Hi

I have spent the weekend doing a "level one boxing coach course". I don't intend to coach until I've been competing for a few more years at least but I decided to go and do it while it was on offer. I was not out of place there since several fighters with no immediate intention to coach participated in the course.

I was shocked by how much of the practical element many guys there who WERE coaching fighters were NOT familiar with. A few coaches were even mistaken in their understanding of the AIBA rules.

One practical element most of the coaches were unfamiliar with was diagonal movement - stepping with the left foot while punching with the right hand or stepping with the right foot while punching with the left hand.

Backward diagonal movement was punching with left hand and stepping with the left foot or right hand and right foot.

Most coaches in SA were only aware of parallel punches for foreward movement or did not step and punch at the same time at all.

Seeing how much better diagonal movement is for a shorter fighter trying to make up distance is amazing.

How typical of the boxing scene is it to have trainers so unaware of these principles?

Since diagonal movement is a new concept for me aswell what advice would you give for making the most of it? Are there risks I should be aware of while using diagonal movement more so than parallel? Are there some good counters you know of that work well against common diagonal movements?

I will probably not formally coach anyone on these things but a coach from my gym also attended the course and we'd be interested in getting some experienced input RE how to best apply it in our gym. Thanks