Black Belt Boxing

Heres a combo from a little while ago a pivot focus combination that really has you working pivoting in both directions with controls before striking with your newly gained improved angle. We drilled a lot with cones and hula hoops on the floor just getting the mechanics of the pivots down. Then progressed it to with a human being and specific pivots then adding striking after the pivots. Then the alternative stance. Before progressing into building up the combo. Then we drilled it more live with situational live drills.

If you know me I’m a huge fan of the high guard. The Philly shell has its place and is a useful tool to add to your tool kit (particularly when your shoulders are dead). But you know I say it’s like Christmas has come early if somebody goes into the Philly shell. Here are 5 tactics to make them wish they spent more time conditioning their shoulders. That being said the Philly shell is an effective counter striking option and can be challenging to see which direction shots are going to be delivered from. Also true agility as coach Barry would say comes from being able to move and strike/defend in any stance in any direction. So to limit ourselves to only the high guard would be a waste and limited development.

Here’s taking the previous concept and applying it to a long guard opponent. Watch through the video to see it practiced then build into more live drilling.

Here’s a great sequence to show how to develop a concept. Here our base was take away the jab with a hook to the bicep. Stage 1 work it in isolation (well almost, we set it up so that the first 2 jabs were pulled so you can read the timing). Stage 2 we added a follow movement adding a back fist into cross. (This could be a hammer in mma). Stage 3 we added more movement so that you are required to be able to move your feet maintaining your base to be able to execute the technique then added a jump shift rear uppercut, hook. Stage 4 was adding feints and fakes. Stage 5 is using offence to control when your opponent can strike so it’s easier to time the counter. Stage 6 was using the long hook to the air to control distance that way your opponent is only ever in range to jab again making it easier to read. Stage 7 thinking about how this could be applied to other techniques…before running through the stages again. Stage 8 we did and I’ll post another time which is developing it into controlled delegated live sparring drills.

Here’s another reimagining of the Jodo kata. This video the focus is entering right. The previous video was entering left. Great to have option to be able to move think practically if you need to go one direction or the other based on terrain, placement of multiple opponents your opponent has a secondary weapon and you want to make it harder for them to draw and attack.

Here’s another Jodo kata. Plus as usual some reimagined variations of the sequence. Another interesting kata stopping the initial draw. Your opponent then draws from underneath and swings at the Jo which is placed as a barrier to need to get past. You pull the Jo out of the way so your opponent misses the Jo then you strike them directly. Think again how this applies to the use of long guard tactics we use making the opponent attack the long guard probe then countering it or letting it miss by momentarily pulling the long guard back or clearing the punch lane to then strike your op.

Check out these 5 different southpaw boxing combinations that include either a pivot out or a pivot hook. All could be done with a get around or jump shift too. Think of the most technical boxers of recent years Usyk, Crawford, lomachenko all are southpaws. Why do you think southpaws tend to be more technical (although not in this gym we our approach is the same regardless of stance). My opinion is from day one southpaws are taught to get their lead foot on the outside of their opponents. So all of their development is on footwork and angles. Sadly that’s rarely the case in gyms for orthodox fighters. Not here, we train both stances and always from day one the focus is create an angle never attack in the 50/50 in a straight line. Lateral movement is king.