Why is the Liver Shot So Great?

A lot of people unfamiliar with boxing or kickboxing are surprised to learn how many
knockouts come from body punches. And the vast majority of those come from a punch specifically to the liver. Go to YouTube and search for ‘liver shot knockouts boxing’ and you’ll see what I mean. The liver is actually the largest organ in our bodies and located underneath our last two ribs on the right side.

But why the liver specifically? Why is that punch so debilitating? As I just mentioned, the liver is the largest organ in the human body. Like some of our other internal organs, the liver exists inside the rib cage but because of it's positioning and size, the ribs may not completely cover the liver and even some of the ribs that do cover it are our "floating ribs", which means they are not connected to our sternum at all. They only attach to the spine all the way around the back. This means that these ribs are not as strong, offer less protection, and much easier to break with any kind of blunt trauma, so it is possible to break the floating ribs and hit that liver in the same punch. There is only a thin layer of muscle there too so no matter how many ab exercises you do, you cannot add protection through training, like you can with the lower, front abdominals.

So what happens when the liver is struck? First, excruciating pain, followed quickly by breathlessness. This effect may not be felt right away though. Oftentimes there is a split-to-one-second delay before it comes on. And it's probably the most pain you could feel from a punch. It's true that you certainly don't want to get punched in the head either and long-term, head shots take more of a toll but they are not exactly painful in the same way. Even when bones are broken, sometimes that feeling is dulled due to the concussive nature of a head shot.

As bad as the pain can be from a punch to the liver though, it is not even the worst part. The next thing to happen is that your body totally shuts down. This is because the liver gets compressed when a strike connects, which causes it to expand on the other side. This expansion presses the liver into the vagus nerve, going all the way to brain and being responsible for many of our motor functions. Once this gets triggered, you will likely lose control of your body, particularly your legs. It's like they suddenly don't work or can't hold you up and thus, you will involuntarily drop to the ground.

This doesn't always happen from ALL liver shots but the strike doesn't have to necessarily be hard to produce this effect. A well-place punch of even medium power to an exposed part of the liver will drop anybody. Doesn't matter how tough they are, how strong they are, they are going down. And even if the punch isn't perfect, it will still be painful, it will still sap your energy, and it will still linger throughout the fight, physically and psychologically.

Presumably, striking any internal organ might produce the same effect but the liver is unique in that it is less protected and more vulnerable than the others, for the reasons mentioned previously.

So why not just throw liver shots all the time? I would recommend to many fighters that they do bring this punch into their arsenal. But like with any great reward, there are certainly risks, and like many fight finishing strikes, the liver shot must be set up. It's hard to just walk up to someone in the ring and lead with the liver shot (though it can be done with great speed and footwork - see Ryan Garcia vs. Luke Campbell - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN0o1MK05mE). For one, depending on the physique of your opponent, it is likely that their basic boxing guard will keep the liver somewhat protected by their own right elbow. The other problem is their right hand. The liver shot is a circular punch so you throw it and your opponent throws a straight right hand at the same time, the straight right hand will get there first as the closest distance between 2 points is a straight line.

Thus, the key to landing a liver shot is do something that occupies your opponent's right hand in some way. Could be they are catching/blocking your previous punch or expecting a punch coming somewhere else. Simply throwing jab-crosses will give you some information. How are they defending it? Are they catching your cross with their right hand? Or bringing their hands up at all to block? If so, throw a jab-cross-liver shot and really try to get that liver shot in quickly, without telegraphing it. If they parry your jab with their right hand, you could simply fake the jab, slip outside and throw the liver. These are simple examples and there are plenty more but hopefully give you a sense of how the chess game works in boxing.

What if your opponent does throw that right hand at your head though? Even better! Well, even better provided you dodge said punch by slipping or rolling. Then that liver shot is right there, so long as you are close enough. Anything thrown at your head level means their hand is away from their body and at least temporarily, their ribs are totally exposed. 

Another defensive thing to note here is that you don't only have to fear your opponent's right hand when throwing a liver shot. Their left can be a problem too and this is why I recommend covering the right side of your head completely when you're starting to throw your punch. You may not even see that hook coming at all so be ready and expect contact!

Whether you are throwing that liver shot as a counter punch or setting it up, it can be a devastating attack that changes a fight completely in an instant. And even if your opponent blocks it over and over, keep going back there (and find new ways to go back there). You can also use that as a set up too, for the left hook to the head. Once your opponent is comfortable blocking your liver shot, fake it and go to the head. Then when they start rolling your hook, bring that left uppercut into the mix. Then...it just goes on and on. Like I said earlier, it's a chess game. And a sweet science!

What About Speed Bags?

A guy once called up my club, asking about our boxing classes. He had never done it before but was a fan of the sport and really wanted to learn. The conversation, paraphrased, went kind of like this:

Him: Do you guys have a speed bag?

Me: No, we use 100-pound heavy bags in our classes. Mitts and pads sometimes. And we do have a double-end bag, which I like a lot better than speed bags.

Him: Well I want to go to a real place.

Me: What do you mean, "a real place?"

Him: You know, some place that has a speed bag.

Me: Hmm. What makes you think a place needs a speed bag to be real?

Him: Because that's how I see boxers training. They're always using speed bags.

Me: You ever see them actually throw punches in the ring? Do they box like they are hitting a speed bag?

Now of course I was being snarky here, which I probably shouldn't have been on the phone to somebody, but his reasoning just kind of caught me off-guard. The more I thought about it though, the more I understood where he was coming from. Just about every movie about boxing will show the boxer using a speed bag. It looks cool in those montages and for the purpose of movies, it is relatively easy to teach someone, an actor, how to do it without looking like they have imperfect technique (as opposed to the heavy bag, where their flaws will really stand out). Plus it makes a cool sound and you can very easily show someone hitting one, failing at it, and then suddenly perfecting it over time to suggest progress in your training. But you'll see great boxers doing it too. Pretty much all of them use it in their training. So should you?

As is the case with any type of training, boxing or otherwise, you must understand the goal. What are you using this tool for and how is going to help you achieve or better achieve that goal? And if you only have a limited amount of time for training (or even if you don't), are there other tools that are more effective in this regard?

If you are not aware, the speed bag is a small, very light, teardrop-shaped ball which are hung from some kind of backstop that it can deflect off of quickly when struck. The striking is done differently. Instead of the punching with the knuckle, the boxer hits the bag with the bottom side of their hand, the meaty part in between the pinky and wrist. This is not a strike done in boxing, in fact it would be illegal to do so and at least on that level, the use of a speed bag does not directly mimic anything you would do while boxing.

But that doesn't mean that it won't help you with your boxing, as will other non-boxing activities like skipping rope, core exercises, medicine ball work, jogging/sprinting, bodyweight, etc. There are certainly pros to using a speed bag, mainly that it helps train rhythm and timing, something which is key. There are other benefits too, like building shoulder and arm endurance as well as coordination (though it is often noted that it builds hand-eye coordination specifically, I do not actually agree with that at all - your eyes aren't doing anything).

So, the speed bag does train some skills that will help you with boxing. Does that mean you should use one if you want to get better at boxing? Not necessarily. Because there are other ways to train these things as well as improve your basic boxing skills. Going back to what I said earlier, you have to decide what the best tool is for you and your goals.

To better find the answer, let me just ask you one important question first: How much time do you have for exercise/boxing? If you box professionally and it is your main job, I am hoping you have about 6 hours, 5-6 days a week for physical training. Otherwise, most of us generally carve out about an hour per day - or every other day - for our workouts.

Let's say you fall into the latter category. My next question is, how do you want to spend that hour? Whether you are training boxing or just about anything else, I am guessing that you want to maximize the time spent. Get as much bang for your buck as you can, right? If you're training in boxing, that means you want to spend the hour getting as good at boxing as possible and part of that also includes getting in the best shape as possible.

Generally, with respect to training tools, is the speed bag the best, most efficient, most effective way to improve your boxing in a short period of time? My answer is no. Doesn't meant the speed bag is useless- not at all! If you have several hours a day, every day, to train, it is a great way to work on your skills and take a break from boxing. But if you only have an hour, this will not give you as much bang for your buck. You're going to get that from actually boxing: throwing jabs, crosses, hooks, etc., head movement, defense, footwork, counter-attacks, feints - all the things you would do in a fight. Whether you are hitting a heavy bag, mitts, or sparring (provided you truly know how to box and have no bad habits), these things will benefit your boxing skills more than anything else. You will learn rhythm and timing and improve things like shoulder endurance and coordination more than you would on a speed bag. There are supplemental exercises you can do as well, and the speed bag could certainly be one of them (in addition to core work, jumping rope, bodyweight exercises and more) but if you're time is limited and you want to maximize your boxing training AND your fitness, boxing is the best way to go. What if you did 45 minutes on a heavy bag and say, 10 minutes on a speed bag? I would honestly still say you are going to get more from that 10 minutes of boxing on the heavy bag than you would a speed bag, provided you properly directed by a good coach live and in person. Both in terms of fitness and skill.

In that phone conversation I had, I mentioned we use a double-end bag. Those, or even one of those reflex bags, are also a lot better than a speed bag, in my opinion. They require more timing than a heavy bag, as well as more precision. Plus they help you with defense and not overcommitting on punches, as they come right back at you AND you are still boxing, throwing regular strikes.

I know some old timers will still swear by the speed bag but like everything else, the answer depends very much on context. About you personally - your goals, your time, your interests - but not what you see on the movies and TV. 

4 Boxers To Learn From (+ 4 NOT to learn from)

I love it when someone brand new to boxing asks me what fighters they should watch/check out for form. It means that person is interested and engaged. Love it! I also love studying boxers myself and even like to visualize that I am them during heavy bag rounds. Not just imagining fighting another person but imagining that, for a split second, I am Mike Tyson throwing that body shot-uppercut combo. Helps me throw it with more power and explosiveness. And this is something I recommend other people doing too, as well as checking out different fighters to emulate. But you have to be a little careful. Watching as much boxing/kickboxing/mma as your heart desires is certainly a good thing but if you're looking for specific people to emulate, some are much better examples than others. I wrote a blog post about whether some fighters have bad form and will give 4 boxers I think you should study and 4 you shouldn't. Who and why? Read on!

4 Boxers To Watch & Emulate

1.) Mike Tyson (in the 80s)

So bite someone's ear off then? No, I wouldn't recommend ear biting, face tattoos or trying to learning much from the 90s era for Mike Tyson. Even in the mid-to-late 80s, when Mike Tyson was the baddest man on the planet, lighting everybody up, he was a little misunderstood. It was just so easy to get caught up in his spectacular, highlight-reel knockouts and think of him as just a brawler, all about power and ferocity with none of the true sweet science. This wasn't the case however. It was Tyson's perfect, beautiful technique that gave him such awesome power. It was his brilliant footwork, head movement and coaching that put him in position to deliver such overwhelming blows. His ability to hit angles and use every muscle in his body, stretching and snapping like a whip to maximize the force behind his punches, was a thing of beauty and all about the science.  He had a unique, "peek-a-boo" style that was certainly not for everyone but focusing on all of his dynamic strikes and body mechanics is a great inspiration for anyone learning to box. There are plenty of other heavyweights with great technique but Mike's is flawless. Also lost in the brawler stereotype, what set Tyson apart in his prime was actually his DEFENSE. He still had plenty of power in the 90s but what kept him from achieving his full potential (besides prison), was that he started to lose his defensive skills, once he stopped training with Kevin Rooney. But going back to the 80s with Rooney as well as Cus D'amato, I could watch those fights all day (and I often do). For me, it's like listening to a good song over and over.

2) Canelo Alvarez

Besides being a likable, exciting, talented fighter who seems like a great guy, Canelo is an excellent example to learn from because he is pretty much good at everything. Speed, power, defense, pressure, head & body shots, conditioning, ring IQ, everything. All of his technique is solid and efficient. He protects himself well, even when going for the kill. Copy Canelo and you will end up a well-rounded, disciplined boxer.

3.) Naoya Inoue

Another modern fighter who isn't as well-known as Canelo but probably as talented. He stands 5'5 and has fought at weights as low as 108 pounds and yet he is an ideal person to study for power punching, especially if you're smaller in stature. Inoue is lightning-fast, for sure, but the reason his nickname is "The Monster" is because he is incredibly aggressive and knocks people out, particularly with his ferocious body shots. Everybody that steps in the ring with him knows what he wants to do and yet still cannot stop it. And just like Tyson, his power comes from science. Mass times acceleration, delivered from perfect body mechanics.

4. ) Vasiliy Lomachenko

I've often said in person and in this blog that footwork is the most important thing in boxing. More important than even punching. And Willie Pepp not withstanding, I think it is reasonable to say that Vasiliy Lomachenko may have the best footwork in boxing EVER. The famous story is that when Loma was a kid, his dad took him out of boxing and made him train in dancing only for 4 years, before coming back to the ring. This makes sense when you watch Vasiliy move. His feet are incredibly quick, precise and efficient, getting him into a position where he can hit his opponent yet that opponent can't hit him. That is Sweet Science 101 right there. And as I allude to on almost a daily basis, even if you're not training to hit an opponent, that kind of footwork and movement is going to improve your workout on multiple levels.

4 Boxers NOT to Learn From

IMPORTANT NOTE: I am not at all suggesting you shouldn't watch these guys. In fact, I think you should check them out too. But their boxing styles are not something I recommend emulating at all, unless you have trained for a long time and it just so happens, your personal style is complimentary. That being said, I am also not suggesting that you can learn nothing from these great fighters either.

1.)  Muhammad Ali

But isn't he The Greatest? Many would say that he is - with Sugar Ray Robinson and Joe Louis being notable exceptions - and he certainly is the most iconic, important boxer of all time. A larger-than-life personality who defined boxing from the 1960s on. He was a unicorn though. Only one of his kind. As such, he did things in the ring that no boxer should do nor would any coach tell you to do it. Ali often had his hands down, crossed his feet, and even threw punches with his hands down and his feet crossed. There is no way that should work in fight but he was magic and could pull it off. To solidify his legend, Ali once employed the "rope-a-dope" strategy where he shelled up and took punches for rounds in an attempt to tire his opponent out. This is never a good plan to count on and even for Muhammad Ali, this may not have worked had the circumstances not been absolutely perfect (loose ropes, fight taking place in Zaire, fight postponed due to an injury, etc.).

2.) Floyd Mayweather Jr.

If Muhammad Ali was The Greatest, Floyd Mayweather Jr is TBE - The Best Ever. Floyd was able to amass a perfect boxing record, rarely sustaining any significant damage and rarely losing rounds. His reign lasted for many years before retirement and just like Ali, he singlehandedly changed the game of boxing. So why not try join Team Money? I shot an older video talking specifically about his style and why it's not the best way to learn boxing, except in special circumstances, but if you don't feel like watching it right now, let me just say that Floyd's style is very specific and while Tyson had a specific style too, it was something very fundamental that kept him protected whereas Floyd's Philly Shell requires high-level reflexes and a deeper understanding of boxing than most people have, at least in the earlier stages. Another thing about Mayweather is that he doesn't throw combinations, per se. He'll throw jabs to bait opponents to try and hit him, he'll throw crosses for that purpose sometimes too but mostly he will use his cross as a pull counter and occasionally, you will see that #3 lead hook. He'll mix it up a little on the inside but the vast majority of what he throws are just single punches. As stated earlier, he certainly makes it work and has been beyond successful with it but when learning boxing, I think it is critical to learn combination punching. Watching Floyd train on the mitts and the heavy bag is problematic too but I will get to that in a bit.

3.) Showboaters like Emanuel Augustus and Prince Naseem Hamed

First off, both of these guys are awesome to watch. You should definitely check out their highlights. Emanuel Augustus was known for his "Drunken Master" style. He would wobble back and forth, dance and throw punches way off rhythm, off-balance sometimes too and even though his record wasn't super great, you were never bored watching him.

Prince Naseem Hamed had lightning-fast feet and head movement and thus, was able to dance and showboat in the ring and not really pay the price for his antics. One of the most exciting fighters ever and also fun to imitate but not necessarily good to imitate while training and especially not in the ring!

The issue with fighters who showboat is pretty obvious, I am sure. You have to master the basic skills before you can even think about deviating and you then you have to have truly special ability to pull off any kind of showboating. The only thing I would say in defense is that whether you're just hitting a heavy bag or boxing in the ring, it is very easy to get tense, get tight. Could be nerves or just naturally straining to throw punches and move around. Almost everybody could be more relaxed. It's important to check in with yourself routinely and try to loosen up. Not necessarily by dancing around or putting your hands behind your back or anything silly but if that truly helps and you can get away with it, so be it.

4.) Most People Hitting Mitts on Instagram

I know I sound like one of those old, bitter cranks, and I once again wrote a whole blog post about this, but following boxing training hashtags and/or boxers, you are going to see a lot of what I consider terrible mittwork. Terrible in the sense that it doesn't necessarily demonstrate the right way to box or how you should be training. Doesn't mean it has no value at all. Plenty of good fighters do this, even fighters with good technique inside the ring like Ryan Garcia, and there are some legitimate reasons to do it other than being flashy and just showing off. But this is not necessarily boxing. It is something else. The reader's digest version of my old post is that the people hitting the mitts are not throwing complete punches as the mitt holder is meeting them halfway (sometimes more), the punches are just tap-tap-taps, the lower body is barely moving for punches and just general footwork, the combinations are just long patterns, not necessarily anything you would throw in a fight and even the defense is somewhat non-realistic. I do of course want to say that this is not ALL mittwork you see on Instagram (or anywhere). Some of it shows off great boxing mechanics. But the vast majority of what I have seen does not and if you are looking at it for technical cues, I would suggest going elsewhere. Like the Top 4 fighters I mentioned above!

My First Experience With Boxing. And Why I Don't Want That To Be Your Experience!

The very first combat sport in which I started training was Muay Thai. I had never even heard of it until I saw Pat Smith in UFC 2 and thought it looked super cool. There happened to be a Muay Thai gym not too far away from me and I had a co-worker who trained there, so he took me in one day to check it out. I am not sure what I was expecting but the experience was a little bit of a surprise. There were people kicking sand bags, punching heavy bags, shadow boxing, some light sparring, someone working with pads, someone skipping rope, and some other drills going on. Trainers might come around and help with something but the problem was, I was brand new and had no idea what to do all. Where do I even start? How do I throw those cool round kicks with my shins? Or those brutal elbows? I kind of looked around at other people and tried to mimic them but I still had no idea if I was doing anything right or for how long I should do it. After a while, one of the trainers stopped by and fixed my round kick a little. I was still pretty lost though. My co-worker helped as well and also told me that eventually, after training for a while and talking to others, things started coming together very slowly and my improvements were small. I wasn't really enjoying it much either so I quit after a couple months and didn't really stick with anything else for another 10 years.

I didn't know it at the time but this is also how many older-school boxing gyms function. They are mostly open gyms, open training facilities, but then also with 1-on-1 training for certain folks. Everybody else show ups, works on your own or finds a partner, and as they get better and better, the coaches may start to spend more time on them. No real structure to the training whatsoever. Maybe this is in part to weed out the people who aren't super serious about becoming fighters, but I can tell you that for me, this kind of system was NOT a good fit. I was a 20 year-old video game developer with no experience other than playing Streetfighter II and watching the Rocky movies. There was no internet back then either (well, it technically existed but mainly for universities sharing information with other universities) so I was totally clueless. I needed someone to tell me EXACTLY what to do. When to do it, why to do it, how long to do it, frequency, etc. This is how I define structure in a boxing workout.

Instead of feeling like the "open gym" format of many boxing facilities made sense as I improved and developed skills, it was actually the opposite. The more I learned myself, the more convinced I became that structure - specifics, planning, timing, clear directives - is necessary to effectively teach boxing (or any combat sport). Even for talented, experienced fighters this is true. I have seen what many of them do in an open gym and I can guarantee their training would be more productive with some structure. Especially when training on a heavy bag. Just noodling around and punching aimlessly is not going to help your speed, stamina, power, reaction time, defense, footwork, anything. Technique may improve - provided you are punching properly - but not as much as it would improve with actual structure. I've also talked to some higher-level fighters who feel like they are “above” something akin to a class format. While I get that they may not want someone to correct their form, practicing different combinations and drills at a faster pace will only enhance their skills- as well as their fitness. Plus, nobody is ever so good that they can stop working the basics. Someone trying to box for the very first time likely starts with the jab and at the same time, someone like Canelo Alvarez is very likely in the gym throwing jabs right now. That is a beautiful thing about boxing. You never become perfect at anything. You just get better and better.

Then for that person learning the jab on their first day, proper structure is critical. A coach needs to tell them what to do, how to do it, why to do it and how to incorporate it into a training session to maximize their time spent in training as well as keep them engaged in the sport. Whether that happens in a 1-on-1 session or small group setting depends on the student. Leaving someone brand new to their own devices may not only not teach them how to box but could even make their skills worse. At our club, everything is very directed. Whether you are boxing for just pure fitness, stress relief, or you want to actually get in the ring some day, we will give you the direction that will take you where you want to go. This is how I wish I had been initially been taught and have seen others improve much faster than I ever did in the system.

C'mon, Is the Jab REALLY the Most Important Punch in Boxing???

We hear it from coaches and TV commentators all the time. It's in all the books and instructional videos
too. Just a classic, Boxing 101 mantra repeated again and again. When people explain why the jab is the most important punch, they generally say things like, "the jab sets everything up" and "the jab is your measuring stick." These statements are certainly true but they also may not inherently mean anything to someone new to the sport nor do they always fully resonate with experienced boxers. So I wanted to go a little deeper and break them down so you can better understand what they really mean. Here are 5 reasons why the jab is so important + 1 thing I never hear talked about but may very well be as important as everything else:

1.) Range

The bell rings and both fighters come out of opposite corners of the ring. The object is to punch your opponent so each one must get closer to the other. The first punch you can land at maximum punching distance is the jab. It is your lead hand, so it is closest to your opponent, and it is a straight punch so your arm is fully extended. It is true that you can have as much range on your cross as you do your jab if you rotate your body properly but this rotation takes more time to complete, is easy to spot, and requires more of a weight commitment. We will go into some of those things later but in regards to range, the jab is the first punch you can hit someone with and if this person wants to get even closer to you, the jab can be used to keep them away. If you can hit them with your extended jab, they can't hit you with a hook or uppercut or any of their power punches. Control the jab and you control the range.

  

2.) Safety!

Somewhat along these lines, the jab is the safest punch you can throw in boxing in the sense that it requires the least commitment, is generally faster than any other punch and is more difficult to directly counter. Let's take the "least commitment" first. When you throw a jab, you are whipping your lead hand + shoulder forward and shifting your weight to your back foot. Provided you bring your shoulder up, your head is not very exposed. A hook or an overhand could come around and catch you but that requires that your opponent is closer than jab range. The body is a little open but as mentioned again in #1 above, the only thing available to reach your body is another jab low, timed perfectly. Since the jab is not a power punch, there isn't a lot of rotation or bigger movements that could put you off balance or in position where follow-up movement is compromised.

This is part of the reason why the jab is harder to counter. With less movement, commitment and power, the jab is the fastest punch you can throw. So if you slip, catch or parry your opponent's jab, by the time you throw a more powerful counter, that opponent may very well not be there anymore. Plus, as mentioned earlier, your weight should transfer back to the back foot (even if you initiated the jab by pushing off the back foot) so angular movement away from your opponent is going to be easier. Therefore, your jab is faster and the movement after the jab is faster too, keeping you out of danger.

3.) Your Opponent Must React

This is the "set-up" part people always talk about. When you throw a jab - even not a particularly hard jab - your opponent will likely react in some way. They'll move their head, their feet, their hands or maybe all 3. What that does informs the next decision you will make. If they move away, then maybe you don't throw another punch until they are back in range. If they dip under and move in, maybe your next punch is an uppercut, trying to catch them as they close the distance. If they bring both hands up to defend, maybe you go to the body next. If they try to parry your jab, maybe you fake the jab next and come around for a hook. Or they try to catch and counter your jab with their power hand so you slip inside and counter their counter! There are a million little variables but the jab is what opens them all up. 

One of my favorite boxing minds ever, Teddy Atlas, has referred to jabs as keys to the door. I like that. What's inside that door will depend on what your opponent does next (as well as you) but you won't get it open without the key, without the jab. And when you are fighting anyone remotely decent, you will never land those power shots without setting them up first. You see this all the time in the later rounds, when a boxer is clearly behind on points. They need a knock out. Thus, they start throwing more knockout punches. But they are rarely able to pull it off because they stop trying to set it up. They stop jabbing. They get impatient and desperate. They forget that you still need a key to open the door. 

Note:  Sometimes even if they throw one knockout punch on its own, it would not have been possible without the jab. Not that it is an example of great boxing but a fight a lot of people watched, Tyron Woodley vs. Jake Paul. Paul won with a power rear hook that Woodley stepped into. But the only reason why that happened was that Woodley had been catching the jab with his left hand, which brought it forward, creating the gap for the rear hook. Tyron clearly expected a jab, went to defend it like he had been doing for the fight, guessed wrong, and left himself open.

4.) Fencing

This is kind of like Part 2 of the set-up. You can use your jab as more than just a punch. It can be used to blind your opponent or what I like to think of as fencing. Most people refer to this as "hand-fighting" and that's probably a better description but I did fence a little bit as a kid and what I loved doing was knocking my opponents foil out of the way and then attacking (the beat lunge, it is called). I like doing it in boxing too, against someone who likes to catch block my punches and especially when they block with their right hand. I can try to knock their hand out of the way and throw something more powerful behind or at the very least, occupy one of their hands so I don't have to worry as much about it when going in. I haven't much talked about orthodox vs. southpaw but if you are fighting anyone of opposite handedness, this becomes SUPER important. Both of your lead hands are on the same track so very close to each other. Whether you're fighting a southpaw or not, one thing I have noticed is that this seems to annoy and frustrate people. That's a good thing too! Usually the more annoyed and frustrated someone is, the more they start to attach with less caution, which sets you up to counter and control the fight in general.

5.) Power to the Power Hand

As mentioned in #2, when you throw a jab, even a powerful jab where you step, as soon as it lands, your lead shoulder should be turned and your weight should transfer to your back foot. This means your back hand, your power hand, is loaded! If you were to just walk up to someone and throw a cross, you would either not load it at all and get less power on it or you would shift your weight back to load the cross but your opponent would likely recognize this coming a mile away. But if you throw the cross right off of the jab, you get the loading for free. And if you're REALLY good, your opponent may not even see the crossing coming at any point because you hide it behind the jab. Muhammad Ali was really good at this but I digress. Not only does the jab open the door and set you up strategically but it sets you up for power on your power hand.

BONUS #6 - It's Something To Do!

You might think I am trying to be funny with this one but not at all. In fact, you wouldn't believe how important this is in the ring. Imagine you're fighting someone. They are moving around with their hands up, you are moving around with your hands up - what do you do next? What should you do next? A million things may run through your head but I can make it very simple. Throw your jab! Throw a double-jab even. Doesn't mean you should necessarily jab constantly but you should jab consistently. For all the reasons mentioned above but I am calling this out separately because this can eliminate what is a difficult decision process during a tense moment when you may be nervous. Not sure what to do? Throw the jab. See what happens. Or better yet, react to what happens. Now tons and tons of variables and options start to flood in but if you train well and train properly, you won't have to think about them as much either. Your body will just react. In the interim or if you don't feel like you're reacting well, just keep on jabbing.

So there you have it. 5 reasons + 1 bonus reason why the jab really is the most important punch in boxing. Hopefully that helps you to better understand it and as such, will help motivate you to make your jab even better!!

"Where Do I Get This Stuff?" + Basic Philosophies as a Coach and Student

I watched a couple of fights last week and saw one guy get dropped by a single, perfect liver shot. He
stepped forward but brought his head off line - like a slip to the outside - to both load the liver shot and avoid his opponent's right hand. Then later, in another fight, it was a taller guy vs. shorter guy. The tall guy had to throw his jab downward and the short guy eventually timed it by throwing his overhand around the jab, hurting the tall guy, and changing the fight completely.

For those of you who have taken classes with me, these are two things - how to set up the liver shot and how to counter with an overhand (particularly against a taller opponent) - I talk about a lot. And I talk about tactics like these and other techniques because I study fighting. All the time. Watch tape, listen, read books, practice, train etc. I have had personal experience and been the beneficiary of good coaching myself but that has just built a foundation for me to learn more.

In fact, any coach of any sport should ALWAYS be learning. Even if someone got to a point where they knew literally everything about boxing - which they couldn't - boxing is always changing and it is imperative that we as coaches keep up with the times. There are always new perspectives on old things too. Not just from other people but even from yourself as you grow as a boxer and/or coach. And if you're not growing, you're shrinking. It's not even just boxing either. Anatomy, physiology, physics, psychology, philosophy, other sports and the study of anything that relates to us as humans can be valuable.

Along those lines, I believe we can truly learn from anybody. Doesn't mean everything we learn from everybody is good. Not even close. But I have met others who are convinced no one can teach them a thing. Or they would only open their minds to a certain viewpoint but dismiss all others. Coaches and ideas come in all forms. There are certain trainers I have spent more time studying and find inspirational but I have also learned valuable things from people with far less credentials, even in other disciplines. The goal to be in a constant state of ABL ("Always Be Learning") and the key to doing that is to Always Be Humble (ABH!). No one knows everything. No one will ever know everything. In fact, the more you learn, the more you generally realize how much there is to learn. In boxing and in most of life, I believe. Part of being humble means keeping the mind open to new possibilities.

So when people ask me where I get this stuff, whether it is particular combinations, drills, tactics, themes or whatever, the best answer is "everywhere I can." Certainly I believe in training realistically so seeing what works and what doesn't work in combat sports is a big part of it, but it is just as important to understand WHY it works. And to continue to develop the wisdom to apply how that relates to training people with varying experience levels. Anything can work if you get away with it but as I have said before, it is important that we master the fundamental principles and rules before we can even think about breaking them.

Last thing I will leave you with is something I touched on earlier that relates to YOU. This philosophy isn't just for coaches. You too, as an athlete, should Always Be Learning & Always Be Humble too. Every day, strive to get better. Doesn't have to be a big jump or anything. Baby steps are just fine. And it shouldn't be a chore either. It's fun to learn things, to get better! Especially at something you enjoy doing. Being humble too generally makes you more likable so it's win-win!!

What Should I Eat After a Boxing Workout?

This is an important question that I am often asked. To better understand things, let's first talk a little bit about boxing and energy systems. As I am guessing you already know, a good boxing workout can be as intense as anything someone can do. Besides being both cardio and strength training put together, boxing is all about explosive bursts of energy. You are producing maximum force in minimal time. It is not primarily a steady-state, aerobic exercise where you are constantly pumping oxygenated blood into the working muscles. It is an anaerobic exercise, which means "without oxygen." To create these short, bursts of energy, the body can't rely on oxygenated blood the way it would with something less intense. So what does it rely on? Something called glycogen, which is a form of glucose that is stored in your muscles (and liver). It is used as the primary fuel for those anaerobic bursts of energy we use in boxing and other forms of high-intensity training. When you work really hard, your glycogen levels deplete and if they deplete too much, your body starts consuming muscle for energy and other problems can arise.

So you need this glycogen to survive and especially to exercise at a high, anaerobic level. But how does one "fill up" with glycogen for fuel? The answer is the same way that we provide fuel to the body in general - with food. More specifically for glycogen though, we need carbohydrates to replenish our glycolytic levels. I realize that there is a lot of science going on here and I don't want Neil Young or anybody who's had a lot of success with lower carb diets to boycott my blog but I do think everybody can agree that creating glycogen is indeed a function of consuming carbohydrates.

Therefore, in answer to the original question, something with significant carbohydrates is recommended to eat after boxing. That doesn't mean you should crush a donut after every workout though. Something healthier like starchy vegetables and whole grain foods are much better choices on several levels. The only problem, at least for me, is I can't honestly say I like eating vegetables, fruits and whole grains. My personal, preferred solution is a smoothie (somehow blending things into a drink makes all the difference) but you might have other options. If I'm at the club and don't have access to smoothies, I eat a lot of protein bars. Not necessarily optimal but at least I eat ones that are low in sugar (ie no Cliff Bars).

Speaking of protein, that is another thing that is somewhat universally recommended after a workout, as it is essential for building/rebuilding muscle. It can also help replenish your glycogen supplies! But not enough that you could just eat something high in protein after a workout, like nuts or an egg or even meat just on its own. Without some carbohydrates, your glycogen levels may not recover completely. This means your body may have to consume muscle for energy, negating some of the positive effects of protein, and also may feel weaker in general when exercising at higher intensity levels.

I realize that it is not always that simple, that every body is different, and that you may have a different dietary program that works for well for you and I certainly don't want to convince you otherwise, but if you are looking for a general, rule-of-thumb recommendation that you are going to hear from doctors, sports scientists and anyone with an understanding of how the human body produces energy for high-intensity exercise, it is this: Consume something with healthy carbohydrates and some protein after your workout. If you feel yourself getting extra shaky, feeling light-headed and maybe a little clammy while boxing, there is a good chance your blood sugar levels are low and you'll need to replenish quickly.

Which leads me to one extra point, which is when you should eat after boxing. For me, I like to eat my relatively-healthy carb and protein snack immediately afterwards. As soon as possible, especially if I am feeling shaky. But as long as you eat within an hour, you should be okay. Now, I have mostly been talking about snacks here. But what about eating breakfast, lunch or dinner after boxing? Great! Just make sure it includes some (healthy) carbohydrates and protein. But if you're not within an hour of one of these meals, I'd highly suggest a light snack. And of course, water. Plenty and plenty of water.

Do Professional Boxers Have Bad Form?

If you've done any type of boxing training - even for just a couple months or so - and then watched a professional fight, you will likely notice something kind of odd. Sometimes, maybe even oftentimes, the fighters aren't necessarily throwing punches and moving in the way you were taught. Particularly in the heavier weight classes and particularly when it comes to a Golden Rule of Boxing itself, which is to keeping your hands up at all times. Coaches repeat this endlessly but then you turn on the TV and see both fighters with their hands down. So what gives? Do these rules just not apply to the pros? Or do some of these so-called pros actually have good form?

The answer is multi-faceted and before I go on, I do want to say that plenty of professional boxers don't have these issues. Their technique is clean their form is precise, and they put on a boxing clinic every time they fight. Canelo, Lomachenko and Naoya Inoue are certainly a great examples here but there are plenty more. Here are some of the reasons though, why others may not box the way your coach teaches you to box.

1) Styles/Good Enough to Break the Rules

Muhammad Ali crossed his feet constantly. Floyd Mayweather Jr. keeps/kept his left hand down on purpose. Tyson sometimes got into a completely square stance. Roy Jones even put BOTH hands behind his back before knocking out James Toney. One thing these guys have in common is that they are some of the greatest fighters of all time. They were able to develop their own style that worked for them specifically. If others could simply emulate those styles and be as successful, they would! We'd have tons of people fighting just Ali, knocking people out with their legs crossed but as it happens, we only have the one guy who did this stuff at a high level. In the case of Floyd Mayweather Jr, there are actually many others who use a similar "Philly Shell" defense (before and after him) that Floyd uses. And plenty of them win high-profile fights too but it still represents a tremendous risk and requires lightning-quick reflexes as well as a certain mental aptitude to pull it off. If you just do a cursory YouTube search for boxing knockouts, you will notice that 99% show the guy being knocked out with his hand(s) down. Plus, in many cases, it is imperative for someone training in boxing to master the basics first before thinking about adopting a different style.

You will also see some boxers exhibit bad form or a lack of technique but they are so good, they can get away with it and still win. Having a lot of natural punching power can sometimes be like an eraser, making up for little mistakes. But this is does not mean YOU will be able to get away with it. Or even the other person be able to get away with it forever. The better boxer generally wins out and learning the proper skills will only help someone with their craft and as I have said a million times before, even just their workout.

2) Keys to the Door

Punching another person who does have their hands up, protecting themselves, as well as moving around means that if I just throw a perfectly straight jab, I could be punching right into their glove. Now sometimes I will do that on purpose but let's say in this case, I really want to punch them in the face. To do that, I may alter the angle and form of my jab so that I punch around/underneath/etc. their glove. Thus, my jab looks a little awkward now. Think of it like fitting a key into a keyhole. Or fitting in a puzzle piece. I have to adjust my strike so it fits in just right. This doesn't necessarily equal bad form though. Not at all. But it can lead to my punches appearing a little less than textbook perfection.

This can be even more true for hitting a moving target. What starts as a beautiful cross may turn into a dipping, half-assed looking overhand if my opponent starts to drop their head while my hand is in flight. With boxing in general, you kind of have to take what's there, what is open, and the structure isn't always as critical as landing a shot is, in the heat of the moment.

Does this mean we shouldn't train with such a rigid structure? Not at all. The better you get at throwing punches and moving properly, the better you will get at throwing slight variations of those punches and moves when things go live and situations present themselves. If boxing is something that really interests you, read that sentence again. My slightly off-form hook will be stronger as well as more efficient and effective, the more I practice throwing hooks the proper way, using every muscle in my body. If boxing doesn't interest you as much, know that once again, throwing punches the proper way will get you a better, safer workout than just going willy nilly.

3.) Feints

Feints are something you will see in the ring constantly. A fighter fakes doing something - stepping a certain way, throwing a punch, etc. - and then quickly does something else. Sometimes they aren't even totally planned either. I start to step in but then I instantly think better of it and step away. Much of the time they are intentional though, designed to set up the opponent. For example, I pretend that I am going to step forward in an attempt to draw my opponent out, have them throw a strike intended to catch me on the way in, but since I never did come all the way in, their strike misses and then I am now ready to pounce. You see this with punches, head movement, everything. 

So is that bad form? Not at all again! Feints are a huge, critical part of boxing, especially when fighting against counterpunchers, but because they are seemingly an incomplete motion, it is possible that they might appear strange to a relatively new viewer. Sometimes, feints will also go further outside of the box, appearing even stranger. You might see someone raise their hand straight up in the air in an attempt to draw the opponents eyes up or away from the intended target. Watch highlights of Prince Naseem Hamad or Emanual Augustus for some crazy examples.

4) They're Tired and/or Hurt

This is a big one with the bigger fighters. You will almost never see two heavyweights fight more than a few rounds and not obviously appear a little fatigued. Once you get tired, the first things that will happen are that you become flat-footed (no longer bouncing on your toes), head movement slows down and the hands drop. Punches then become sloppier too. It's not just because the hands are heavy and keeping them up requires energy, it is also just the mental part as well. Staying sharp mentally when you're exhausted becomes harder and harder so remembering all the million things you are supposed to do while boxing becomes harder as well.

You can multiply this by an exponentially higher number when a boxer is hurt. Mental and physical capacity drop dramatically and they go into survival mode. Great boxers have learned how to just coast on muscle memory here but punches are going to get extra sloppy, once balance and pain thresholds are compromised. 

Even if a punch doesn't hurt, it is also common in boxing for the fighters to both land punches around the same time. It's probably beyond obvious to say that if you are trying to throw a punch and get hit while doing it, that punch may not turn out as well as it normally would. At the very least, your body is being moved and jostled, affecting your balance, rhythm, timing and attention.

5) Some Fighters Are Just Kind of Sloppy

George Foreman was another one of the all-time greats. Don't tell him that I said this but he wasn't the most technical fighter, by any stretch. He was extremely powerful (maybe the most relatively powerful puncher ever), good at cutting off the ring, and used his strong jab pretty well but his signature power punches were also big, slow and looping. The only reason that Ali was able to beat him in the famous Rumble in the Jungle fight, using the "rope-a-dope" technique was because Foreman was a little sloppy. Had he tightened up his punches like coaches generally teach, he would have likely run over Ali as predicted. Just like I talked about in point #1, George could get away with his less-than-elite boxing skills because of his other talents

And there are plenty of boxers who are far less sharp. Not to pick on the big guys again but this is usually where you will see it. There is also a conversion process that happens when you go from practice into the ring. I'd estimate the average person is 20% wilder in a real fight than they are in the gym. Some even more so. Thus, what you see on TV will not be a perfect representation of what you and the fighters are coached to do. Plus, now we have all these "celebrity boxers" who may indeed get some good training but just don't have the experience and ring IQ to really showcase the sweet science. 

Oftentimes though, when you are watching some of the best coached, highest-level fighters, there is a very solid translation between training and fighting. You can even find footage of people like Canelo and Tyson practicing drills that played out perfectly in their fights. This is the ideal scenario and something to strive for.

So I guess the answer to the initial question isn't a simple Yes/No but boxing is also an incredibly complex sport with many variables and not a lot of easy answers. That is one of the things I love about it! But I will leave you with one simple truth that I have already said several times and will say over and over again: the better you learn the rules and box with best, most textbook form you can, the better everything else will get. Even if you eventually develop your own style, break the rules, when you have to adapt and when you get tired or hurt, you will be better for having mastered the basics first. Good form and technique will also get you a better workout with less chance of injury and more chance of being able to develop more skills. I've said this one before too - technique is everything!!!

Should My Hand and/or Wrist Hurt While Punching the Heavy Bag?

Provided your hands are wrapped properly and you are using adequate boxing gloves, your hands, wrists and knuckles should not hurt when punching a heavy bag, even when hitting that bag with a lot of force over and over again. It is NOT just a part of boxing training.

That being said, people have certainly reported feeling some discomfort at times. The good news is that if someone does experience any pain or hand issues at all from the heavy bag, there is always a solution (so long as there aren't any underlying problems that would lead to making heavy bag boxing unsafe). The solution of course, depends on the problem, and I am going to go through a list of the most common issues I hear accompanied by the cause and specific solution(s) for that issue.

First and foremost, for just about all of these potential issues, there are 2 important things you can do to prevent them from ever happening. The first is warming up your wrists and hands before hitting the bag. The idea of the warm-up is to get some some flexion, extension and blood flow happening. Here are 3 exercises I demonstrated in a video last year -   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x141CXJdI6U&list=PLN0PPf0o8X6X1Te2zEgHrqy-BtyI-RAg3&index=38  - and even when you do start punching, take that first round or so a little lighter to get your hands used to that contact.

The other thing you can do is strengthen your hands and wrist. The stronger they are, the less likely injury could potentially happen. Things like push-ups on your knuckles and bottoms-up kettlebell presses will really help you keep your wrists straight and stable and any exercise you can do to overall improve your grip strength will help for delivering tighter, more solid punches. There are a lot of little muscles in the hands and forearms and all of them are forced to stabilize when your punches land. You don't need to spend a ton of time on this training and it is very possible to do other lifting work at the same time. Even something like pull-ups, where the hands and wrists aren't targeted at all, can do wonders for your grip strength, especially with a fatter/thicker bar.

Before I finally get to the issues, I also wanted to say one thing about hand-wrapping. It is critical to wrap your hands before putting on the gloves and hitting the bag and it is also critical that they are wrapped correctly. There is no one, unified way to wrap and many different variations but as long as it...

1) Is tight enough that it doesn't become unraveled

2) But not so tight that you cannot feel your hands and get good circulation to them

3) Allows you to make a tight fist and fully close your hand

4) Doesn't bind any of your fingers together

5) Provides some padding for the knuckle

6) Provides some wrist support

...then your hands are wrapped properly. Once again, here is a video I made showing a couple different ways to wrap - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZM6OXoCSfg -  If all of these things are true and/or we wrap your hands for you at our club, any hand or wrist issues are likely NOT due to the wraps. I say this because it is often the first thing people wonder if they encounter pain. Maybe I'm just not wrapping correctly? Or not wrapping tight enough? Usually though, this is not the case and in fact, wrapping too tight can probably cause worse problems because if you do lose circulation and can't feel your hands or wrist, you won't be fully aware of what they are doing and where they are when they hit the bag. And that is the most important thing of all! Speaking of which, here are the more likely culprits and how to fix them:

Abrasion

Problem 1 - You have blisters on your front 2 knuckles (index and middle finger knuckles)

Solution a - This could be simply due to newness. You just started hitting the bag and/or have brand new gloves and/or a brand new heavy bag and your hands simply aren't used to it. As you get more used to it, these scrapes and blisters will go away. But punching a bag with blistered hands hurts, even if just in the interim while you heal. You can go with regular band-aids (replacing at least every time you box) or better yet, moleskin bandages for more padding and wrapping.

Solution b - You are not landing the knuckles flush and are instead, sliding off the bag on contact, pulling on the skin. You never want to skim or partially hit the bag and if you find that happening, slow things down a little. 

Problem 2 - You have blisters on the other 2 knuckles (ring finger and pinkie knuckles) and/or the inside, door-knocker knuckles.

Solution a - You are hitting with the wrong knuckles! All contact should happen with the front, outside big knuckles where you index finger and middle finger begin in the hand. If you are hitting with the smaller knuckles or worse, the "door-knocker" knuckles that are right in the middle of your finger tips and hand knuckles. You will likely have other issues if you continue to punch this way so the abrasion blisters are actually a useful warning sign! Just like the issue above though, you are going to need some kind of bandage until the blisters heal.

Knuckle Pain

Problem 1 - Your knuckles hurt when you hit the bag. Generally in both hands but more so on the dominant hand and generally, when throwing all the punches though again, some hurt a little more than others.

Solution a - You do not have a tight fist upon impact. And sometimes this is a little tougher wearing wraps and gloves but you really have to make sure those fists are as tight as possible. Don't squeeze all the time though, or you'll burn out your forearms, but from the moment you decide to throw that punch, squeeze those fists tight. There are schools of thought that preach not making that tight fist up until the exact point of impact, which is certainly logical but could cause an injury if you are even slightly wrong about the timing of that point of impact. i.e. if the bag is moving and you connect a little before you expect.

Solution b - You may need new gloves. If your gloves are older and the padding has started to wear, it is time for new ones. How long does this take? I have found that it totally depends on the glove and how hard you hit. Sometimes, expensive gloves are more economically smart, as well as safer, because they won't wear down as quickly. You just have to make sure you get the right ones. If you are a heavy hitter, you are going to likely need heavier gloves. 14-ounce may be okay but 16-ouncers are often better. Some brands are definitely better than others and some styles are too. For the TITLE Brand, I have said many times that the World Bag Gel 2.0 gloves are better for hitting the heavy bag than any other TITLE style, even those which are more expensive. 

Additional Note About Gloves: In all the time I have punched a heavy bag, I have only hurt my knuckles one time. I was trying out some weighted gloves and my fingers were too crammed together so the tendon pulled a little bit upon impact. This was kind of an edge case scenario but my point is just that if you do buy or try new gloves and something doesn't feel quite right, those are not the gloves for you! New gloves should always feel pretty good. Maybe a little stiff at first, slightly tight but if the hand feels wrong or very uncomfortable, try something else.

Problem 2 - Your knuckles hurt only on one hand but not so much, the other.

Solution a - You had a specific, acute injury. Maybe a punch landed wrong (not a tight enough fist, wrong knuckles, not wrapped properly, using old gloves, etc.) and created an injury that now leads to pain. If it's really bad, get it checked but most of the time, it just needs to heal in these cases. You can still box during this time but I would recommend a couple things- just not going so hard for a little bit and/or use to something to help absorb some of the shock from your knuckles. A few different things can work. The first is a toe separator used primarily for drying painted toenails. But if you put it over your knuckles when you wrap, it will provide some padding and made all the difference for me that first and only time I hurt my hand while boxing. If it doesn't help you, the next step is to try something a little better. I have found that Silipos hand pads provide plenty of shock absorption. Just like the toe separators, you place them over the top knuckles and then wrap over them. There are also knuckle shields made specifically for boxing that you can use too.

Solution b - Your punch is not landing properly on that hand. Likely it is your power side so while you might have the same technical issue on your non-dominant hand, the issue isn't as prevalent as you don't hit as hard on that side. Take more time to see how your hand is landing and make sure you are hitting with A) a straight wrist, B) a tight fist and C) making contact with the top two, big, hand knuckles only. The ones your index finger and middle finger attach to. To find out for sure, throw each punch on that hand and freeze so that you can see exactly where where you're making contact. Then make some adjustments and quickly get out of this habit of freezing at the end of your punches.

Problem 3 - Your knuckles hurt specifically on particular punch.

Solution a - This means you are almost definitely not throwing and landing that particular punch properly. Just like above, practice throwing it, freezing on impact, and checking to make sure that A, B and C are true. If you're not sure, have someone else look at it. Just remember that even when you fix it, there may still be some residual pain as the initial injury heals. You can also take the steps in “Problem 2, Solution” a while it does.

Wrist Pain

Problem 1 - Your wrist hurts when you punch the bag.

Solution a - Your wrist is not straight upon impact. It is bent forward or backward, which puts immense pressure on those wrists, the harder you hit. You may not even realize that this is happening. Before even throwing a punch, try straightening your wrist and see what it looks like. Then throw a slowed-down punch and take a close look.

Solution b - Your wrist bends upon impact. Maybe it's straight coming in but bends once it hits the bag. Oftentimes, this is because either the fist is not tight enough on impact or the elbow is not behind the punch. Or both! We've talked about keeping a tight fist but the elbow is really important too, not just for your wrist but your shoulder is well. We see this a lot on hook punches. A good rule of thumb is to make sure your elbow is never below your fist on hooks.

Solution c - Just like with the knuckles, it is possible to generally maintain good form but on one particular punch, you manage to tweak your wrist. Or you have an unrelated injury that makes your punches hurt until that injury heals. A more nuclear option here is to take something like masking tape or duct tape and literally tape over your wrist after wrapping (and maybe down the wrist as well). I would not necessarily wrap the hand wraps tighter, as a loss of circulation will only compound the problem but taping over will add support as well as remind you that there is an injury, and not to go too crazy.

Problem 2 - Your wrist hurts particularly on hook punches.

Solution a - Besides not keeping a generally straight wrist, another very common problem we notice on hook punches are people hitting with those inside, smaller, "door-knocker" knuckles mentioned earlier, so the hook is delivered more like a slap. This could be due to being too far away from the bag when throwing the hook or a slap just feeling more natural. Open palm-style strikes (hitting with the hard part of the bottom of the hand) have their role in self-defense and MMA but when punching a heavy bag, particularly with boxing gloves on, this is a dangerous thing to do. You are putting a lot of pressure on that wrist and you are very likely losing power and speed to do it anyway. Hooks are compact, powerful punches that should be delivered quickly and with low probability of being successfully blocked. If this is you, try getting closer to the bag, maintaining a right-angle L-shape with your arm and throwing hooks, and slowing things down to make sure you're landing in the right spot.

Hitting Too Hard? No!

One final thing I want to say here is about hitting to hard. I have also heard some people report issues these hand or wrist issues and wonder if they are just punching too hard. Unless you have a pre-existing injury or aren't sufficiently warmed or wrapped up with proper gloves, it is impossible to hit too hard. If punches are causing pain and the harder you hit, the more pain you feel, it is because you are not hitting correctly, not too hard. Sure, you don't want to necessarily go all out when you first start boxing. It is better to start slow and learn the technique. And you generally don't want to go all out when you first begin a heavy bag session either but once you are warm and your hands are used to it and you're wrapped properly with appropriate gloves and you've got proper form, let loose!!! A great thing about the heavy bag in general is that it is the best way to really train your power. You don't have to worry about hurting your training partner and again, as long as you are smart about it, you don't have to worry about hurting yourself either!

Nervous To Try Out Boxing?

Starting anything new can be tough, especially when it's a boxing class with other people who have likely done it before and seemingly, already know what they are doing.  Just about every single person who comes to our club - regardless of age or fitness level - has been nervous for that first time. Even some who said they weren't nervous later told me that they really were!

I was just like them too. I've often told a story about how I started getting serious about combat sports. There was a Krav Maga gym that opened up in my old neighborhood in San Francisco. I was really interested in checking it out as I had done some Muay Thai and BJJ years ago, loved it, and really wanted to get back into that kind of a disciplined exercise program. Despite previous experience, I was still very nervous. The idea of me looking like a noob and not knowing what to do when everybody else did was daunting. I passed by the studio every day on my way to and from work and would always look in the window to see large dudes, many of them in local law enforcement and security, training there and looking totally intimidating. At the time, I was a 32 year-old-video game developer and not in the best of shape. There was no way I could compete with those other guys!

Plus, for me, there is always this fear of the unknown. I always want to know exactly what is going to happen and where everything is. Even if I have a reasonable idea and it doesn't really matter anyway, it is still important to me. Besides not knowing the content of the new training, I don't understand the structures and procedures either and that can make me just as uncomfortable.

So anyway, I finally mustered up the initiative/courage to do it BUT instead of stepping totally out of my comfort zone and join the regular boxing and kickboxing classes classes at the gym, I sort chickened out and bought 10 private training sessions with their head instructor first. That way, only one person, the trainer, would see me sucking and hopefully teach me how to not suck anymore. After my 10 sessions, I decided to finally try out a regular class. But I was STILL nervous about it! In fact when I went to the class and people asked if I had any previous experience, I pretty much lied. I said "No" and maybe mumbled something about working with Barney (my trainer) "a couple" of times. So if I still sucked, they would hopefully not judge me too harshly and if I did pretty well, would be extra impressed! 

Writing this all out is pretty embarrassing as clearly, I had/have issues, but I guess the point is that I can definitely relate to being nervous about trying something new and to varying degrees, most all of us have these kind of social anxieties. And they are often irrational. But working through them can be well worth it! For me, it changed my life forever. Set me on a path of health and wellness and inspired me to get into helping others down that path. My confidence went up and my overall social anxieties went down. I became a transformed person in many ways and I liked the new me a lot better! Maybe it won't have such an extreme effect on you but I can pretty much guarantee you that you will be proud of yourself and feel good about yourself for surviving something you were nervous to try.

In our club, we truly do have people of all fitness levels, skill levels, backgrounds and ages. Everyone's on their own heavy bag and goes at their own pace. Every single one of them was new once too and will understand what you might be going through that first time.

I would say that a little more than half the people who sign up with us online to check out a  boxing class for free actually make it in. Getting through that door the first time really is the hardest part. But again, everybody who makes it is glad that they did. Whether you end up loving boxing and wanting to do it more or not, the experience will be positive. So if you're on the fence about taking the jump, now is a perfect time to  do it. And if you're already training, share this with someone who might be interested but is still, like ALL of us, a little nervous!

Most Important Muscle Group to Train in Boxing

It is somewhat odd that the largest, longest muscle group in the human body is also one of the most underappreciated- at least in terms of their most basic function. I am talking about the gluteal muscles and as it relates to boxing, these muscles could not be more important. In fact, I would say that if you could only train one muscle group for boxing, it should be those glutes.

But why? Don't you throw punches with your arms? Wouldn't things like the chest and shoulders be more important? I (and I am pretty sure anyone else with an understanding of boxing mechanics and human physiology) would say that while important, no muscles in the upper body are as important to train than your lower body. And in my opinion, it's not even close.

Every punch in boxing starts "below the belt." The first thing to activate once a punch is about to be thrown is in the lower body.  Either pushing off the ground, dipping at the knees, or turning of the hip. Once activation starts, the rest of the body follows in step.

Boxing isn't just about punching either. There is constant movement of the feet in all directions (even rotational) with maximum quickness and agility. Changing direction, moving in, moving out, faking one way and going the other way, all the while remaining on your toes and shifting your weight. In fact, you could also say that literally every movement in boxing - offense, defense, footwork, head movement, etc. - is about shifting your weight from one foot to the other when done properly.

So, if I take a step forward in a fighting stance, I push off of my back foot, lift my front foot up, step forward with that foot, and the weight shifts to my front foot as I step. If I throw a lead hook, I am transferring weight from that front foot to the back foot as I turn my hips into the punch. If I were to duck underneath a lead hook from my (orthodox) opponent, I would first dip down, then transfer the weight from my front foot to my back foot. Then I would likely throw my back hand - let's say a cross - where I once again transfer that weight that is currently on my back foot to my front foot as I rotate my hips and shoulders. I could go on and on.

To make these transitions possible, I need to use a lot of muscles in cooperation with each other. The quads get a lot of work, but they don't turn the hips. It is also important that I maintain balance and proper posture throughout. Transferring weight is one half generating the movement and the other half stopping the movement- "catching" the weight. Quads can help here too, especially with footwork, but again, they are generally missing the most important component of boxing, which is rotational. This is where the glutes and to a greater extent, the core, come in (Note that glutes should indeed be considered part of the core). The glutes are responsible for generating and stopping movement in all planes of motion, maintaining your balance in all situations.

Learning how to box properly will functionally train your glutes, but if you are looking for more strength training (and/or changing the appearance of your glutes), there are plenty of good exercises you can do. Squats are a simple, popular move but here are 5 more that I like a lot better:

1.            Step-ups (using a high enough step, like a park bench)

2.            Kettlebell or dumbbell swings

3.            Skater lunges or zig zag hops

4.            Single-leg glute bridges

5.            Donkey kicks

You can do everything but the swings without weight, but you can also add some weight to everything there too. These exercises- along with boxing itself- will definitely improve your athletic performance. It will also help your basic balance (standing or locomotion) and posture, as glutes are the primary muscle group for these jobs too. So, if you've never had a chance to think about how much they do for you, maybe now is the time to thank these functionally underappreciated muscles for their help as well as focus more on their training.