heavybag/boxing tips needed

[krese]

so, i'm not a pro, never have been trained and never expect to. i just enjoy working on my bag at home. that said i want to learn the best that i can. i seem to have an issue keeping my guard up especially after i throw a power shot.

i am and always been ambidextrous and can throw punches from either side with comfort but i do seem to be a little less aware of what i'm doing from the left side... anyway, how can i teach myself to keep my guard up?

in the pic below i'm in a south paw stance, threw a right jab and a solid straight left but you can clearly see my right hand down near my hip as it just followed the momentum of my left swing:

[Spaz]

trun your shoulders... it will extend your reach... in that picture you'd be easily knocked off balance cause you're leaning to far forward...

[Spaz]

also... turning your hand sideways can also increase your range slightly...

ex.

you want to break a nose you punch how you are now...
you want to break an eye socket you turn your hand...

[Spaz]

you sohuld also rais the bag up higher... i don't use gloves on bags and have punched the metal rings on them and it hurts like hell...

[krese]

trun your shoulders... it will extend your reach... in that picture you'd be easily knocked off balance cause you're leaning to far forward...

i agree with you but actually my first right jab started the bag moving backwards so i'm reaching forward to land my 2nd blow. i think the 100lb bag isn't heavy enough for me as it moves way too much.

also... turning your hand sideways can also increase your range slightly...

ex.

you want to break a nose you punch how you are now...
you want to break an eye socket you turn your hand...

i thought with a straight punch i should have my hand the way it is? the way you are talking would be more of a jab or cross?

i agree 100% that i need to get the bag up higher but there really isn't a way for me to do that. i have as many links out of the chain as i can have and still be able to wrap it around the I beam. and i LOVE using my 16oz gloves with the bag... not only do they keep my computer geek hands nice and safe but when i throw a punch with out them i feel like it is a lot faster. i also feel confident to hit the bag as hard as i want with out having to worry about folding my wrists over...

[ibanez7]

always keep your hands on your chin (meaning your knuckles against your chin/jaw).. you always punch from your jaw/chin and return to your jaw/chin

constantly keep thinking that!

This technique allows for the straightest more powerfull punches, and also allows for you to quickly guard your head.

dont practice speed, and power until you get down the technique.

this is how we practice, at Curran MMA for kickboxing...

also you are leading with your head, dont let your head lean over your feet when punching. great way to take a kick to the head or knee..

[Spaz]

i agree with you but actually my first right jab started the bag moving backwards so i'm reaching forward to land my 2nd blow. i think the 100lb bag isn't heavy enough for me as it moves way too much.


i thought with a straight punch i should have my hand the way it is? the way you are talking would be more of a jab or cross?

i agree 100% that i need to get the bag up higher but there really isn't a way for me to do that. i have as many links out of the chain as i can have and still be able to wrap it around the I beam. and i LOVE using my 16oz gloves with the bag... not only do they keep my computer geek hands nice and safe but when i throw a punch with out them i feel like it is a lot faster. i also feel confident to hit the bag as hard as i want with out having to worry about folding my wrists over...

i'll show ya a few techniques if you make it to spazapalooza... hold your hand out as if you just threw a punch and have it about a half inch from a wall... turn your hand and your knuckles will contact the wall... i suck at explaining this stuff over the internet...

[Soltakr]

I've done 6 years of MT and love the workout better then weight training. (thats just me) I dont compete either or claim that it's better or worse then anything else.

Bag work is a big part of my training. Here is what I was told.
1) work on form
2) add speed
3) add power

if you work the other way, you get beat by missing or pulling yourself out of balance.

-also never throw at 100% because that requires total commitment of the body which experience fighters will use to take you off balance.

I was told it "generally" takes 6,000-8,000 punchs to start find your own jab. Plus your jab will change as your body changes. As you lose weight and gain posture and strenght your shots will as well. Boxers live and die by the jab

-For body shots, bend at the knees to lower your level not at the waist.

bag work is very therapeutic for me. Here is what I do (personal tip, so don't give me any shit!) I take some chalk and write on the bag all the stuff that bothers me. "money, car, work, girlfriend, health, traffic" whatever it is. The more specific the better. Write on different spots of the bag, big and small letters. Then I put on my headphones and beat the shit of the bag until at the chalk is gone. Always feel better after. Take a wet rag and whip off to make it ready for the next day.

[Soltakr]

[QUOTE=ibanez7;2548613]always keep your hands on your chin (meaning your knuckles against your chin/jaw).. you always punch from your jaw/chin and return to your jaw/chin

constantly keep thinking that!

If you have a hard time keeping your chin down. Take a rubber ball (racket or squash) and put it under your chin. When the ball falls out, you rasied your head. That also works for keeping your mouth closed "lose jaw gets ripped off". Helps the lungs by forcing you to breath through your nose.

[ibanez7]

exactly...

keep your head down.. shoulders slouched and loose..

Also dont let the heavy bag swing around, also dont stop the bag by grabbing.. control it with you hits.

[krese]

thanks for the tips guys!!

i do seem very good at keeping my chin down (you can see that in the pic) as i think it is natural for me when i throw. head down, eyes on the target.

i think you guys hit the nail on the head about not starting out with speed and power. i tend to get right in to it at full speed/power with out working on what i need to work on... i do find myself getting out of balance here and there at max power but i think that is in my nature. i'm not very gracefull, infact i'm one of those people that look awkward with what ever i do...i have always had the ability though to land at any angle with power although i understand that somebody with knowledge could use it against me. that hasn't happened yet though at 35 years of age. prolly the ONLY thing i have ever been lucky about (or i just know how to read who NOT to mess with very well)

anyway, i'm just getting back in to working out... i had a hard time with the death of my mother in july and couldn't seem to ever get back on course. now i find that i'm getting very winded after only a few mins. one of the good things that i did was to move the bag away from the wall so that i can actually move around it. this gives me even more of a workout being able to stay up on my toes circling as i hit. i also will hit the bag for a few mins then pick up the weights and do a rep then go back to the bag... this worked wonders for me before i took the time off....

[Spaz]

another thing you might want to work on with accuracy is to not look at where you are hitting... telescoping (looking where you're going to hit) is a hard to stop doing and your worst enemy in a fight... mark a target on the bag and try to hit it with out looking at it...