Want to get into boxing and unsure how and where to start? If so, you have come to the right place!
We suggest starting with some shadow boxing. This is a great way to practice form, technique, movement and balance. It can be a full and effective workout in its own right or be used as a warm-up for other types of training. It is time and space efficient – you can work out anywhere you have a little room to move around; gym, office, bedroom or outside.
As to the HOW, we have put together a simple animated guide to the 6 basic boxing punches which should be the first thing you learn and practice.
Read on, or if you prefer, tap through the story embedded below.
Start with Positioning
Before getting into the 6 basic punches, let’s work on the position of your feet and body (the STANCE) and your hands (the GUARD). A good boxing stance brings balance, stability and readiness.
Place your dominant hand and foot at an angle to your target.
Next, raise your dominant hand near your chin with your non-dominant hand slightly covering your face.
Your non-dominant foot should be about shoulder-width apart from your dominant foot and angled slightly away from your target.
All our instructions assume you are starting from this position.
Orthodox or Southpaw?
You may have heard these terms, but what do they mean?
Most people are right-handed and will naturally assume the Orthodox stance, with the LEFT arm becoming the LEAD and the RIGHT arm the REAR.
Most left-handed people will switch this and assume what we call a Southpaw stance with the RIGHT arm as the LEAD and the LEFT arm as the REAR.
We refer to LEAD and REAR in our instructions so these will apply to both stances, although our animations show an Orthodox stance boxer.
Now let’s get into the punches.
The 6 Basic Boxing Punches
1 – The Jab
Extend your lead arm straight ahead, keeping your fist in line with its starting point.
Return your fist quickly back to your face.
2 – The Cross
Pivot on your back foot as you rotate your hips, angling your body towards the front.
As you pivot and rotate, extend your rear arm forward using your shoulder as the source of your power.
Rotate your body back to fighting stance and return your rear hand to guard position.
3 – The Lead Hook
Rotate your body into a forward position to transfer your weight to your lead leg.
Bring your lead arm up to shoulder-height with your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle.
Pivot on your lead leg while rotating your body to follow your fist.
Your arm will remain bent at the elbow at a roughly 90-degree angle and your elbow should end up almost in front of your face as you follow-through.
4 – The Rear Hook
Bring your rear arm to shoulder height with your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle.
Pivot on your rear foot while rotating your hips and body.
Your elbow will remain bent and should be almost in front of your face as you deliver the punch.
5 – The Lead Uppercut
Bend your knees into a low squat.
Drop your lead arm to a 90-degree angle from your body. Using the power from your legs and body, drive your fist upwards into a punch keeping your elbow bent
6 – The Rear Uppercut
Bend your knees into a low squat.
Drop your rear arm to a 90-degree angle from your body.
Like the cross and rear hook, pivot on your back foot and rotate your hips and body as you drive your fist upwards for the punch, keeping your elbow bent.
Punch Numbering
If you are new to boxing, you may not yet be familiar with the standard punch numbering scheme. The fundamental punches in boxing are commonly referred to by their number. This makes it quick and easy for trainers and training apps like Combat Go to call out punches and combinations during a workout. To keep tings simple (and logical) we have used these numbers in the section above.
To help you remember consider that for a right-handed (Orthodox stance) boxer:
- Even-numbered punches are right-hand punches
- Odd-numbered punches are left-hand punches
For a left-handed boxer (Southpaw) this relationship is simply reversed.
Time to Practice
Now it’s your turn. Get in depth guidance and practice the basic punches and many more with our free boxing timer and combo coach.
Whether you are an experienced boxer or a beginner, Combat Go can help you learn the basics, improve your skills and get a great workout. If you have been boxing for a while you should be able to jump in and start using our web app to generate workouts for shadow boxing and bag/pad work right away. If you are new to boxing, read on for some tips on how to get started with the Combat Go app.
