Expert: Alan Kahn - 4/10/2005

Question
how can i strethen my left jab if im a right handed perosn

Answer
Hi Sarah,

There are several ways you can improve you Left Jab. The first is obvious:  Practice it every day. Work it while moving forward, back, to the left, to the right, and circling. Along with that, focus on FORM as well as function. Make sure you position is correct. Stance and body posture. Throw it Straight out and quickly return it to home position.  No telegraphing movements, such as "wind up" or hitching the elbow or shoulder. You can use the speed bag to work your "tapping" and "flicking" multiple jabs, in rhythm to keep the bag going. Move left and right as you punch.  Use smaller bags to go faster.  

Next, work on strength for the shoulders and triceps in the back of the arms.  The will help give you a base of strength, but the pure power of the punch comes from your body balance, weight shift and the "snap" you can develop by correct technique.

Lastly, I would recommend you also work your left from an "unorthodoxed" or "southpaw" stance. change your stance and put your left fist back as your right is normally. Using the various punching bags, learn to target and throw a good hard "snapping" straight Left, just like your right. This will help you when it is the jabbing fist.

Here are a few links that might help

Boxing Techniques
http://seaford.abc.users.btopenworld.com/contents.htm

Boxing Punches
http://www.saddoboxing.com/learn.html

Balazs Boxing: (The Jab Check out other tips here also)
http://www.balazsboxing.com/thegym/boxingbasics_jab.htm

I hope this helps you out Sarah. Please ask again if you think I can help you further.

sincerely,

Alan Kahn
author, The Speed Bag Bible