The first two things boxing classes should cover for the young boxer is the on-guard position and the left jab.
The On-Guard Position
In boxing classes, all punches are thrown from the on-guard position. The boxer must assume the on-guard position again at the finish of each punch with all possible rapidity. This procedure is necessary for proper deception. Thus the stance must be mastered at the beginning.
With all punches starting from the same stance, naturally an opponent has difficulty guessing whether the punch will be a left jab to the head or body, a left hook to the head or body, a double left hook to the body and head, or a jab followed by a hook. If the boxer changes his stance or arm positions each time he throws a different punch, his opponent will soon catch on and meet him with a counter.
In all boxing classes, the complete and proper on-guard position has the right forearm and fist up. The right fist should be at about the level of the chin so that the boxer is in position to catch his opponent’s left jabs. The right elbow is kept close to the body, protecting the right side and kidneys. The forearm protects the solar plexus (a good place to hit, but not to be hit), and the fist protects the chin.
A coach should spend all the time necessary to enable his boys to master each fundamental of the on-guard position. These fundamentals must be drilled into them so that they will mechanically fall into this position without giving it a thought. The boys may gather around in a circle and at the command “on-guard,” hop into position, hold it, wait for corrections of any mistakes noticed by the coach, then at a command, relax.
This should be done over and over again until the position becomes second nature. It should be stressed that all punches start and finish from the on-guard position. It must, therefore, be learned correctly.
The Left Jab
“The most important offensive and defensive punch is the left jab.” – truer words are rarely ever spoken. How often have we seen a smart boxer with just a left jab, and practically no right hand, beat a tough, rugged boy with a devastating right by using the left jab offensively to pile up points and defensively to keep the puncher away, and off balance. Very seldom does a boxer with an educated left hand get hit by a hard right hand. The reason is simple.
Your left jab has to travel only a third as far as your opponent’s right to land on the chin. Naturally, if both punches start together, the left lands first. Often the left jabber catches his opponent’s right shoulder to stop a right hand traveling in his direction. This often is dangerous, however, unless the boy has a very speedy left jab.
Whatever your boxing classes are, a coach may teach his boys many punches, fancy or otherwise, but there is no punch in any boxer’s repertoire that will do him more good than a left jab. Let’s go to work on it, and be sure that we properly impress the value of the left jab from the very start.
The left jab starts from the on-guard position (all punches start and finish from the on-guard position).
At the finish the jab has been snapped across, not pushed. The fist has changed from the position in which the thumb knuckle is up to the position in which the thumb knuckle is pointing inward. This should be accomplished by twisting the arm as the blow was traveling forward. At the time of landing the jab, the chin is tucked down and the shoulder is curved around the chin as a protective covering.
This is a natural result of twisting the arm as the jab is thrown. A coach should show his boys the difference between a left jab that is just pushed across with the thumb knuckle up, and a proper jab that is snapped across by twisting the fist and turning the shoulder to protect the chin.
Working at these fundamentals will pay dividends for all young boxers.
Jimmy Coxx
