Left Jab

[greynotsoold]

You'll hear a lot of falsehoods and misinformation re: the jab. Here is my version of the truth. Your stance is vital so try this; stand feet under your shoulders, toes on a line, shift all weight to rt foot, left foot off floor, toe at about a 40 degree angle to right toe, take a natural step forward, move right foot at 2" directly right. Important note: when positioning left toe, rotate whole leg inward. You want your weight evenly distributed, maybe even shaded to your rt foot.

When you jab do not shift weight to your left foot because then you can't move nor can you throw a proper right (recall Quartey-DeLaHoya and how Ike was unable to move in behind a jab, having put weight forward with the punch) picture an xy axis centering your body from each side. You always want the shoulder of the hand your are punching with to cross that center line where you move the fist. With the jab you utilize a barely perceptible twist of the hip, and of the shoulders (from the 10 or 11 on a clock to the 12) keep the elbow down then snap it up and fully extend the arm the punch landing on the large knuckles. All motion is forward and the trajectory should rise slightly. Don't listen to that "bring it back fast" crap or you'll end up pulling your blow. What is vital is that the fist return along the same path it left on.

If you put your shoulder into the jab, and pop the elbow/rotate the fist your chin's behind your shoulder and your arm retracts with the shoulder- impossible to drop your left. the jab is a fluent natural punch - practice "catching flies" out of the air. Or get your trainer to tape 10 little spots to the mitt and try to snatch them off The pop in the punch comes from several source: first, the quick turn of shoulder and hip; second, the sudden snap in the elbow; and third from your feet. You want your hands and feet coordinated so that each time your left foot moves you jab, pushing off the rear foot go watch some fencing, or Rcardo Lopez tape. good luck