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Sparring Punches

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  • Jabs are a good counter to an opponent's jabs. When the opponent attempts to engage in a battle of the jab, keep one step ahead by working off of his or her jab.
  • When opponent jabs, slip left and fire an inside left hook.
  • Slip to the right for a body jab and use a overhead punch to catch a lazy left hand.
  • Slap down the jab down with the right hand and come straight with a right cross and move forward to offset your opponent.
    • Jabs help force your opponent to attack, so you may then counterattack. Jack Johnson once said that, as a counter puncher, he would use his jab to force his opponent to attack so he could counter.
    • Jabs are relatively safe. Beginning and ending combinations with a jab helps keep you protected. They mark the end of a combination and give you a second to regroup.
    • Exiting the danger zone with a good jab helps to extinguish the opponent's counter offensive.
    • Jabs help conserve energy since they require the least energy of any attack, hands or feet.
    • Jabs let you out-finesse your opponent. By using finesse in the jab, by changing timing, doubling up, moving up and down, and down and up you appear to be the better fighter to judges. You may also confuse your opponent.
    • If your jab is robotic or predictable, a smart opponent will time it and launch an attack around it. Making it shrewd and unpredictable helps confuse your opponent.
    • Jabs allow you to dance. Since the jab is the only punch that does not require committing the body in some way, you have full control of your movements and footwork.

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