Jab Cross Hook Boxing Combo
https://youtu.be/KScM9qlveR4
Building off of our jab cross combination we’re going to throw a lead (left for orthodox stance) hook after our cross.
Ensure your right hand is up high by your cheek as you throw your left hook. When throwing the left hook pivot on your left (lead) foot as you generate power for your left hook.
The Jab
The jab is without a doubt the most crucial punch to master, yet remains most neglected.
Your jab should be straight and fast… no looping or winding up required.
- Begin with your gloves tucked in front of your face, elbows pointing down.
- Drive through your hips as you twist them while extending your lead (left) hand outward to punch – your punch should go straight out from your chin level – no dropping of the hand.
- Just before your glove makes contact with the focus mitt or heavy bag rotate your fist (often calling ‘turning it over) so your knuckles are horizontal to the floor as your glove hits.
- As soon as your jab connects with the focus mitt or heavy bag bring it back in front of your face and return to your elbows tucked in position.
Common mistakes made with the jab include:
Transferring Too Much Weight Forward
When in your boxing stance your weight should remain primarily on your rear leg, when throwing a jab if you’re transferring too much weight onto your front foot you’ll overbalance and fall forward.
This mistake can be extremely costly, particularly in the ring – if your jab misses and you’re off balance you’re wide open to be hit – not to mention you’ll miss the opportunity to follow up your jab with a powerful cross as you won’t be ‘planted’ on the ground to throw your next punch.
Dropping Your Right Hand
The majority of guys drop their opposite hand when throwing a punch, if your adversary sees your jab coming and counters with a jab or cross of their own your chin is exposed – not good.
Ensure your opposite hand is always touching your cheek when throwing a punch.
Failing To Turn Over Your Hand & ‘Snap’ The Punch
You must turn your punch over, rotate your wrist so your knuckles are horizontal to the ground just before your punch lands.
Many guys fail to rotate their punches and take too long to return the punch to their guard… the result? The punch turns out to be more of a push than a snapping, powerful attack.
The Cross
The cross or right hand as it’s often called is your power punch.
The primary purpose of your jab, be it on the focus mitts, the heavy bag or against your opponent in the ring is to ‘set up’ your power shot, aka. the right hand.
The #1 key when it comes to throwing a cross is to remember that the power comes through the lower body and hip rotation, the power does not come directly from the arm… as such if your stance, footwork or pivot are incorrect then your power punch is going to lack power!
- Begin with your gloves tucked in front of your face, elbows pointing down.
- Pivot on your rear foot as you drive through your hips while extending your rear (right) hand outward to punch – your punch should go straight out from your chin level – no dropping of the hand.
- Just before your glove makes contact with the focus mitt or heavy bag rotate your fist (often calling ‘turning it over) so your knuckles are horizontal to the floor as your glove hits.
- As soon as your right hand connects with the focus mitt or heavy bag bring it back in front of your face and return to your elbows tucked in position.
Common mistakes with the cross include:
Transferring Too Much Weight Forward
When in your boxing stance your weight should remain primarily on your rear leg, when throwing a cross if you’re transferring too much weight onto your front foot you’ll overbalance and fall forward.
This mistake can be extremely costly, particularly in the ring – if your cross misses and you’re off balance you’re wide open to be hit – not to mention you’ll miss the opportunity to follow up your cross with a powerful lead hook as you won’t be ‘planted’ on the ground to throw your next punch.
Dropping Your Left Hand
The majority of guys drop their opposite hand when throwing a punch, if your adversary sees your cross coming and counters with a jab or cross of their own your chin is exposed – not good.
Ensure your opposite hand is always touching your cheek when throwing a punch.
Failing To Turn Over Your Hand & ‘Snap’ The Punch
You must turn your punch over, rotate your wrist so your knuckles are horizontal to the ground just before your punch lands.
Many guys fail to rotate their punches and take too long to return the punch to their guard… the result? The punch turns out to be more of a push than a snapping, powerful attack.
The Hook
The left hook (or lead hook) is a brutal power punch and is a key component to any focus mitt drills or heavy bag workouts you add into your regime.
Why throw padwork into your regime? It’s great for building cardio and conditioning.
Once you’ve got your jab and straight right down pat it’s time to master the left hook – you must learn these two punches first to grasp hip rotation.
Read and utilize the technique below and record yourself perform your left hook, although it may feel right it’s not until you review your tape that you pick up on many of the little mistakes I’ll discuss below.
- Begin with your gloves tucked in front of your face, elbows pointing down.
- Drive through your hips as you twist them to the right while pivoting on your front (left) foot.
- Your left glove should not drop down at all, in one fluid horizontal motion your left glove should fire from your chin to the side of your opponents chin as you maintain a slight bend in your elbow.
- Strike the mitt or heavy bag with either your knuckles parallel to the floor or horizontal to the floor (personal preference)
- As soon as your left hook connects with the focus mitt, opponent or heavy bag bring it back in front of your face and return to your elbows tucked in position.
Common mistakes when it comes to the hook include:
Failing To Pivot On Your Left Foot
As you rotate your hips to the right while firing the hook with your left hand you must pivot on your front foot in order to maintain your balance and channel your power into your left hook.
A wild left hook thrown from the arm without any hip rotation or front foot pivot will not only lack the power that a solid left hook is notorious for, but you’re also likely going to end off balance – particularly if you miss the pad or mitt.
Winding Up Your Hook
Your left hand should go straight from your chin to either the opponents chin or your heavy bag/mitts…
Your punches should not be telegraphed (aka. your adversary should not see them coming). The #1 way to telegraph a lead hook is to move your glove out to the side to wind it up – this clearly shows what you’re about to do and will likely result in you eating a counter punch (a right hand over the top for example).
The need to wind up a hook to gain more power is also a result of incorrect punching technique too, as above you must pivot on your lead leg as you rotate your hips to draw power into your hook – you will NEVER be able to match the power your whole body can generate by winding up your arm to throw an arm based punch.
