Boxer's Start-up Guide: Learn to Box on Your Own Terms

Transcription

1 Boxer's Start-up Guide: Learn to Box on Your Own Terms Jason Van Veldhuysen

2 Boxer s Start-up Guide Preface I am here to support your journey into boxing. If you have any questions about training, nutrition, conditioning or anything in this guide please contact me at the address below. I have provided both a private YouTube link and a download link for the video. Paste the YouTube link into a browser or click on it for video access. For the download link make sure to paste it into a browser and choose download in the top right corner, if you press play and stream with the download link you will only be able to preview the first 15 minutes. If you are downloading this is best done from a PC or Mac, you can later move the video file to a mobile device I also offer more great material and support at the Precision Striking Training Group on Facebook. Since you are a valued customer you are permitted access to this group. Take a moment to request access using the link below. As well, I want to ensure that you are making progress and getting the most out of your training experience. A video review of your training is included as part of this program. Record yourself training or sparring at some point in your journey and send it to me. I will give you the best advice I have based on what I see. YouTube Link: Download Link: Private Facebook Training Group: Contact precisionstriking@yahoo.com PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 01

3 Introduction I have to confess that even just five years ago my mindset was that if you weren t going to join a boxing gym and train for a fight, then don t even bother with boxing, just do something else. A lot has changed since then however. After so many discussions with former competitive boxers, ex-military personnel, specialists in other combat sports, and aspiring martial artists, I have come to realize that boxing offers so many benefits regardless of a person s station in life. Ultimately for me, boxing is an emotional experience. This does not mean that I want you to get emotional or feel emotions while boxing. It means that I want you to train on your own terms and feel the sense of satisfaction that comes from learning the art and science of boxing and overcoming the challenges that it presents. Training in the sport of boxing establishes in your mind the belief that you have what it takes to fight, and that you are willing to take the risk and put in the work to be ready for such an event. Regardless of the equipment, rules and referees, boxing is still fighting that evokes fear and has real repercussions. In order to maximize your risk to reward ratio, it s ideal to bring you to a level of competency where the best of you performs optimally while still being challenged. The training and insight offered in this program builds a solid platform to take you to that level and at the same time gives you enough awareness to know which challenges are worthy of your time, and which ones aren t. You will have a better sense of who can elevate you, and who will limit your progress. The information in this guide gives you all the knowledge, skills and drills needed to develop yourself as a competent boxer. PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 02

4 What You Will Get Out of This Program In this guide I want to give you everything I possibly can to help you achieve your personal goals as they relate to boxing without you having to join a boxing gym. My guess is that you have the desire to develop yourself through boxing, but right now joining a boxing gym is not feasible, this could be for a number of reasons: 1. There are no legitimate boxing gyms in your area (this was my situation as a young teenager). 2. You boxed years ago and want to start training again. You know the fundamentals but could use a quick refresher to get you back up to speed. 3. You want to join a boxing gym and feel you could be more prepared for the process of training, you don t want to be embarrassed or taken to school by a coach or gym mate who is not interested in your development. 4. You already train seriously in another sport or combat sport and paying gym fees to learn boxing doesn t make financial sense right now. Boxing can get just as expensive as almost any other sport. 5. You travel a lot and have family obligations that don t allow for a predictable schedule. You want to train boxing at your own convenience. 6. You have a child or family member that you think would love boxing and you want them to try it out at home before taking them to a boxing gym 7. You are a female aspiring boxer and don t feel that the serious boxing gyms in your area have a welcoming and developmental environment for women. 8. You are headed off to school or vocational training and want to get started in boxing now so you can work on your skills in your free time. I have designed this program to help you get the most out of boxing with virtually no equipment or pre-requisite skills. You will learn boxing in terms of the individual components such as stance, footwork, offense, and defense, and you will learn how to integrate these components into a tactical flow including how to start a boxing sequence, what combinations to throw, how to escape and exit the exchange, and how to maintain continuity. All of the skills in this guide will carry over to the heavy bag, other training bags, the focus pads, partner drills, and sparring (when the time comes). When you start hitting objects such as the bag or focus pads you will need to wrap your hands and get a pair of bag gloves. The appendix at the end of this guide has links to my free YouTube videos on handwraps, gloves, and how to train for boxing. Please take a look at these to help you with your training as you progress. For now however, this guide has everything you need. PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 03

5 Boxing Workouts I have designed a series of progressive workouts to enhance your skills and fluency in the sport of boxing. Before you progress beyond each level, I recommend you do each workout 12 times, three to four times per week is ideal. Remember that in boxing your body has to acquire the movement and adapt on a physical level, and this takes time. Early on it will slow you down to have to think about complex boxing sequences, so I have designed the workouts to progress from simple core movements and skills to more complex combinations and sequences as you move through the stages. Over time you should start to take charge of your training and feel more natural and connected in your movement. You will do less of the basic core drills in the more advanced workouts because at that point you should be incorporating them into your freestyle training. For example, in the early workouts you will work on Lateral Motion, but as you move to more advanced stages you should be incorporating Lateral Motion into other drills such as Freestyle rounds and Speed rounds thus you won t need to work on it separately. Within each workout are themes and drills from the video for you to focus on (I will call these themes and drills protocols for the rest of the handbook). You will perform each protocol for a three minute round with a one minute break. The only exception to this is the development drills which you will perform for 15 seconds to one minute with various rest periods and total sets. However, if you prefer two or five minute rounds or 30 second breaks then feel free to implement those intervals. If you haven t already, download your favourite interval timer app to signal the beginning and end of training rounds. The one I use these days is called Impetus. If you don t have a mobile device to work with you can access interval timers online. Although you can warm-up with boxing moves and techniques themselves, my experience is that you will perform better if you take 3-5 minutes to warm-up with broad motions. When I train at home my warm-up consists of the following: jumping jacks (you can break these out into sets of 25 if you like) alternating toe touches with my feet spread apart outside of shoulder width Arm circles in both directions for 30 seconds Broad hip circles with my hands on my lower back for 30 seconds in both directions. Ankle, wrist and neck rotations One minute easy pace shoeshine drill By the time this book is in your hands I will most likely have a warm up video posted in the Precision Striking Training Facebook Group so search for it there, or just me for a link and I ll be happy to send it to you. Below I explain each protocol to make sure you know exactly what to do. You are in charge of dictating the speed and intensity but it will be within a guided framework. For example, you may be required to work on the jab for one round. You can throw single jabs, double and triple jabs, jabs to the body, you can move forward or backward with the jab etc. You are not limited by standing in one place and just throwing single jabs at a certain speed. You are given the task, and it s up to you to put it into practice at your own pace. PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 04

6 Workout Protocols Shuffle Step Move around with the shuffle step. Your goal is to make small adjustments in all directions by imagining that your opponent is trying to close the gap, create an angle or move away from you. Once you get comfortable shuffling around in all directions while keeping your hands up and chin down then start to throw the jab periodically while moving. Make sure when you throw the jab to shift forward or backward with it, don t just stand and throw out the arm. Once you are comfortable with the jab then work on throwing full combinations from the shuffle step. Pendulum Step Move forward and back with the pendulum step. This is a drill that most people dislike because initially they are not conditioned for it. It will probably take you about 3-4 months of regular practice to get good at it, but the payoff is huge. Start with sets of 10 seconds and continue to build up your pendulum step endurance until you can go for a full three minutes. Next get comfortable throwing the jab during the forward movement portion of the pendulum step. Lateral Motion Work on lateral motion left and right, focus on stopping the outside leg and setting the inside leg forward or back (depending on the direction you are going and your stance). Don t try to jump into place and set both legs at the same time. After getting comfortable with setting into position and moving side to side then start to throw combinations just after you set into position. Try to move forward when you throw the combination. Remember that lateral motion is meant for the boxing ring, so after you are comfortable moving left and right along a straight line then start to go in circles as if you were going around a boxing ring. Crosswalking The focus of crosswalking is to take quick galloping steps that leave you in position to strike. Don t get caught up trying to take big steps. Keep the lead leg in front and stop after a period of going in one direction, then throw a combination. You can switch directions or move back in the same direction. Just like in lateral motion you can move right and left along a line or go in a circle to simulate the boxing ring. Most people find going in the direction of the rear leg difficult (to the right for orthodox and left for southpaw), it just takes time to get used to the small galloping steps. Freestyle Footwork Move around in your space doing anything that comes to mind. The key is to work on transitions between different steps and build up your footwork endurance. For example, move laterally then go in to the pendulum step, then pivot out and shuffle around for a bit, then move into crosswalking, work on fakes and feints, circle back in the opposite direction from the one you were going etc. Keep your feet moving. It helps to imagine that you are trying to get away from an opponent or that you are trying to corner an opponent. PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 05

7 Working on the Jab You will spend the entire round working on the jab. Knowing how to throw the jab is not enough, you have to get comfortable throwing it while moving forward, to the body and the head, and while slipping. It can be a quick flick or a power jab. You need to get comfortable throwing double and triple jabs, faking and then throwing it, as well as catching the jab and throwing it as a counter to another jab. Get creative with your jab, on top of that it can always be faster so don t hesitate to work on speed. Single Techniques Offense Similar to working on the jab, you will choose a single technique and focus on it. This could be a lead hook, a rear uppercut or overhand etc. The goal is to take one technique and throw it repeatedly while taking 2-3 second breaks and moving around in your stance. Be aware of your whole body when you throw this technique, be aware of your balance, your power and foot position, your body rotation and hand position. Make the most out of your time focusing on this one technique. Combos Mid to Long Range Work through the combinations taught in the video. Focus on one combination per round, or mix them all in. Your goal is to get comfortable with these combos so that they become fast and fluent. Soon you can make up your own variations and eventually create your own combinations. Don t be concerned if the combos you make up are right or wrong, almost anything can work in boxing if you know why you are doing it and you understand the consequences. For now work through the combos, have fun and be creative. Fake and Throw Transitioning is a big part of boxing that is not often taught. Going from lateral motion to an attack is critical to launching your offense. Throwing fakes makes transitions easier because you become less predictable with your attack. In this protocol, move around with footwork and execute fakes, then fake and immediately attack. You can fake, move, and then attack, or fake, move, then fake and immediately attack. Get comfortable with this type of broken rhythm. Inside Combos Work on the inside combinations taught in the video. On the inside you want to drive body rotation to execute the punch. Practice body rotation with hooks, uppercuts, and overhands. You can still sneak in short straight punches but they won t have much power. Attack high to low and then back up high. Attack around the sides of the body and then up the middle and over top. Defensive Techniques Spend the round blocking various punches that you imagine coming at you. You can work on blocking a single punch or you can block combinations. Use the virtual sparring simulation in the video as both a training tool and a reference. Defense is a weakness for most beginner boxers because often their early training is focused on stance, footwork and offense. PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 06

8 Duck and Counter Work through the virtual sparring section to get a feel for this. Duck under overhands and lead hooks and immediately come back with your counter. Try to start the counter punch early as you are on your way up from the duck. Don t wait to get to the top and then throw, you lose time and momentum. Defense and Counter In order to counter effectively you need to throw immediately after you block. You can block one punch or multiple punches, but when you decide to counter do it fast. Make sure to maintain balance when you block so that you are in a good position to counter. Try to imagine the punches coming at you and mentally work through the scenario. You can do this drill stationary, but you will ideally move around once you are comfortable with blocking and countering. Throw then Duck and Go Often you have to anticipate that your opponent will counter when you attack them, and you won t know in advance what they are throwing back. Anticipate the counter by ducking out left or right after you throw and take off with footwork. This is a high percentage way to escape after you have attacked, the only downside to ducking and taking off is that now you are back on the outside and will have to work to get back in if that is your ideal distance. Combo Duck Combo This is very similar to the duck and counter but involves more continuity and deserves its own focus. Throw a combo then duck, and then throw another combo. Whichever hand you finish with last in your combo you will roll with the momentum of that punch to duck. For example if you are orthodox and the left hook is the last punch then you will duck clockwise and come back with another combo that starts with the left hand. Eventually I want you to get into a flow where you build up large sequences that don t stop. For example, you throw a combo, then duck, and then you throw another combo, then duck again, then throw another combo and duck, and finally get out with footwork and restart. By training this way you learn that in boxing there is no place for standing still. Slip and Counter The secret here is to slip fast and recoil fast with your counter after you slip. Practice in a mirror so that your technique does not become sloppy. You can start out slow and build up speed. The faster you slip the faster your counter will be. Throw Slip Throw Throw a combo or a punch, then slip, then throw again. I d have to say that this is one of my secret weapons when it comes to launching my attacks. I throw something quick to either get the opponent on the defensive or draw them out by luring them into countering, then I slip to avoid the counter and then I throw again. If they don t throw a counter it tends to break the rhythm and allow me time to close the gap and look for openings. PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 07

9 Mix Defense and Head Movement Move around with footwork while defending against attacks using active defense and head movement. Start by defending against the jab in various ways and then move on to defending more complex attacks and combinations. Make sure to implement footwork with defense and head movement, don t just stand there and block or slip. Combo then Exit Plan Keep it as simple as throwing a jab and then implementing one of the exit plans in the guide, or move laterally, throw a combo and get out with one of the exit plans. Work on attacking and getting out in various ways. Once you become comfortable with exit plans after throwing a combo, then work on attacking immediately after you exit. In and Out Drill Similar to the pendulum step, you move forward and back using your feet while throwing combos. In the video I use a line to show a suggested distance needed to cover. You will move in with single attacks and combinations and quickly move out. You can move straight back after your attack and step to a new angle or you can pivot and move out on an angle. Around the Circle Drill This is one of my favourite drills because it teaches essential components of boxing that practitioners know on a conscious level, yet often do not build into their training. First, if you want to hit your opponent you will have to move to them. The circle drill teaches you to close the gap by crossing into the circle. Second, if you are within punching range then you better be busy throwing punches or moving your head. There is no time to rest while in the pocket (inside the circle). Third, after you attempt to hit someone they will most likely try to hit you back so you had better get away, which means it s ideal to exit the circle. Fourth, the best way to escape is to move out and then sideways (out and around the circle), or pivot and get out. Work this drill until the sequencing is built into everything you do. When the day comes for you to spar you ll thank me for this drill. Speed In speed training you will put all your effort into moving your hands fast in 4-8 punch flurries. You will move your feet and your head fast as well, or you can focus on one aspect and move with lightning speed. This type of training is brutally exhausting and your technique will probably fall apart. You ve spent so many rounds focused on technique and delivery that we need to balance that with what is needed in the real world, and that is speed. Eventually your technique, speed and conditioning will work synergistically. Work on connecting these links in the chain by moving fast. After just one round of training like this you ll have better insight into what a tough round of boxing is like. Power During power training get lower in your stance and put everything you ve got into combos that are 1-3 punches in length. Really learn to drive hard and fast with your body. Make sure you are warmed up before doing this and be careful not to overextend your elbow or mis-hit the heavy bag (if you are training on one), be precise if you are working on a bag. Otherwise focus on hooks, uppercuts, and overhands and really drive each shot hard and fast. PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 08

10 Freestyle During freestyle training do whatever boxing techniques you feel like and whatever comes to mind. Ideally, you will move non-stop. If your hands aren t firing then you are moving your feet. If your feet and hands aren t moving then you are moving your head. You can go smooth and easy with this drill to internalize the flow of movement and various combinations, or you can go hard and push the pace to maximize your conditioning. Try to link everything that we ve worked on by starting from the outside with lateral motion and fakes, to going in with your combo, to staying inside to work, to exiting after you are done. Perform this same sequence as a counter to an attack by defending first and then going in with your combination. Have fun! PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 09

11 Development Drills Hands to Chin with Eyes Closed Get a feel for proper hand position when you punch by throwing alternating punches with your eyes closed. Feel the non-punching hand touch your chin. Work through a variety of punches. You can also do this drill by watching your technique in a mirror. Stand sideways to the mirror and watch the delivery of your hand. Be your own worst critic when doing this drill. Single Leg Pivot Drill Work on alternating foot pivots with a focus on hip rotation. You can do this stationary or move around with footwork and stop periodically to rotate your hips. Make sure to keep the opposite leg in its place and maintain your level. Focus on your balance and full rotation. In all out boxing a foot pivot isn t necessary on every punch, especially punches off the lead hand, but it s important for beginners to work on full hip rotation as they often fall short in this aspect of movement. This drill will accelerate your progress and understanding of all other boxing techniques. Rockbacks Being able to change direction laterally is very important in boxing. This drill teaches the body how to do that in a rebounding way. Work this drill by itself, incorporate it into your lateral motion footwork drills and all other aspects of your training. Shoeshine This drill primarily teaches the speed and release of the upper back and shoulder muscles for firing off hooks and uppercuts. Be mindful to keep your elbows in front of you and really move those elbows and hands while slightly rotating the body. If you just move the hands alone you won t get the ideal benefit from this training method. Running Punchouts The focus of this drill is on conditioning and hand speed for straight punches. Don t flare the elbows when doing this drill and make sure to bring the non-punching hand back to the chin (or at least close to the chin). Make sure to train hard and fast when doing this drill. PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 10

12 Training Overview The workouts below are purely focused on boxing movements and conditioning through boxing. I did not include raw conditioning (skipping, burpees, push-ups, running, plyometrics, weight training etc.) in this guide because the boxing component is already a lot to work on and think about. Not to mention that most conditioning for boxing is developed through the practice of the sport itself. However, if you have watched my videos you most likely know that I am a big believer in raw conditioning and training to support performance. If you would like to add raw conditioning to your routine or have any questions about what I recommend, please contact me. The raw physical training for boxing doesn t have to be complex, it needs to be high intensity and consistent to yield optimal results. Below I describe the purpose and focus of each workout level, following that is a chart outlining the prescribed workouts. When looking at the chart, each column from left to right represents a level of progression, and the rows from top to bottom contain the protocols. Start at the top of the column and work your way down by performing the number of prescribed rounds or intervals for each exercise. Your workout is complete once you have performed each exercise in that column for the given number of rounds. Perform each workout level 12 times over 3-4 weeks before moving on to the next level. Preliminary The goal of the Preliminary workout is to develop your overall awareness of core boxing techniques and allow you to build your boxing like links in a chain. The focus is primarily on isolated components of boxing as demonstrated in the video such as lateral motion, shuffling, single offensive techniques, defensive techniques and simple drills to develop your capabilities. At this point the focus is more on acquiring basic skills than it is on conditioning or linking multiple components. Beginner In the Beginner program you start to work on more complex components of boxing such mid-long range combos, ducking, and exit plans etc. You continue to maintain fundamentals and work them in such a way to develop technique and build overall endurance. Intermediate At the Intermediate level you start to get a taste of what real boxing feels like. Your focus in on linking multiple components of boxing, thinking through various scenarios, integrating the lessons in the guide, and starting to think and move more freely. This will be a blend of working on essential skills, linking compound sequences, and thinking independently. PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 11

13 Advanced In the Advanced program your focus is almost exclusively on connecting components of boxing and working them fluently and continuously. In this program I want you to push the intensity of simple drills and to integrate constant motion. Your head hands and feet should be moving at all times. Even if you are working on a single technique you will perform it in the midst of footwork, head movement, angles, and exit plans. I would also like to see you push your limits with regards to speed and power. Start to leave an impact on yourself with these workouts, really go hard on speed and leave nothing left in the tank on the training drills at the end. First Fight Preparation The one thing this guide cannot give you is the sparring experience. However, you can still train like someone who has sparred many times and who is preparing for their first fight. There are a lot of intangibles that you will learn from sparring that I don t claim to duplicate in this guide. Primarily that during the early stages of sparring a person is not accustomed to hitting someone or getting hit. Adaptation takes place after experiencing it first-hand. What you learn in this guide will help you speed up the adaptation process when it finally comes time for you to spar. The actual fight experience itself is another level of intensity above sparring. It s an adrenal experience that is best met with high intensity training. Your goal in this workout is to attempt to push your output in everything you do. Don t go so hard that you lose control of your technique, but try to give every round 100%. Up until now we ve been building on technique so you should have a foundation. In an actual fight, that foundation often goes out the door if you haven t taken the time to blend your technical skills with high intensity training. This program is your time to do just that. Competitive Amateur Boxer This routine consists of training (minus the raw conditioning) that I performed when sparring competitive boxers to get them ready for fights while I was working full time and could not get to the boxing gym. The fitness room at my local gym and home became my training ground. I had no access to bags or partners, just open space and my own mind. Even after years of training you can still make improvements in your overall speed, agility and precision without equipment if you have enough desire, intensity, and creativity. This workout will really challenge you if you give it all you ve got. PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 12

14 Workout and Training Progression Training Drill Preliminary Beginner Intermediate Advanced Fight Prep Competitive Shuffle Step 1 Round 1 Round Pendulum Step 1 Round 1 Round Lateral Motion 1 Round 1 Round 1 Round Crosswalking 1 Round 1 Round Freestyle Footwork 1 Round 1 Round 2 Rounds 2 Rounds Working on Jab 1 Round 1 Round Single Techniques 2 Round 1 Round 1 Round Combos Mid to 2 Rounds 2 Rounds 2 Rounds 1 Round 1 Round Long Range Fake and Throw 1 Round 1 Round 1 Round Inside Combos 1 Round 1 Round 1 Round 1 Rounds Defensive 2 Rounds 2 Rounds Techniques Duck and Counter 1 Round 1 Round Defense and Counter 1 Rounds 2 Rounds 2 Rounds 2 Rounds Throw then Duck and 1 Round 1 Round 1 Round Go Combo-Duck-Combo 1 Round 1 Round 1 Round 1 Round Slip and Counter 1 Round 1 Round 1 Round Throw-Slip-Throw 1 Round 1 Round 1 Round Mix Defense and Head Movement 1 Round 1 Round Combo then Exit Plan 1 Round 1 Round 1 Round In and Out Drill 1 Round 1 Rounds 1 Round Around the Circle 1 Rounds 1 Round 2 Rounds 2 Rounds Drill Speed 1 Rounds 2 Rounds Power 1 Round 2 Rounds Freestyle 1 Round 2 Rounds 4 Rounds Total Rounds 9 Rounds 12 Rounds 14 Rounds 16 Rounds 18 Rounds 20 Rounds PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 13

15 Training Drills Training Drill Preliminary Beginner Intermediate Advanced Fight Prep Competitive Hands to Chin with Eyes Closed 3 x 1 min w 30 3 x 1 min w 30 Single Leg Pivot Drill 1 Round 1 Round Rockbacks 4 x 20 sec w 30 4 x 20 sec w 20 4 x 30 sec w 20 8 x 20 sec w 10 1 Round as hard as you can maintain Shoeshine 4 x 20 sec w 30 Running Punchouts 4 x 20 sec w 30 4 x 20 sec w 20 4 x 20 sec w 20 4 x 30 sec w 20 4 x 30 sec w 20 8 x 20 sec w 10 8 x 20 sec w 10 1 Round as hard as you can maintain 1 Round as hard as you can maintain PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 14

16 Appendix Wrist and Hand Conditioning: Hand wrapping: Bag gloves: How to Train on the Heavy bag: Four Way Ducking Drill: Overhand Right Variations: Beginner Sparring Concepts: Common Sparring Challenges: Efficiency with Footwork and Defense: PRECISION STRIKING PAGE 15