Boxing has always been a favorite sport of many people. To some, boxing is a means of self-defense while to others, it’s a nice hobby. No matter what the purpose, taking up boxing is really good for your physique and your health. Of course, you’ll probably need to go to a gym and learn from an instructor if you want to really learn the art of boxing. However, you can still learn the basics in the comfort of your very own home. You just need to learn the basic stances and the basic punches. We’ll be teaching that right here. Here’s the beginner’s guide to boxing.
Boxing Stances
In boxing, one of the most important principles to learn would be the principle of balance. Balance is not only what gives you the ability to stand and move around without falling down, but it also gives you the ability to use the ground to give a stinging punch. In order to maintain your balance with the ground, you need to have the proper stance. In boxing, there are two main stances: orthodox and southpaw.
Orthodox Boxing Stance
The orthodox boxing stance is the most commonly used stance because it’s a stance that utilizes a strong right hand – and most boxers are right handed. In order to do this stance, start by making your hips parallel to the floor. Once you have a feel of the balance, put your left leg forward with your foot pointing upward. Your right leg stays behind your left leg and your right foot is pointing at a 45-degree angle. Always make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart. Slightly lift up your right foot.
From there, put your right hand right in front of your chin and your left hand in front of your right, protecting your face. This is to help guard your face in case of an attack.
Southpaw Stance
The second stance would be the southpaw stance wherein your right hand is in front and your left hand is at the back. This is more suited for left handed boxers because it allows for a very powerful left cross while the right hand jabs. In Bruce Lee’s case though, the southpaw is very useful if you have a very fast and powerful jab because it can catch the opponent off guard.
To get into the stance, just simply follow the steps to making an orthodox stance but with opposite foot positioning. The left foot is now at the back and the right foot is at the front. Now, your left hand is guarding your chin and right hand is in front slightly below your left hand.
Those two stances are the basic stances in boxing and are the very foundation of the sport itself. If you don’t have a good stance, not only will you stumble or get hit easily, but your punch will weaken as well. We’ll find out why in the next section where we’ll be talking about the different kinds of punches.
Boxing Punches
Before we go on to the punches, we’ll first go over some basic concepts on how to deliver stinging blows. Contrary to what most beginners think, the punch doesn’t come from the power of the arm. The punch comes from the power of the feet springing off the ground, the twist of the waist, and the motion of the arm. That’s why stance is very important. With that, let’s move on to the different boxing punches and boxing body shots.
Jab
The jab is a staple punch wherein you use your lead hand to kind of tap your opponent. It’s often used to set up for a cross or a haymaker. To make a jab, start off with your regular stance (assuming orthodox). Throw a snapping punch with your lead left hand while simultaneously twisting your waist to right. Do this all in one move.
Cross
The cross is usually done by the strong hand which is hidden at the back. After you do a jab with your lead left, twist your body to the left side, cock your back leg, move your front leg slightly forward, and throw a punch with your back hand (right hand if orthodox stance).
Upper Cut
The upper cut is usually done with the back hand (power right) and is a body shot. However, it can also be done with the lead hand as a prep to the powerful back hand. To do it, just move like you would when you make a jab or cross but this time, bring your elbow to the waist and make an upward movement.
Hook
The last basic punch is the hook, also known as the haymaker. You move the same way you would with a cross but instead of a straight punch, you swing your hand from right to left like you’re swinging a hammer. This is the punch that usually creates knockouts.
Conclusion
Those are some of the basic things to learn about boxing. If you don’t have the time or resources to enroll in a gym yet, you can use this article of the beginner’s guide to boxing to at least get the basics down. That way, you can get started on your workout right away.
