Expert: Alan Kahn - 4/21/2005

Question
Hai,

Im from holland so exuse me for my english. Id like to know about good combinations i can practice on my heavy bag or in front a mirror. Nice combos what will suprice my sparringpartners when whear practicing. Just give me what you got.

thanx in advance,

menno pfeifer

Answer
Hi Menno,

Don't worry about your English. I appreciate your desire to learn and it's great to help out our friends in Holland. I have always wanted to visit your country.

Good combinations are actually pretty simple to create. A little harder to execute and much harder to land. But practice can really help. Focus on the Basic punches, The Jab, Straight Punch, Cross, Hook, and uppercut. You can put these together in two, three, four and five punch combinations. You can also mix them in any order, and aimed at different targets. ( head, arm, chest, body= stomach, or ribs)

You can start simple.

Jab, Jab, straight punch.

L-Jab, R-Cross, L-Hook (to face)
L-Jab, R-Cross, L-Hook (to ribs,)
L-jab, R-Cross, L-Hook-ribs, L-Hook-face (double hook)
* Micky Ward does a lot of double Hooks combinations and uses them very effectively.

L-Jab, L-Hook, R-Cross, L-uppercut (can follow with R-Upper)

These are just a few examples. You can mix them in any order you like, work them slow, find your balance points and where you need to shift your weight. do them in shadow box, then moving left, right, front and back. Then to all bags, particular heavy and double end.

I would create 5 or 6 that that you feel good with and practice them until you can do them without thinking about your movement, or mechanics. they just flow. then you can surprise you opponents as you go from one to the other at will in the ring.

here are some other links to boxing tips

http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=6242

Ross boxing training articles
http://www.rossboxing.com/thegym.html

Balasz boxing tips
http://www.balazsboxing.com/thegym/index.htm

Speed Bag Central
http://www.speedbagcentral.com/Tips_FocusedWorkouts.html

I hope this helps you, Menno. Good luck in your boxing career and please train safely.  Maybe one day we'll see you headline a fight in Las Vegas!

sincerely,

Alan Kahn
author, The Speed Bag Bible