Extending Arms - Shadow Boxing

[HerbM]

Part of the issue might be in using shadow boxing to practice speed and power -- instead of using it primarily for perfecting your form, movement, and chaining together smooth combinations.

if you shoot you hands out at top speed and power with nothing to stop them then you are likely going to be putting a lot of stress on your joints (esp. elbow and perhaps shoulder), or you are going to be training in a lot of counter-tension and/or bad form by stopping those punches short using muscle power.

Either you practice perfect form or you are practicing to do it imperfectly. What sense does it make to be practicing to do something incorrectly?

Practice speed and power (in the best form you can manage) against the bag. Practice perfecting your form and combinations by shadow boxing while relaxing.

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HerbM

[The Student]

Either you practice perfect form or you are practicing to do it imperfectly. What sense does it make to be practicing to do something incorrectly?

Practice speed and power (in the best form you can manage) against the bag. Practice perfecting your form and combinations by shadow boxing while relaxing.

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HerbM

That makes a lot of sense actually.. Thanks for the advice!

[Fran@myboxingcoach]

Hey guys

Interesting thread. When throwing straight shots, extend your arms...end of story! Whether you're shadow boxing, hitting bags, sparring or fighting, straight shots must incorporate an extended arm. A tip that I try to reinforce in our boxers: when shadow boxing, put an imaginary head and body in front of you. Accelerate the shot, any shot, onto the target and 'snap' it onto the chin/under the ribs without punching through the target. This helps with speed and power and if the technique is correct (weight going onto back leg) you'll never go off-balance when you miss a shot during fighting/sparring.

It's all good!

Fran

[badr_hari]

if the technique is correct (weight going onto back leg) you'll never go off-balance when you miss a shot during fighting/sparring.

wasn't the weight transfer from the back leg to the front leg, while throwing straight punches ?

[HerbM]

if the technique is correct (weight going onto back leg) you'll never go off-balance when you miss a shot during fighting/sparring.

wasn't the weight transfer from the back leg to the front leg, while throwing straight punches ?

In general, you don't want to transfer weight onto the front foot when punching; it makes you very vulnerable and decreases you mobility for avoiding what comes at you next.

This is especially important when you MISS (as Fran was pointing out) because then the tendency is even stronger to transfer weight there even more strongly (since there is not contact to help you stop the motion) and thus makes the problem worse for misses.

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HerbM

[jahmez]

You can't generate power with a straight right by transferring your weight to your back foot.

[jahmez]

Shadowboxing is a great way to develop speed and power as long as you are focusing on technique first. The best way to throw fluid and fast combinations is to practice them shadowboxing.

[badr_hari]

You can't generate power with a straight right by transferring your weight to your back foot.

totally right. If you don't transfer your weight from the back foot to the front foot your RIGHT HAND or even your JAB will be an ARM PUNCH with NO POWER.

And that's why you pivot with your right foot when you throw a right cross (on the balls of your feet), it helps with two things: gives the space for the rotation of the hips and the shoulders. That's why Scrap says the right foot is for power and the left foot is for direction - balance. To stay Balanced while throwing a Powerful right hand its recommended to make a TINY STEP to the LEFT. With this move even if you miss a very powerful right hand you won't be off-balanced.

[HerbM]

[...]Accelerate the shot, any shot, onto the target and 'snap' it onto the chin/under the ribs without punching through the target.[...]

This makes it SOUND like punching to the target, hitting on the surface, rather than punching into the target, and I am pretty sure you don't mean that, so would you please elaborate and explain what you mean by not 'punching through the target'?

Thanks,

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HerbM