jab improvement help

[southpaw14]

hey this is my first time writing on this site but i have been reading a bit. I started boxing around the end of summer only about 3 months in a gym.IM 14 and southpaw. My problem is that i cant seem to throw my punches fast im quite big for my age 155 pounds but its muscle. I was sparring with a guy and he said i woulda had him except my jab was too slow and he always saw it coming. How can i increase my jab power and speed?

[koto_ryu]

hey this is my first time writing on this site but i have been reading a bit. I started boxing around the end of summer only about 3 months in a gym.IM 14 and southpaw. My problem is that i cant seem to throw my punches fast im quite big for my age 155 pounds but its muscle. I was sparring with a guy and he said i woulda had him except my jab was too slow and he always saw it coming. How can i increase my jab power and speed?

Get a buddy and a set of focus mitts and have him wear those and yell out combinations while you go full-out trying to land them as quickly as possible. Your speed will definitely get much better.

[Broadsword2004]

Do lots of pushups to, because the more pushups you can do, the more endurance your arm muscles have, and the more endurance your arm muscles have means the longer you can keep punching fast and hard.

[warriors13]

When I first started boxing, my instructor said that I was to tense and stiff like a board when I threw my jab. He said I will tire very quickly. The key is to stay relax and throw it as if you are hammering something. Only difference is that you supply the power right when you turn your wrist over. Hope that helps.

Also when you do pushups, keep your elbows in. Don't chicken wing your pushups. That will help you throw more powerfull and straight jabs.

Another thing is to stay away from weights to lose some muscle mass and work on conditioning. You will get cut!

[HtTKar]

keep your hands and arms loose, until right before you hit. This will allow you to snap your punches.

Also when practicing, you will make your punches much quicker by focusing on how fast you can pull your punch back to the guard (as opposed to focusing on throwing it out there real quick)

And punch alot. Get a double-end bag and practice hitting it at least 1000 times a day...every day. It will only take 10-12 minutes, but will help you improve. If you want to get better and punching, you have to punch stuff.

[Jeremy Lobdell]

Complete aggrement!

Great comments by HtTKar. Most problems for beginners when it comes to a jab is just from being uncomfortable. There's also a tendence to throw it too hard. It should be used to keep your opponent off balance and set up your combos. Not everybody is Larry Holmes! You should find out from the guy you sparred if you've got a tell. He may of been picking up on something you were doing, ie. dipping your shoulder before you threw it. For me personally, I had a big problem with that as a teenager boxing AAU in south Florida. What helped me was setting a string parallel to the floor at head height and snapping out the jab along the string over and over.

[southpaw14]

thanks everybody for the great advice

[koto_ryu]

Great comments by HtTKar. Most problems for beginners when it comes to a jab is just from being uncomfortable. There's also a tendence to throw it too hard.

Personally I like throwing a hard jab as I tend to be economical about my hits: if it's gotten to the point where I have to strike you, I'm not gonna use too many but I'm gonna make it worth my while. Some of the best boxers in history put power into their jabs. Set them up with a hard shot from your left and bomb them with your right, and they'll end up seeing more little birds than if they were at an aviary

[Jeremy Lobdell]

Knowledge

You're absolutely right koto ryu. But if you would of read the entire thread, you would see that the question came from someone who is a relative beginner. This, coupled with the fact that he's a southpaw, will leave him open for a left hook if he throws his jab too hard and misses. Start with propper technique and balance, power will come with time!

[MrPARaNoiD]

Mike this was a great post.
im definitly gonna draw the outline on a mirror and try the new push up/jab
im looking forward to adding these few things to my training.
Thanx !

[MrPARaNoiD]

mike could u please post a pic or more info bout the 'wall push off' im currently unsure whether im doin it right.
thanx

[speedbag]

Jab and Footwork.

You can also use the Speed Bag to help with the jab and footwork. Here is a from "SpeedBagCentral" about that:

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Footwork and the speed bag

Since the speed bag is fixed and doesn’t move away from you or sideways, it is more difficult to practice footwork. But the following will help focus on your punching footwork.
From a defensive stance with your left or right leg forward, start very close to the wall nearest your back.

• Depending on your ability, choose a punching technique, or a two, three or four combination. Beginners can use a single punch, such as a JAB or backfist. Those will more experience might use a double jab, right cross combination.

• Now start punching and begin your circling shuffle steps. Maintain your balance and step correctly. Do not cross your feet. Keep moving around the bag until you reach the other wall. This should be 5 or 6 steps depending on your step size. Now go back the other way, while completing the punching combinations. Try to blend all your motions with the bag rhythm and flow of movement.

• Since your footwork is the focus, and not bag skill, you can use any number of rebounds. Start slow and punch only at half power to get the feel. Increase punching power and speed only when you footwork can smoothly follow

You can find this at:

http://www.speedbagcentral.com/Tips_FocusedWorkouts.html#E

You could also do this with a heavy bag, either hanging or floor model.

[MrPARaNoiD]

Thanks Mike and Speedbag i will add those wall push offs to mu daily training. unfortunatly i have no where to put my speedbag up but i can definetly see the usfulness of using it to gather speed and stationary footwork.

Thanx

[MrPARaNoiD]

How many times a week is it constructive to spar? however light sparing with no uppercuts.

[EmptyneSs]

How many times a week is it constructive to spar? however light sparing with no uppercuts.

i sparr like 3 times a week. 2 days its light, last day is a bit harder. i also do alot of drills that are meant to improve sparring, like parrying drills whatnot. i would spar even more than i already could if my schedule allowed it. sparring is most important part of ur training. all the other training is to supplement ur sparring and improve it as much as possible, wether its building cardio endurance, or working technique or lifting weights. sparring/competing is as real as u can get as far as practice. i grapple people too when i can to keep up with my ground game.