Closing the gap-getting inside

[HerbM]

...His reach is about 72".
...our coach is 6'2" and has a bit of trouble seeing patterns
...but we have a new coach that is ... anxious to work with Jake

...rebuilding the jab, the feints and slips, particularly getting away from the linear fighting.

The sparring drill with light sparring without moving in, working feints and parries, jabs, lateral movement is a great suggestion. The problem with a pressure fighter sparring is he brings out the competitive fire in more experienced fighters, nobody likes getting pressured and pounded to the body, they start throwing with bad intention and you usually end up with a lot of intensity and sticking to your bread and butter rather than trying things you are working on. That being said, if you can trade when the heat is on, that's a problem lots of fighters would like to have.

Reach is fine - at least it isn't a DEFICIT (normal to a good for his height) so he isn't trying to overcome an extra limitation.

Sounds like the coaching situation will be improving (taking advantage of the strengths of both coaches is good if that is possible.)

It is really ESSENTIAL that Jake get some GOOD light sparring (or shadow sparring) partners -- going light enough that NO ONE is getting ego driven and no one is getting "hit" much (no more than just keeping each other honest at most). This isn't really even "sparring" as such, but practice with a LITTLE bit of contact fo realism and to avoid training unrealistic stuff.

The idea is that he will force himself to GIVE UP what works for him a bit to improve in areas where he is not as strong.

One 'rule' coach gave me that worked wonders: I was NOT allowed to move forward -- for a pressure fighter like me it felt so weird at first. Also, I was only allowing myself to take ONE (at most 2) steps to the red and to HOLD the center of the ring WITHOUT the ability to move forward.

Of course this meant that I was of necessity moving laterally and diagonally all of the time and improving every time I did this.

It is very important for Jake to understand a couple of key points about training:

Train your weaknesses and fight your strengths.

Pretty obvious to so many fighters (or other sport participants) only keep doing what they are already good at doing. It's more fun. It 'feels' better.

And when I say "Fight" here, I mostly mean in ACTUAL competition. Even heavier sparring should always have elements of this idea, except perhaps as fight time gets near and your trying to integrate the new skills with the already successful skills.

Remember that sparring SHOULD be LEARNING (not fighting) and a time for BUILDING new skills.
Most of the drills we are "good" at doing are NOT the ones we need, and most of the drills we don't enjoy are the ones we really need to do even more.

Perfecting Practice makes perfect....

Read the books, The Talent Code and/or Bounce:... -- have Jake read them as well if he wants to be great. These books will really explain the KIND of DEEP PRACTICE that will BUILD TALENT.

We now know that talent is not born, but rather is CREATED by proper training and practice.

This is true of Mike Tyson and Michael Jordan; its true of Tiger Woods and Mozart. It was true of the great chess players and most everybody else who was ever considered to be 'exceptionally talented', a 'gift genius', or a 'child prodigy' in any sport or activity.

Do NOT praise an athlete or other performer (or even a child) for being gifted, talented, or smart -- instead give praise that relates their skills and successes to the WORK they are putting into the activity and the efforts they make to expand their capabilities.

This one simple change may be the MOST IMPORTANT coaching or parenting tip for making a small -- even trivial -- change and getting amazing results and return for the effort.

'Sales Pitch': If you were offered explicit methods that allow you to build talent and create master level performance in anyone willing to practice, would you be interested in learning to do that?

"The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How"
by Daniel Coyle, (Probably the best book to read first)
Amazon.com: The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How. (9780553806847): Daniel Coyle: Books

"Bounce: Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham, and the Science of Success"
by Matthew Syed, (...BUT this one is a good read too, and they both have things the other book lacks -- and Syed himself is a product of such training)
Amazon.com: Bounce: Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham, and the Science of Success (9780061723759): Matthew Syed: Books

"Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else"
by Geoffrey Colvin (The FIRST popularization that publicized this scientific research about 2007 -- and it has good stuff too)
Amazon.com: Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else: Geoff Colvin: Books

"The Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You've Been Told About Genetics, Talent, and IQ Is Wrong"
by David Schenk (More focused on things like intelligence but it's the MOST RECENT book although with the least "how to" material)
Amazon.com: The Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You've Been Told About Genetics, Talent, and IQ Is Wrong (9780385523653): David Shenk: Books

"Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" by Carol Dweck (more focused on the proper attitude and coaching methods to achieve those attitudes -- very important stuff)

Also: "The Art of Learning" by Josh Waitzkin. Amazon.com: The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance (9780743277464): Josh Waitzkin: Books

[Scrap]

YouTube - squarering44's Channel Working the Line

[Fran@myboxingcoach]

The blinding jab wasn't one of mine. In fact, I'd never come across it before I got involved in the Forums. I do have a version of what I believe is referred to as the 'up jab'. To me it's a long range left uppercut, but there you go.

Back to the 'blinding jab', I think it's where the jab is used almost to goad a response where it's popped out really quite slowly; Roberto Duran used to use this type of jab to great effect. I believe another version is where the lead arm stays out,almost 'holding' the opponent at arms length. Hearns used to do this a lot, but usually against shorter opponents or guys he knew he had the beating of. He never did this against Hagler, I guess because Marvin may have torn off his arm and beat him to death with it!

I'd coach the first version but not the second (in the amateur game, the ref would issue a warning.) I notice Scrap has joined the thread. It'd be interesting to know whether the second one is one of the little tricks that a pro trainer would coach or whether it's a personal thing to the boxer (more likely I guess.)

By the way, thanks Herb....again.

[HerbM]

Sorry for wrongly attributing the "blinding jab" to Fran -- don't remember where I saw it then, but the video was similar to what Fran produces so that was what contributed to my confusion.

The blinding jab was just a regular jab that was aimed at the eyes -- it covers any concurrent movement if the step is started shortly before contact or full extension (if the punch is too short to actually hit).

It blinds by blocking vision.

I also agree with Fran, it should NOT be thrown slow, nor "left out" there -- you must practice the movement to begin just as it blocks the eyes and to be complete by the time it uncovers them.

I have played with fine timing though, slowing it JUST A LITTLE near extension to gain a little more time.

That seems ok, depending on your opponent's reaction speed -- don't want someone to rip it off and hit you with it , nor to push it down and change your balance or get past your guard.

This last is very hard to perfect, i.e., a single punch that goes FAST-SLOW-FAST. If I do this I make no real attempt to "hit" the opponent, just to get it near his face and block his vision.

Never do I leave it "out there" even if I slow it a bit near the turn around point.

[Chris Nagel]

Sorry for wrongly attributing the "blinding jab" to Fran -- don't remember where I saw it then, but the video was similar to what Fran produces so that was what contributed to my confusion.

Hi Herb, that's Derek Roche that you're thinking of. I shared the video in the "Training Videos" thread.

Anyway, I'm very busy now (I'm in Shanghai). I just wanted to clear up the confusion.

Regards