Quote Originally Posted by ross View Post
I dont know about everyone else but I dont get any more power from pushing off the backfoot when using the jabbing hand. Im left handed and find and teach people to drive upwards on the leading foot for power in the jab. Theres a sequence that needs to be followed to make the most on the momentum and not waste the energy that could go in to a simple jab.

I broke my right hand by punching a wall in temper in my last season and couldnt use it even lightly for months. So I only used my left for months on the bags and the pads. My left got as good as I think it could get. I learnt how to drive properly to get force through it and it was sharp and had a loud clap sound sound when it landed on the pads or bag because the distance was right. I know not everyone is a big puncher but in my gym my jab was harder in the end than some of the other lads rights. My major problem was arm length. Holding a tape measure between the top of my right bicep where it meets the pectoral muscle down to the wrist is only 19" and im 5,9" which I think is disproportinate arm length?

If someone was taught how to use the jab so it actually hurt an opponent they wouldnt bother using it to flick out with.
You can hurt somebody with the jab: it is a matter of distance, timing and pushing off the back foot. A real simple example is, for orthodox fighters in this example, slipping or parrying a jab over the left shoulder and bringing the counter "jab" up while pushing off the back foot. Very damaging. Short arms are actually an advantage here as it may encourage your opponent to step with his jab. Very stiff counter.
But the point here is backhands...The obvious use is after a miss with either hand. But those are very obvious. More subtle are the uses inside, and very damaging. Example: using your right hand to slap his left out of the way and then backhanding across the nose with your left. The guy that taught me this in 1974 or so had had his nose smashed this way. Again, with the padding of today's gloves, the effect would probably be much less.