# Push and Pull in Boxing



## Nagel (Apr 23, 2009)

*Push and Pull in Boxing*

Push and pull techniques and principles are abundant in many martial art disciplines. Its also touched upon in boxing as some boxers have realized its usefulness in different situations. Contained in this post are some examples of push and pull in boxing.

David Tua:
I want to mess with their biomechanics as much as possible. In close Ill press against my opponent, and get them to resist a bit. Then Ill nudge them slightly with my shoulder. I use their forward momentum which is the natural body reaction to fighting the pressure, I call it recoil. I catch them moving in on the recoil from the slight shoulder nudge, and toss the ole left hook out there and see what happens.

Fred Welshs Modern Scientific Boxing:
I often mislead an opponent by placing my left hand on one of his shoulders, or sometimes upon his forehead, and pressing against him. Invariably he resists this pressure as he can against it, perhaps to convince me of his strength. This is just what I want, for not only is he partly off his guard, but when I quickly release the pressure and strike with my right, he plunges with full force into the blow. This little stunt nearly always works. 

It is the same with pulling, for if I cannot get my hand on his shoulder or head, sometimes I hook my left wrist in his and start to pull. Immediately he forgets about boxing and commences to pull hard against me, so that while his left arm is locked in pulling against mine, I can usually shoot a right uppercut under it to the face or a cordial and well meant right hook over in to his face.

Knowledge of this can also be applied to freeing an arm that has been tied up by an opponent (see fig. 1). 




Lets suppose that your opponent has your arm in a clinch and you're trying to free in from their grasp. Push forward against your opponent, giving him a strong quick nudge with your shoulder. Then start pulling your arm in a screw-like motion at the moment that he is off balanced, thereby freeing your arm.


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## IcemanSK (Apr 23, 2009)

Very nice find!

Most folks wouldn't associate this idea with boxing, but it's there isn't it?


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## Nagel (Apr 23, 2009)

You won't find it in any curriculum in boxing, but that doesn't stop boxers from discovering it for themselves  *. *Necessity is the mother of all invention! But sometimes learning these things comes down to who's in the gym on a given day that's generous enough to share of some their wisdom with you.

By the way, I remember reading about Archie Moore's daughter, J'Marie Moore, talking about it in an interview about her dad a few years back, but lately either I couldn't find the whole the piece, or my memory is playing tricks on me.

Here's what I could find: 

"Dad knew that he wouldn't physically be around in my corner, so he showed me some of the greatest moves that I have ever seen in boxing. Then he taught me how to execute them, how to pull and push power. He wanted to make sure that I knew the tactics that usually takes many years and fights to learn."

There is no limit on things that we can discover if we're willing to try something new, sometimes it just feels right.


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## Thems Fighting Words (Apr 24, 2009)

Nagel said:


> You won't find it in any curriculum in boxing, but that doesn't stop boxers from discovering it for themselves  *. *Necessity is the mother of all invention! But sometimes learning these things comes down to who's in the gym on a given day that's generous enough to share of some their wisdom with you.



Boxers learning something they're not taught in very day boxing curriculum. Nah, that'd never happen. That's why it's been proven that boxers can't fight on the Street. :wink1:


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## seasoned (Apr 24, 2009)

Thems Fighting Words said:


> Boxers learning something they're not taught in very day boxing curriculum. Nah, that'd never happen. That's why it's been proven that boxers can't fight on the Street. :wink1:


Now, Thems Fighting Words, I think. Seriously, I think this is what makes a good boxer or a great boxer. The little subtleties that one picks up as time goes by.


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## Thems Fighting Words (Apr 25, 2009)

seasoned said:


> Now, Thems Fighting Words, I think. Seriously, I think this is what makes a good boxer or a great boxer. The little subtleties that one picks up as time goes by.



Yeah, I agree. I'm just poking fun at all the "anti-boxing" MA guys around. And there are a few out there. :hb:


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## MuayThai (Jul 2, 2009)

Thems Fighting Words said:


> Yeah, I agree. I'm just poking fun at all the "anti-boxing" MA guys around. And there are a few out there. :hb:


 lol, most MA guys get their asses kicked my a boxer or MT guy, quite pathetic lol


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## Lee Mainprize (Aug 11, 2011)

yep alot of ma guys are in denial when it comes to sparring and boxers.

Most guys crumple when the fighters closes the distance and start firing off combo hooks and uppercuts.


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