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Another great video of what I'm talking about, look at how Kovalev is constantly circling around an imaginary opponent while shadowboxing, even though he is more of a pressure fighter:
For me the biggest step forward in boxing was when I stopped focusing on punching during shadowboxing but instead focused on moving and footwork. When you get this sort of movement into your muscle memory it will really work well during fighting, you'll just "fly" around your opponent.
You're right, extending your punches fully makes no sense. Shadowboxing isn't meant to actually hit anyone so why would you punch with your full reach when that only increases the risk of injuries? Shadowboxing is meant to focus on motions and fundamentals behind the punch, not the punch itself. When you're actually fighting you can always just extend your punch more, it's the easiest thing to do, you don't need to practice for it, you practice the fundamentals behind that punch.
For example if you watch Klitschko shadowboxing he always throws these ridiculous short narrow punches (especially when he throws hooks) but that's the way it's supposed to be.
For me the biggest step forward in boxing was when I stopped focusing on punching during shadowboxing but instead focused on moving and footwork. When you get this sort of movement into your muscle memory it will really work well during fighting, you'll just "fly" around your opponent.
You need to be able to extend your punches fully, I see what you mean, but I don't like extending all the way when shadowboxing. Risk of overextending the elbow and you lose the flow. Watch pro boxers shadowbox, they rarely extend them fully, but again it depends on what they are working on.
You're right, extending your punches fully makes no sense. Shadowboxing isn't meant to actually hit anyone so why would you punch with your full reach when that only increases the risk of injuries? Shadowboxing is meant to focus on motions and fundamentals behind the punch, not the punch itself. When you're actually fighting you can always just extend your punch more, it's the easiest thing to do, you don't need to practice for it, you practice the fundamentals behind that punch.
For example if you watch Klitschko shadowboxing he always throws these ridiculous short narrow punches (especially when he throws hooks) but that's the way it's supposed to be.