A Beginner’s Guide to Improving Boxing Technique - Stance, Footwork, Punches and Defence

Boxing is a complete body workout, making it one that is efficient and loved by many. Not only does it challenge your physical strength with its need for speed, agility, fitness, power and endurance, but it also improves your mental fitness by challenging your coordination, memory, proprioception, focus and mind-body connection.Attention to boxing technique is critical to ensure safe and effective training so we've put together this beginner’s guide, so you can find out how to improve your movements and sharpen your punches to level up the benefits from your boxing fitness training!

Stance 

Punches start from the ground up, so achieving a solid and balanced base through your stance is the foundation for any boxer. 

5 Steps For a Solid Boxing Stance

1. Take a neutral stance by standing upright with your legs shoulder-width apart and slightly sideways to your target. If you’re right-handed, lead with your left shoulder and foot. 

2. Visualise a line on the ground with one foot on either side of it and take a step back with your dominant foot (power leg).

3. Soften both knees as if you’re on a surfboard, skateboard or snowboard to allow for better balance, particularly, if and when you are taking impact from an opponent.

4. Keeping your elbows in, raise your fists so they’re floating around your chin. Keen your chin down and eyes up, focusing on the target or visualising where you aim to punch.

5. Lift the heel of your back foot imagining a spring sitting underneath it. 

Basic Footwork 

Footwork in boxing is important to allow you to move swiftly towards your target or opponent to hit it, or away from it. The forward and backwards movement in boxing happens through a step and drag motion.  

While having good balance and coordination can help you nail basic footwork, it doesn’t come naturally to everyone. 

If you’re looking to improve on your balance and coordination, try these exercises and drills: 

• Stand balancing on one leg and throw a tennis ball from your left hand to your right hand 

• Contralateral and ipsilateral marching on the spot while raising your arms and legs in sync - try contralateral (opposite arm and leg), followed by ipsilateral (same arm and leg)

• Skipping rope 

Basic Punches

There are four basic punches in boxing: The jab, cross, hook, and uppercut. From these fundamental punches and boxing movements, we can form a myriad of effective and enjoyable boxing combinations.

Learning good footwork, form, and technique and consistently sharpening up the basics will make you feel safer, more empowered and more comfortable when shadow boxing, punching the mitts or rocking the heavy bags! 

Jab

• Shoot the lead hand from your chin in a straight line, completely extending your arm and making a fist at the end of the punch

• As you extend your arm, there should be a slight pivot of the front hip

• Exhale as you punch

• Bring the hand straight back to your chin after executing the punch 

Cross

• Shoot the non-leading hand from your chin in a straight line, completely extending your arm

• Your rear foot, knee and hip should rotate in with the punch

• Exhale as you punch

• Bring the hand straight back to your chin after executing the punch 

Front Hook 

• Think about throwing this punch using your leading arm, as if you’re stirring a big pot of soup

• Keep your elbow and forearm at 90 degrees

• Have your wrist facing in towards your face 

• Exhale as you punch

• Bring the hand straight back to your chin after executing the punch 

Back Hook

• Follow the same technique as the front hook (above), but with the opposite arm

Front Uppercut

• Have the wrist of the leading arm wrist facing up towards the ceiling

• Throw this punch by “cutting” through the air in an upward motion 

• Rotate your torso as you throw the punch, engaging your core and glutes

• Aim for the target or, when shadow boxing, visualise hitting underneath an opponent’s chin standing in front of you

• Bring the hand straight back to your chin after executing the punch

Back Uppercut

• Follow the same technique as the Front Uppercut (above), but with the opposite arm

Basic Defence 

Essential to your development as a boxer, is also nailing good technique in a basic set of defensive maneuvers. There are three basic defence moves in boxing: The bob/duck, the bob and weave, and the slip. 

Bob / Duck

• Think of this movement similar to a lunge - maintaining a strong balance throughout

• When performing this movement, bend at the ankles, knees and hips

The bob/duck is a basic defence manoeuvre to get underneath an opponent’s punch or generate power off of the back leg during boxing. It’s also a move used in fitness training to work the leg muscles. 

Bob & Weave 

The bob & weave is a defence move used to get under to avoid a punch or move your head off the centre line. 

• The basic movement requires your body to move down, around and up

• Perform this movement imagining that you are drawing a “U” shape with your nose

• Use your legs throughout this movement as opposed to your back

TIP: you can practice this movement by tying an elastic between two poles or bags, and weaving underneath the elastic

Slip 

• Maintain stability in your balance throughout the movement

• Hinge at the hips, rotating your torso slightly with your head moving off the centre line