Boxing for JKDers?

[arnisador]

Nope--never jabbed before.

It may just take time, but I was hoping to find an instructional aid that might help. I have discussed it at class--it's just that this set of techniques is the one that's lagging the most for me and I wanted to focus on it. I may go for a few privates too. Joining a boxing gym isn't realistic for me time-wise.

 

[Cthulhu]

My Okinawa-te instructor had a very simple method of training me to keep my guard up: when doing drills on the kicking shield or with focus mitts, if I dropped my guard, he'd hit me. Plain and simple. Guard down, I got hit.

Learned to keep my guard up pretty damn quick

Cthulhu

 

[arnisador]

Keeping my guard up is a big part of it. Footwork too.

It's just--awkward.

 

[sweeper]

well in that case I think I know what you are going through, when I started JKD I had never practiced any other martial art.. also I had never played any sport that required arm movement (I am a soccer player) so getting my arms to work in the right way was tough.

If you know how it should look than I would suggest practicing at something like 3/4 speed in a mirror untill it seems a little more natural and just increase speed untill you are at full speed, another thing that helped me relax was sparring untill I had no energy left, you either learn to relax or your arm doesn't come up .

Is a large part of your problem is the tention from your antagonist muscle? that's another thing that will improve with practice.

(PS/edit)

Almost forgot, has anyone suggested throwing the jab like you are trying to grab something? like toss a penny up in the air and wait untill it's lined up with your jab and grab it (don't swing your arm side-side, use the same mechanics as a jab) and return to the guard, than go to two pennies.

Also for some people it helps to try to pop their elbo up when they throw the jab, but be carefull to stop before you hit the end of your range of motion ;-p

 

[bscastro]

Originally posted by arnisador

Keeping my guard up is a big part of it. Footwork too.

It's just--awkward.

I think you might experience a big "click" after enough practice. I think from what you are saying is that it is not just little details like keeping your hands up which you are having difficulty with, but also just understanding the mechanics of the jab--Internally understanding it that is.

One big thing I've had a revelation on with the jab, and I thought I had a "not so sucky" jab for a while, was learning how to use my whole body in the jab while still retaining quickness. In any case, sometimes, just keep working it. Once something clicks, you'll be making great strides. Also, watch those whom you think have good jabs. Sometimes, by watching an "expert" at a skill you can emulate certain aspects of the skill.

Good luck.

Bryan

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by bscastro

I think from what you are saying is that it is not just little details like keeping your hands up which you are having difficulty with, but also just understanding the mechanics of the jab--Internally understanding it that is.

Yes, that is it exactly. I'm sure it'll go away with time--I'm just trying to focus on improving my weakest areas. Thanks fo rthe tips!

 

[Kiwi]

>bag work-out" is the same as "tae-bo"

I have to disagree with this one. If a bag workout is the same as Tae-bo, why is working the heavy bag a boxers staple??
I don't see boxers doing tae-bo to prep for a fight.

I still have to stick with the heavy bag IMHO. A few months of consistent work will "rewire" you faster than all the equivalent lessons, sparring and shadowboxing. That is not to say that those things aren't important (especially sparring where boxing is concerned) but for the ex-karateka, I think this the best "first-step" because it will activate muscle memory quicker and give you the raw speed and power that a boxers hands must have.

After some time you will have a jab that can really test someones guard (ie. aim for their hands instead of their face and they will eat their own gloves if they are not experienced enough).

With respects to all posters,
Kiwi

 

[thekuntawman]

bag work with no sparring is tae bo, and bagwork with no sparring, and no idea what you are doing is tae bo. it takes more than just knowing how to throw the punch to using these techniques, and trying to use common sense of what you think you are looking at to say you are boxing.

there is more to learning to box than just punch, slip, bob and weave, and conditioning. but most "cross trainers" to "boxing" dont box in a real boxing gym, and they dont go to real boxers to learn to fight. what you will learn from a boxing gym will amaze you, because they have things most martial artist never even think about. and this is why i say dont trust people who taught himself how to box, and why i call it "tae bo". many of the women who do tae bo know how to through a roudnhouse kick and punches, but they really dont know how to fight with those techniques. even they have good form and look like a black belter in their basics. but the martial artist (especially JKD people) have the same understanding of how to box. bruce lee himself did not train with boxers, which you can tell by his performance of his punchings. and instead of going to the source for the informations, they see videos like bruce lee did and said to themself, "this is a jab, this is a cross/hook/uppercut/slip/bob/weave/pivot" and now he thinks he knows how to box. if you want to learn to through punches, then yes, maybe you can teach yourself. but if you really want the juice and the meat of learning to box, you will have to train with someone who fought long enough to show you all the small details of boxing.

so, if you want to learn how to box to add to your weapons, join a boxing gym, and train for at least one year. there is more to it than it looks easy.

 

[sweeper]

well from talking to JKD people alot of them have trained in boxing gyms (or thai boxing gyms deppending on taste)..

but from what I've seen of tae bo it's an airobic exercise program not any kind of martial training program, I don't think you can develop power in an airobics class just because hard hitting is anairobic. never done tae bo though so wouldn't know..

 

[Kiwi]

Ok, so I have not spent a year in a boxing gym. I have however spent 6 months training in a muay thai gym. I am sure that even Billy Blanks would agree that working the heavy bag and doing Tae Bo are not the same thing.

I certainly appreciate your opinion, because I agree that you will never truly learn it unless you are in there doing it, but I am just referring to tools here. You need to know have the application as well, but that does not mean that refining the raw tool is pointless.

Assuming I go to that boxing gym and start training. Are you saying I will never see a boxer working the heavy bag?

Respects,
Kiwi

 

[Kiwi]

Let me just add that I do agree that sparring is more important than the heavy bag, but I still think the heavy bag is important tool and that you would be at a disadvantage to have never used it. How much time you spend on it really depends on how you feel about the power you are able to generate.

 

[SolidTiger]

I don't need a bag or a sparring partner to know how strong my punches and kicks are. When I train I give my punches and kicks as much zip, snap and power as if I was fighting and opponent,but if I had to pick I will won't fight somthing that is punching back at me. I think you learn more when you fight a fighter with more skill then you,because if you win what that say?
and if you lose, you know what you need work on ,and you can
make yourself stronger in those areas that you are weak in. but
a bag let's you punch it!


Good Luck!

SolidTiger

As long as theirs a will there will be a way.........

 

[sweeper]

the point of a bag isn't to give you combat experience, it's to alow you to better train your punches full force. a person isn't gona just stand there letting you hit them full force, that's the point of a bag, it's kinda like lifting weights, it stengthens you in a way sparring soeone can not.