NOTE: I had this thread archived to my 2nd Tripod site ages ago. Tripod took down my second archives. In time, I will be adding to this blog some of the info that was up there. My thanks to someholdsbarred and waise pairasta for their help.
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From: Rastus
Date: 07-Sep-02 07:13 PM
Edited: 07-Sep-02 09:58 PM, 07-Sep-02 09:57 PM, Edited:07-Sep-02 09:3
After being scolded by a certain person for not posting more on the boxing forum...a person who I will not name, because that would be rude....(Martinburke)...I thought we could try to all contribute to a thread: A use for the Jab.
As many of you know, I am a huge proponent for the jab. I consider it the foundation off of which all boxing operates. It's the keystone, it's that important. I'll start the list of reasons to use the Jab.
- It's the fastest punch there is. Crosses, hooks, uppercuts all take more time to land. The distance traveled is the least, the speed is the greatest. ~ Rastus.
- It upsets the rhythm of your opponent. When you bang his gloves, forearms, body, forehead, face, etc... it disrupts your opponent's rhythm and train of thought. Keeps him less "together" and grouped and planning your demise. ~ Rastus
- It's a very versatile punch. You can throw snappy punches with it, using it as a range-finder or just as a general annoyance for your opponent. Or you can sit down on it a little bit, and hit with strength and accuracy. ~ Pound 4 Pound
- You have to make your opponent respect your jab right away. After you stop him in his tracks a few times with your jab, he will be looking for it. It is from this point that you can begin working everything else off your jab. If you are feather-fisted with your jab, most guys won't think twice about wading through it in order to fire their own punches at you. Make him fear your jab and then everything else falls into place. ~ 5 o' Clock Shadow
- It's the easiest punch to throw, and landing your jab says "dominating the fight" to most judges. ~ martinburke
- It's good for blocking your opponent's vision, so you can give him something that he won't remember.:) ~ martinburke
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From: Rastus
Date: 07-Sep-02 07:49 PM
Alright, alright I'll post a second reason to get the party started:
2. It upsets the rhythm of your opponent. When you bang his gloves, forarms, body, forhead, face, etc... it disrupts your opponent's rhythm and train of thought. Keeps him less "together" and grouped and planning your demise.
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From: Ron Simpson
Date: 07-Sep-02 08:27 PM
Boxing 101 "Everything works off the jab"...
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From: PoundforPound
Date: 07-Sep-02 09:08 PM
It's a very versatile punch. You can throw snappy punches with it, using it as a range-finder or just as a general annoyance for your opponent. Or you can sit down on it a little bit, and hit with strength and accuracy.
According to a Black Belt magazine interview, Sugar Ray Leonard would sometimes even throw it as a backfist so that he could score from odd angles.
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From: Chad Hamzeh
Date: 07-Sep-02 09:22 PM
Edited:07-Sep-02 09:23 PM
Since its your fastest and has the least distance to travel, what are your guys thoughts of leading with your power hand? (i guess that was bruce lees reasoning, hehe)
I wouldn't do it, hate the way i feel on that side, but is it worth adapting? MMA purposes.
C
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From: Rastus
Date: 07-Sep-02 09:41 PM
Chad,
Converted southpaws can be like that. I guess it's a matter of personal preference and style. For boxing purposes, it would be tough to switch to lefty for a strong jab. Hmmm...I've never really thought about leading with my power hand. Converting to southpaw would be an interesting style! Maybe it would be effective...it certainly would be unconventional!
Note about jabbing:I argued one time with Machine May about rotating the shoulders on the jab. Rotating the shoulders is more of a Ted Kid Lewis "straight left" than a jab, but for me the clincher is this - do three jabs in a row without rotating your shoulders, then with rotating your shoulders. Big difference in speed, isn't it? (I'm serious, stand up and throw the punches both ways).
Focusing too much power on the jab defeats the purpose of the jab and interferes with the real power shots.
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From: 5 o clock shadow
Date: 07-Sep-02 09:47 PM
Rastus,
You've been my boxing coach while I have been here in Korea, you know that? I have been reading your posts at stickgrappler's and they help my boxing IMMENSELY. I am glad to see you back on here posting. I am still waiting for the thread on body shots that you promised a couple years ago...
Here is the most important thing I learned about the jab from reading your posts and getting out in the ring and seeing what works for me:
You have to make your opponent respect your jab right away. After you stop him in his tracks a few times with your jab, he will be looking for it. It is from this point that you can begin working everything else off your jab. If you are feather-fisted with your jab, most guys won't think twice about wading through it in order to fire their own punches at you. Make him fear your jab and then everything else falls into place.
I never used to do this before. Since I was an inside fighter, I would just try to slip inside right away and start banging. Now I establish my jab, disrupt my opponents timing, and slipping inside is much easier because my opponent has something else to look for and be wary of.
fos
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From: martinburke
Date: 07-Sep-02 09:54 PM
Edited:07-Sep-02 09:56 PM
Damn,that didn't take long.:)
It's the easiest punch to throw,and landing your jab says "dominating the fight" to most judges.
It's good for blocking your opponent's vision,so you can give him something that he won't remember.:)
Chad-I think most people are more balanced offensively with your power hand to the rear.
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From: Rastus
Date: 07-Sep-02 09:56 PM
5 o clock shadow,
Hey, what's up, buddy? Long time no chat. I'm glad to hear the posts have been helpful! and you just posted an excellent insight too. It's going into slot 4.
(I'm updating the list in the first post for convenience to the reader).
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From: JRS3
Date: 08-Sep-02 11:58 AM
TTT
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From: lefthooker
Date: 08-Sep-02 12:12 PM
I'll post tomorrow. I've got some verrrry good stuff on the jab.
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From: LEMon
Date: 08-Sep-02 11:37 PM
Start the begginer off by jabbing with his thumb up, this ensures that he doesnt put his elbow out. Next after a week or two have him twist it at the end and u have a picture perfect jab, now just do it 100 times a day :)
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From: Jody
Date: 09-Sep-02 02:33 AM
Member Since: 01-Jan-01
I love the jab because it allows me to take advantage of my reach and I love to hook off of it. A good jab makes a boxer look like an artist or a technician, which is aesthically pleasing to people like us, who know a little bit about it. A brawler can use a jab as well, allowing himself to take small break in between flurries. I could go on, but then I would start being redundant.
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From: lefthooker
Date: 09-Sep-02 03:59 AM
LEMon makes some good advice
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From: Stickgrappler
Date: 09-Sep-02 08:02 AM
*WOW* you guys wait for me to leave work on friday before posting good info!
special thanks to martinburke for *jabbing* Rastus to contribute :-) and of course to all the others who contributed.
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From: Stickgrappler
Date: 09-Sep-02 08:49 AM
many of the regulars know about my website and Frank Benn. but for the sake of the newbies, here is some advice from Frank Benn:
BOXING TIPS FOR FIGHTING by Frank Benn
The jab
To me, the art of boxing is founded on the jab. If you've got a jab, you can box. If you don't, then boxing is hard. Simple as that. Without the jab, expect to get hit a lot. The jab helps to make you a good boxer. Without one, you're just a puncher (which can also be effective, but requires specialized attributes to pull it off).
The Can Opener, and the Spoon
There's a saying in boxing that your jab is a can opener, and your cross is a spoon. The opponent is a can of meat. You've got to use your can opener to open the can BEFORE you can use your spoon to dig out the meat. If you try to use your spoon first, you'll generally fail. Even if you like to lead off with a cross (not usually advisable, unless you're Roy Jones, Ali, or a pissed off Jack Johnson), it is advisable that you at least feint a jab to conceal the load-up of your rear shoulder for the cross.
Jab like a fencer
Jabbing is a game of controlled lunging in coordinated footwork to achieve the right range for other things. Some people use the jab in a light way, like a fly swatter. I like to use it light, but also as a heavier punch as well -- a dichotomy which comes from originally learning to box at 175 lbs., but finding myself now at a trim 215-220 lbs. with enough speed AND weight to use it both ways.
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From: Stickgrappler
Date: 09-Sep-02 08:50 AM
Boxing Tips for Fighting -- Part 2 -- With Some Street Applications, and Some Advice by Frank Benn
The Jab Revisited
Remember, the jab is your can opener. It precedes most other utensils. Look at it also as your sword. The jab must be fast, and reliable. When you've got nothing else left, you'd better at least have a jab. Insert it into every gap. Use it to probe the opponent's reactions. Imagine that you're blind -- your jab is how you feel for every contour.
Use of the jab ranges from pawing with it to load up your cross (Ali) to using it to conceal your low entry (Chris Byrd, even Royce Gracie) to a damaging tool that will make your man see stars (Larry Holmes). Hurting a man with your jab has to do with how much you bring your lead hip in line with the shot, and how much you shift your weight into it.
Most people don't put anything on their jab, and a decent boxer will not respect it -- as you throw it, he'll come right over the top of it with his cross and knock you out, or slip inside of it and catch you with his hook.
Feinting with the Jab
Before you can even use your jab as a feint, you have to make it believable. Otherwise (as already stated) your opponent will wait for that soldier to leave his post and storm that wall (previous metaphor from other post). Once you've made your jab into something credible and fearful in your opponent's eyes, you can work some other variables with it.
Bread Basket Jab
This is a great way to get the opponent to lower his lead hand and expose his chin. Or, if he won't lower that hand, you just crack away at that floating rib. I've put heavyweights on the floor with breadbasket jabs -- not hard to do if you've got a jab with some starch in it, and you time it when he's coming toward you. You've got to do it as you slip outside or sidestep -- i.e. your head moves on the same first beat that your punch did.
For more of Frank Benn’s insights, check out:
Frank Benn - Some tips and concepts related to the Jab
in which he writes a whole article on the jab.
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From: joemurphy
Date: 09-Sep-02 09:18 AM
Rastus - what do you mean by "rotating your shoulders"? Is that the same as rolling your lead shoulder to hide your chin? hmmm....can't say I'm for or against it until I understand it.
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From: Stickgrappler
Date: 09-Sep-02 09:19 AM
of course, Rastus wrote
"Top 10 Reasons to Jab"
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From: LEMon
Date: 13-Sep-02 07:31 PM
ttt
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From: Rastus
Date: 22-Sep-02 01:47 PM
hey guys,
Did anyone notice on the De La Hoya/Vargas fight, how the Oscars win WAS A CONSEQUENCE OF HIS ESTABLISHING HIS JAB?
He didn't outmuscle Vargas, didn't out bomb him...he outjabbed him. Once this jab was established, it ushered in the bombs.
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NOTE: posted to the Underground's Boxing forum. Posted Dec 2008 and backdated to Dec 5, 2002 to mirror my old archives http://stickgrappler2.tripod.com/ug/rastjab2.html
Other Rastus articles posted:
