being an athlete in high school and maintaining a healthy diet. My main goal is to become a competent boxer in general. Thank you all for your time and input. Cheers!

[AdamGB]

Your back foot is too square and whilst I can see you are trying to rotate in to your punches - your hips seem tight and sometimes (such as in your right hook) you're standing flat footed, you were turning your right foot with the punch but your left foot remained flat and stationary.

[greynotsoold]

Your feet are too far apart; you would do yourself a big favor if you slid your right foot up a good six inches, so it is under your right shoulder. Also, you would be better off with your right foot pointed towards your opponent, to the front. The only time it should end up pointing to the side like that is when you throw a left hook.
When you jab, you are rocking your weight onto your left foot, and you do not want to do that. The jab should not affect the weight on your feet, so you can move in any direction while you jab. You throw your right hand like a jab, because you do not rotate your hips and shoulders through the punch. You really need to get turned on the right hand. And the left hook, and here you will notice a difference if you get your right foot where it should be. You'll be able to get your weight turned all the way through and whip that punch.
When you throw an uppercut...The punch starts by rotating your upperbody, and thus your body weight over the leg you intend to punch from. For example, to throw a left uppercut, rotate forward and to the left, until your left elbow touches your left hip. Then you rotate your hips to get your weight back on the right foot, and this drives the punch. It works the same going the other way.
One last thing...When you slide your right foot forward, also slide it to the right a couple inches, broaden your base. There were a couple spots where you wobbled a bit, and that move will fix that.

[Peter Som]

Thank you Adam and Grey for taking the time to watch my video as well as taking time to reply, your time and knowledge is greatly appreciated. I've taken you two's advice and am working on correcting my form.

Adam: Even practicing in front of a mirror, I'm having trouble synchronizing everything to be more fluid in its sequence. Perhaps this is just something that will come with time and practice? Also, I don't have my legs about me, so they become fatigued if I'm up on them for more than 10 minutes. I'm working on getting my legs and lungs by exercising specifically for that.

Grey: Yes! I have found that correcting my form in this way has helped tremendously. Only after close scrutiny of my video again that I realized that my feet are indeed WAY too far apart. I suppose sometimes in my head I think about my favorite boxers and the way they stand, but I also gotta remember my legs are significantly shorter than theirs, haha. Learning weight distribution is a bit more difficult than I anticipated!

[AdamGB]

Good to hear you're conditioning your legs - all of boxing starts at your feet!

[Scrap]

[Scrap]

Raw Novice learning.

[Peter Som]

Thank you for the video Scrap! Your stretching videos are very helpful as well.

Does the video not have audio?

[Scrap]

There was a lot of laughing going on, that guy who walked by was cracking jokes all day. it being Tim Witherspoon, I wasnt going to tell Him to shut up.

[Peter Som]

Here is the follow up video to my first one (with significantly more clothes!). Was a bit overwhelmed with work and finding a job after I got laid off, so I haven't been able to commit like I wanted to.

I've decided to take a new approach. Slow and steady. So I'm only learning a couple of things at a time. Day by day. Here is my 1,2.

Thank you for taking the time to watch!

[Dave1066]

One thing i noticed from your first video. Is your clenching your fists all the time. You don't want to do that. It will tense your arms and shoulders up. Tire you out. Your have less explosive punching power because of it aswell. Hope this helps. Better to start with good habits.

[Peter Som]

One thing i noticed from your first video. Is your clenching your fists all the time. You don't want to do that. It will tense your arms and shoulders up. Tire you out. Your have less explosive punching power because of it aswell. Hope this helps. Better to start with good habits.

Definitely had that problem in the beginning. I don't do it anymore. I've learned how to relax more in general. It was tricky to work that small but fundamental habit off!

[Dave1066]

Good to hear It's one of the very first things the coaches at the Boxing gym i used to pick me up on, in the very first session. I will return to that gym when i think i am fit enough.

Just an idea. Does the University you goto do sports atall? Do they have a head of the sports division? If they do why don't you put together a very good plan and presentation. On starting a boxing gym club for university students to begin with. If they entertain the idea. You could put out an add for a boxing coach. Hopefully the university would help you with start up costs. For the equipment. If not i don't know how it work in the states. But start a ABC level gym. Which is a minimal charge. And works on donations from members or parents for the equipment.

You could be remembered as the man who started boxing at your uni!
Hope this helps.

[greynotsoold]

In general, you'll be better off with your right foot pointed forward, as opposed to pointing to the side, as you are in the video. You only wanted pointed that way for a left hook.
When you jab you are shifting weight on your feet, onto your left foot, which you do not want to do. Any hip turn on a jab is very very minimal and your front foot should not pivot when you jab. Also, shoot that arm all the way out, fully extend it. Part way is an open door for eating right hands. As to clenching your hands, an exercise for jabbing that has worked well with me is "catching flies." Shoot your jab and snatch them out of the air.
Your right hand is all in one motion. It should be sequential: Weight goes to the left foot, right toe pivots to turn the right hip, which turns the right shoulder, which drives the right arm, which propels the fist. It is a whiplash effect from the ground up. You can feel it, doing it slowly, culminating in the explosiveness of the punch. The left hook works the same way, as do the uppercuts.

[Peter Som]

Dave: I attend California State University Long Beach. We have a full functioning gym, but we do not have a boxing program. The idea you're proposing is actually an excellent one! Too many times I see my mates go to the gym just to have a 1 hour sit on the machines. Boxing by it's nature requires you to be diligent and hard working, otherwise you wont get the results everyone is looking for when they get into boxing. I'm sure I can at the very least petition for it. Thank you for the idea, I'll definitely include your name in the header if it comes to fruition.

Grey:

You've actually told me this before and I hadn't learned my lesson apparently. I've grown comfortable with it and consequently it has become a habit. I'll take some time in developing my foot placement properly. By far the most difficult thing for me so far is, well, putting it all together! I'm without proper coaching so I really can't tell if I'm doing it completely right or completely wrong. Of course by now I can discern proper fundamental form, but I'm afraid that there are things I may be developing and not seeing myself, thus is the reason I'm creating these videos!

Thank you all for taking the time to watch my video and help me. All the best.

PS: @Grey: Maybe it doesn't look like my arms are fully extending because they're a bit short? Just a thought!