Jab boxing: everything you need to know about the basic boxing punch!

What is a jab?

The jab is simply a direct hit from the front arm. This is a quick, straight-line strike used to hit both the head and the body. In training, it can be given against bear paws in boxing. 

This is the very first move you learn in boxing or boxing. He is given remotely by making a full extension of your front arm :

• For the right-handed, your left foot is forward, so your jab will be done with your left arm.
• For the left it's the opposite, your right foot is forward, SO you jab with your right arm.

The jab is one of the most used punches in boxing, English, Thai and French. He is moreover as useful in attack as in defense.

We can even say that it is the most important. And to support our words, ask Anthony Joshua (former champion of the heavyweight category):

• “The right hand can take you around the block! But the jab will take you around the world”

And besides the jab was the most used offensive weapon of the GOAT, Mohamed Ali. As Mayweather, who also, masters the art of the jab.

The jab is mainly used to prepare an attack, perform a weight transfer and for go the distance with your opponent. In general it is not not too strong, but pretty fast.

Your jab is by the way much faster than blows coming from your back arm. It is the boxer's trident, a bit like the fencer's foil.

And as with all other boxing moves, the jab also has its variations.

The different types of jab

There is multiple ways to deliver a jab, which gives rise to different styles. We can notably cite:

• THE double jab
• THE flicker jab
• THE backstep jab
• THE power jab
• THE screw jab
• THE fast jab
• THE pivot jab
• Etc.

The benefits of the jab 

The jab has full of advantages, but the 3 main ones are:

• Go the distance

• Hinder and feint your opponent

• Prepare an attack

1. Keep the distance

The jab is very useful when it comes to keep your opponent at bay. It's a good way to judge the distance and then send other shots.

For example, if you easily hit your opponent with your jab, you will not have no problem sending him to the mat with a straight rear arm.

The jab is also interesting to prevent your opponent from advancing. If he is too aggressive, your jab will know stop its progress.

2. Hinder and feint your opponent

When you jab at the head, THE your opponent's field of vision is hidden. It is therefore a very good way to embarrass him, of break the distance with your opponent but also to follow up with a body blow.

The fact of obstructing your view also allows you to initiate movements that are not predictable. For example, throw a jab and slide to the left or right side.

The jab is interesting to feint your opponent, THE pushing to make mistakes, see how he reacts, her attitude, etc.

Send several jabs regularly. Once your opponent anticipates, pretend and use your rear arm or a front hook to surprise him.

3. Prepare an attack 

Your jab will allow you to open your opponent's guard to then continue. Send 1 or 2 jabs to shake his guard before sending a cross or one well placed hook.

And to prepare an attack, the jab is your best friend. It allows to put rhythm in your sequence And you helps gain momentum.

Besides, The most famous sequence with a jab is the 1-2. It is quite simply: a jab followed by a cross.

Other benefits of the jab 

We have just spoken to you about 3 main benefits of the jab, but guess what? There are some many more. The proof :

• The jab is fast And easy to send.
• He doesn't ask not much energy.
• You can throw a jab from just about any position.
• He helps find openings.
• It's a blow versatile.
• The jab can also be used to counter.
• He allows you to strike without being exposed.
• Your jab lets you rest when you are tired.

How to send a jab?

To deliver a jab you must first have the good posture after that, focus on the gesture.

Posture

THE main point to send a jab it's to be well relaxed and relaxed. Often in boxing you tend to tense up naturally. Relax your shoulders, don't tense your arms or clench your fists.

You must also be reactive and dynamic on your support. That means you have to be on the tiptoe. Put your weight on the back leg without sitting on it too much and without anchoring your heel in the ground.

Keep your 2 elbows well together alongside your body. Your fists, they are raised to the level of your cheeks. And don't forget to tuck your chin in.

Gesture

To send a jab, the gesture is triggered with a small step forward. keep it right bust, you should not lean forward.

By keeping the elbow well inside, make a full extension of the front arm. Do not lift your elbow away from your body, think carefully keep it in line with your shoulder !

When your elbow is almost stretched, make a slight rotation of the fist. The goal is to start with the fist vertical and of finish with the point horizontal with the palm of the hand aimed at the ground.

To protect you of a potential counter, think about raise your shoulder. For this, at the time of the rotation of the fist, put your shoulder to your chin.

Once you have hit your target, bring your arm straight back into your guard. Don't let it fall towards your hips!

Your jab should be direct and quick. So as soon as you have touched, presto you bring your arm back. Don't stay on your target for too long, otherwise you will be too exposed.

And as for your rear arm, Think of keep it glued to your cheek in your guard.

Remember to exhale when your jab hits. Exhaling when your arm is straight allows you to contract well at the time of impact. It brings more power, but also core stability.

However one thing not to do It is to throw a jab in two stages. That is to say you raise your elbow and then straighten your arm.

Once you have the right posture And the right gesture to send your jab you can add power.

How to put power into your jab?

If you just want touch to destabilize or for prepare an attack, you do not have no need to add power in your jab.

However, to break the guard or hiit boxing, there you must put more punch in your shot ! And for that you have to :

• Push off your back leg

• Take a step forward

• Rotate your hip

1. Push up on your back leg

This is what will allow you to benefit from the weight of your body. By pushing on your back leg, you send your weight forward. On the other hand, you do not have no need to bend over, keep your back straight.

2. Take a step forward 

This step forward will retain the momentum you have just gained by pushing on your back leg.

It's that front-back lever Who brings your body weight forward. The step should not be too big, it is a small step of a few centimeters only.

And when you touch the ground with the tip of your foot, your arm must be fully extended.

3. Rotate your hip 

There hip rotation will participate in the transfer of force. She allows you to use your body weight to give more power to your jab.

In a way, it's a bit as if the force you just created with the weight of your body is transferred into your arm.

How to improve your jab? (tips and exercises) 

A few tips

To improve your jab, try applying these few tips:

• Focus on speed of your jab before applying power.
• Keep your arm in a straight line.
• Keep your elbow along the body.
• Your elbow should follow the same straight line as your fist.
• Bring back your arm in your guard just After having sent your jab.
• Use your extension to the fullest.
• Stay relaxed when you send your jab.
• Contract And make a fist at time the impact.
• keep them legs slightly bent for a dynamic position.
• Throw your jab with your hand slightly off your face.
• Think about the area you are targeting when you jab.
• Your cut must be straight and should not be crossed.

Some exercises

To improve your jab, you can try these few exercises:

• Jab along a wall

• Shadow boxing focus jab

• Sparring focus jab

• Bag work

Jab along a wall

A good jab is a straight jab, Or your elbow does not move from the horizontal axis. To perfect this look, stand along a wall.

The goal is to throw jabs without your elbow touching the wall. Concentrate on your movement to keep a straight jab without opening your elbow.

Shadow boxing focus jab 

To improve your jab, you can do several rounds of shadow boxing. HAS each repeat, focus only on your front arm jab.

At first, focus on your technique. Once your technique is good, you can start putting more speed in your jab.

Shadow boxing is ideal for improving yourself. It's even better if you can do it in front of a mirror. This way you see the small errors to be corrected.

Sparring focus jab

Well we grant you, if you don't do boxing in a club it will be complicated to do sparring. Unless you have a friend who is as bad as you !

In this case, the sparring is perfect for applying all the tips that we gave you. Work by workshop, for example do a round where you use your jab to keep your opponent at bay.

Vary the workshops each round. And if you don't want to worry, make rounds where you only send your jab.

Just think about concentrate on your movement every time. And don't hesitate to vary jabs to the body and head.

Bag work 

To work the speed, there fluidity and the precision of your jab, the punching bag is ideal. You can work in different rounds. For example :

• A round where you only use your jab
• A round where you start your sequences with a jab
• Etc.

For work on the speed of your jab, try to send as much as possible with the best possible technique in a given time. For example, you can do this for 30 seconds.

To work the precision, you can put tape on your punching bag in sensitive areas : chin, plexus, nose, etc. In this way you have a visual indication to be more precise..

Conclusion

The jab is the basic punch of boxing. It's about straight from your front arm (left arm if you are right-handed or right arm if you are left-handed).

The jab is a formidable weapon, because he allows you to manage the distance, of hinder and of prepare sequences.

To send a good jab, you must have a dynamic posture, make a small step forward And fully extend your arm with a slight wrist rotation.

And to improve your jab, there is no secret, you must practice again and again. Whether in shadow, in sparring or on a bag !

For more advice on attacking in boxing, we invite you to visit our article which talks about the boxing technique !

Come and chat at the Circle! 

You need to perfect your jab ? In this case, enter the circle And test The circle !

A workout 50% boxing and 50% bootcamp thought for let off steam. Each 50 minute session is distributed into 10 rounds on the aqua bags and benches.

10 rounds during which you alternate boxing and bootcamp. During the rounds boxing, send your best jabs and your best combos. During the rounds boot camp, give everything you have to strengthen your body to the max.

The advantage of the Circle? No contact, no fight, the only thing you knock out are the aqua-bags. Moreover, the courses are accessible to everyone, no matter your level!

SO, come and discover the Circle and its studio minimalist in the heart of Paris in the 18th. Our coaches and the Tigers are waiting for you to smash everything in a crazy atmosphere!