Lost Art of Bobbing and Weaving

[greynotsoold]

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.

[AdamGB]

You would of enjoyed Lacy Calzaghe...

[greynotsoold]

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.

[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

[TyBuff]

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.

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.

[Poom]

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

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.

[Vessel]

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.

[AdamGB]

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.

[greynotsoold]

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

[Vessel]

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.

[donnydarkoIRL]

This has been really helpful. Thanks.+

[Munkymagic]

Is this from the training forum?

[Howlin Mad Missy]

better now?

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

[donnydarkoIRL]

And CC gain grey I shadowboxed this move last night.

[Scrap]

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