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A boxer’s job is to knockout their opponent. It’s a tough job. Hitting a trained opponent that is moving to evade your punches is hard enough, but when they are also trying to hit you it can become almost impossible. So boxers train to make every punch count. When they hit, they have to know how to hit hard and they have to be in good enough condition to keep hitting hard, round after round.

To achieve this goal and do their job, boxers use heavy bags. A heavy bag is a long, cylindrical shaped bag, densely filled with foam and hung from the ceiling. It can weigh anywhere from 40 to 200 pounds. The lighter bags move when hit, so the boxers have to chase them around and use their footwork. The heavier bags hardly move at all, unless the boxer has developed tremendous punching power.

To make a bag move takes two things, proper technique and proper conditioning. Proper technique will let the boxer hit with all the power their body can generate. A 140 pound fighter with proper technique can move a punching bag much better than a poorly trained man twice his size, even if that bigger man is very strong. Proper conditioning lets the fighter execute their technique over and over again with tiring enough to make them use poor technique.

Boxers hit the bag in rounds of two or three minutes, the exact same way they’d fight in the ring. They use gloves to protect their hands. In a typical heavy bag workout a boxer will move around, throwing combinations as hard and fast as they can. They’ll simulate punching to the head and the body by punching high or low on the bag. The bag will swing back and forth and the boxer will move out of the way when it swings toward them, the same way they’d move away from an opponent.

The purpose of using a heavy bag in boxing are the excellent benefits that result. Consistent work on the heavy bag will give a boxer a toned upper body from all the punching. If they stay on their toes and move they will also develop phenomenal stamina in their thighs and calves. Finally, because of the aerobic and anaerobic demands that non-stop punching places on the body, a boxer will leave their heavy bag workouts with excellent cardiovascular conditioning.

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Boxing is a fun sport to get involved in, no matter your age or individual level of fitness. It is a discipline that stays with you long after you’ve learned it.

The misconception about boxing is that it is all about aggression, but that just isn’t true. Boxing, like other martial arts, is about self control and being disciplined more than anything else, and while a certain amount of aggression can potentially be useful at any level of boxing, it is not necessary.

Proper boxing equipment is paramount in any boxing program. Compared to most other sports however, boxing equipment is relatively inexpensive, and can be very rewarding both mentally and physically. Rubber mouthpieces are an essential piece of boxing equipment for all boxers. They are a good investment and they’re inexpensive. Furthermore, it will save you the hassle of the dental work which may be required when no mouthpiece is used. Wearing a mouthpiece will eliminate practically all teeth injuries and mouth lacerations which are caused by the lip coming in contact with an irregular tooth. Many boxers find it beneficial to secure a mouthpiece made from an actual impression even though it’s a bit more expensive.

If you plan on entering into competition, headgear is a wise investment. “Competitive headgear” is lighter weight than the headgear used in training, but affords the same amount of protection to the eyes and ears. It includes extra padding at the base of the skull as protection against occasions when the boxer hits their head on the canvas as they fall. The minimum boxing equipment used in sparring is headgear, mouthpieces, and protective cups. If a mouthpiece slips out, or headgear becomes improperly adjusted, time should be taken to replace the mouthpiece or to properly adjust the headgear. Pay proper attention to all boxing equipment to help reduce the number of accidents

Boxers need stamina. By consistently heightening the intensity of training, as fitness allows, the body become accommodated with harder fitness routines which leads to increased stamina. Once the fitness routine is developed, time can be taken to improve specific techniques and skills. Physical and more importantly mental tolerances play a role in all boxers. If an individual has low motivation and low tolerance for physical exercise they won’t get far. Therefore it makes sense to do some mental conditioning as well as physical. Training with more experienced boxers is a great way to learn from example and keep your goal right in front of you. Keep in mind though they are much more experienced so go at your own pace, not theirs.

During practice and training there are 3 general things to keep in mind:

1. Take Your Time:Your mind and body need time to adjust to the extra physical and mental stress its enduring. Instead of pushing an extra minute or going for ten more reps try half a minute and five more reps. This way you’re intensifying the workout but not burning yourself out. One of the best lessons boxing can teach is patience.

2. Physical Training is a Must: There’s no way around it you have to train. If you don’t have the stamina to go the extra championship rounds you won’t have the energy to focus on taking the guy across the ring down. It’s important not only to build skills during training, but to use these skills during rounds. If you aren’t focused on being winded in the last rounds then you can allow the techniques developed during training to shine.

3. Technique before Power: Don’t focus purely on developing power. Power will come with the execution of proper technique. Before you learn to land a one-punch knock out, you have to perfect movement, timing, distance, balance and most importantly momentum of movement when punching. If you focus only on the one-hit KO, you will lose the match before it has even begun. Remember-Technique Before Power.

Psychological endurance coupled with physical stamina and technique are the components of a well rounded boxer. Once you have found out what training routine works for you, you can play with it and specialize it to your specific needs. This will help build endurance and land those punches when it counts.

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About the Jab

After learning the stance and on-guard, the very first punch that a boxer is taught is the jab. Ask any practicing boxer, if they were restricted to using only one shot, then that shot would be the jab. There is a myth that needs to be dispelled here also; the jab is not only for tall boxers! I regularly used to watch Mike Tyson give away a significant reach advantage and still beat his opponent to the jab. If a boxer combines the jab with effective feints, footwork and body movement, then it is a shot that literally wins fights single-handed! The jab allows you as a boxer to control an opponent, be it on the attack or on the defensive. The jab provides a main method of commencing an attack and is consistently proven as a fight winner. Few things are more demoralizing to an opponent as being continually popped in the face with a fast, accurate and well-timed jab.

All of this said, whilst we can talk about a fast and accurate jab, it is surprising how many boxers allow bad habits to creep in when using the jab. As mentioned, if the jab is thrown correctly it’s a winner. On the other hand, if the jab isn’t deployed appropriately then an opponent will punish you badly over and over again!

The Mechanics of the Jab

The key requirement of a jab is that the opponent does not see it coming. Remember that the human eye is much better at identifying lateral (side-to side) movement than it is at identifying straight-line movement (forwards and back). For this reason, it is critical that you take notice of step 2 (below) in that the elbow follows the same line as the fist i.e. a vertical plane should be drawn from the left fist. The left elbow should not deviate at all from this plane at any point during the execution of the shot. Achieving this will ensure that the opponent has little or no warning of the impending shot because the elbow does not ‘flare’ to the left before the shot lands (a common fault).

So, the basic steps of delivering a precision jab are:

From the stance and on-guard position, the first action is a push from the front foot which in turn rotates the upper-body slightly (in a clockwise direction) so that the hips and shoulders will align with the opponent.
As the rotation is taking place, the lead arm is thrust out, ensuring that the lead arm elbow follows the same line as the fist i.e. there is no lateral movement of the elbow at all, whatsoever! As the lead arm is moving towards the target it accelerates.
As the fist accelerates towards the target (having covered about 75% of the distance), it rotates inwards so that the palm is facing down towards the floor.
At the last moment, the fist clenches and ’snaps’ on to the target.
The fist returns along the same line as before, returning to the ‘home’ position as per the stance.

Common Faults with the Jab

There are a number of common problems that can occur when throwing a jab:

There is an urge to try and hit too hard. The desire to throw the punch hard often results in the boxer’s weight transferring to the front leg. This has the effect of impairing the balance and making the boxer very vulnerable to counter-attack. Remember, the jab will often be thrown as you move forward, so throwing the weight onto the front leg is very high risk. If a shot comes back towards you, then your momentum will increase the impact of that shot!
The punch is ‘telegraphed’, or tell-tale movement takes place as the punch begins it’s journey. These movements are often the elbow lifting to the side or the fist dropping slightly, both of which are dead giveaways.
The boxer allows the punch to become an upper-body movement. Ensure that the rotation of the upper-body is generated by the push from the front leg.

And that’s about it really. A good, reliable jab is worth it’s weight in gold. I think that the trick is not to take the jab for granted. Use a mirror to ensure that none of the common faults are creeping into the shot. Once an opponent ‘makes’ your jab, then the chances of coming out in top at the end of the fight are minimal! As a basic next step, follow the jab up with straight right hands as both shots combined form the ‘meat and drink’ of the competing boxer.

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It is imperative that boxing shoes provide a perfect fit for the boxer. If he is trying to box with his feet hurting or his shoes slipping around on his feet, chances are he will not win that match. A boxer needs to be one hundred percent confident of his equipment before he enters the ring, and the shoes are a huge part of that. Boxers take enough punishment during their matches. They do not need to add feet blisters to that due to a poor shoe choice.

When choosing boxing equipment and accessories, it is important to find the ones that offer a perfect fit to you. Boxing shoes need to fit just as well as the boxing shorts do. You would not want your shorts falling down or splitting open during a boxing match. So it only makes sense that you would not want your shoes to allow you to slip and slide in the boxing ring or make your feet sweat.

You need to be very particular when choosing your shoes because unless they feel as if they are a PART of your feet, you will have problems with them. Most pairs are made from soft leather, suede, and rounded out with rubber soles that are meant to offer traction. Boxing shoes also have ventilation through mesh �windows� on all sides so that your feet do not become over heated and too sweaty.

All of those things work together to make your shoes offer everything you need while in the boxing ring. However, they must also be a perfect fit or your feet can become sore, blistered and irritated from trying to move around in the wrong type of shoe. Be sure to try on your shoes before you decide to buy them. Walk and move around in the store to make sure they are going to feel comfortable. Remember, ideally, you want them to feel so comfortable that you do not even notice you are wearing them.

Boxing is a great way to relieve stress and get into shape. If you are thinking about taking up boxing, you are going to need to invest in some basic equipment to get you started.

The first piece of equipment you will need to purchase is a punching bag. Punching bags are great for taking out your stress and they can give you a great workout. When you look at different bags, consider the weight of each. You will need a strong support to hold the weight of the bag.

Speed bags are another great investment. Learning to use speed bags will improve your reflexes as well as your boxing skills. You can find some great deals on speed bags online or you may even be able to find a used one at a good price. You may also be able to find a good bargain at a rummage sale or consignment shop.

Boxing Gloves are a necessity for anyone looking to get into boxing. Gloves come in different weights, sizes, and styles for different uses. Some are made for sparring while others are made for ring action. If you are not sure what type of gloves you will need, talk to a professional trainer for the best recommendation.

If you don’t have the money to purchase these items or don’t have the room to set things up, you could always join a local gym offering boxing lessons. Joining a gym will give you the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of boxing. You will also be able to find a sparring partner or even enter some amateur events.