How do you rock Conor with a Jab? Boxing Basics explained.

[I WILL CUT YOU]

"Ain't nothing ever shut somebody up quicker like a stiff jab to the teeth"

- Me

--Kenny Florian

 

[zenpokaiten]

Did read. Very interesting technique. Thanks TS. Do some people read too slow to get thru a few paragraphs?

 

[M Raid K]

Fedor used it in his rematch with Kohsaka to great effect, almost knocked him out with it. Check around the end of the first round, around 8:53 (difficult to pinpoint cause of all the cut check breaks).

Oh right, he did! I even remember commentators being surprised how Kohsaka got stunned by "just" a jab.

 

[Wariowokecancel]

"3. WITHOUT REMOVING WEIGHT FROM LEAD FOOT, lift your lead foot."

The laws of physics say this is impossible.

You'd need outside force to do this.

 

[Andzso]

Huge if true

 

[I WILL CUT YOU]

After a Torrid pace that left Diaz bloodied and swollen, Mcgregor is still feeling confident and sits in the pocket with Diaz.

At 2:54, all that confidence was flushed out the window by a basic boxing technique known as a "Trigger Step." A normal Jab is not a punch that will turn fights around, generally it hides or sets up other punches.

Moreover, in order to get power into a typical jab; your entire body weight needs to be moving forward. making it both predictable and adding moments to the time it takes to deliver the punch. All this means that a typical jab is very unlikely to blow your opponent backwards- it'll either be a light punch or something they see coming.

But add a Trigger Step? That Jab now has power similar to a straight, with no set up motion required.
"Failure to teach the FALLING STEP ("trigger step") for straight punching has resulted in the LEFT JAB being used generally as a light, auxiliary weapon for making openings and "setting up," instead of as a stunning blow." -Jack Dempsey

So what is a Trigger Step? Most people will find a trigger step extremely awkward feeling and Difficult to do. Basically you do this:
1. Get in a normal boxing stance, lead foot 18 inches or so ahead of the rear foot.
2. Put as much weight as possibly on your lead foot without leaving your stance.
3. WITHOUT REMOVING WEIGHT FROM LEAD FOOT, lift your lead foot.

More from Dempsey:
"You unquestionably will be tempted to shift some of the weight from the left foot to the right foot just before you step. But don't do it. Do nothing with the right foot, which is resting lightly on its ball, NO PRELIMINARY MOVEMENT! Just lift the left foot and LET THE BODY FALL FORWARD IN A LONG, QUICK STEP. The left foot should land flat and solid on the floor at the end of the step. It is a quick, convulsive and extremely awkward step. Yet, it's one of the most important steps of your fistic life; for that falling-forward lurch is the rough diamond out of which will be ground the beautiful, straight knockout jolt. It's the gem-movement of straight punching."

The basis of the trigger step is a way to get all of your weight suddenly falling by putting all the weight on the front foot then catching that falling weight with a quick step forward from the same foot. Done correctly your lead foot will slam the ground louder than a hard slap. Done incorrectly, your instincts will shift your weight onto your back foot before you lift your front, and so your weight will be moving backwards and add nothing to the Jab. Your back foot will do its job on its own- when your trigger step your back foot comes to the rescue by pushing your weight forward. It cannot be overstated how necessary it is to let yourself fall and catching yourself with the lead foot.

You don't jump off it, you don't rock- you just lift it up and your back foot will automatically push you forward as your lead foot catches the weight again.

Conor had just thrown a Jab that fell short. he is already back to balance but still inside Diaz's range.
People make a lot of how Diaz keeps weight on the front foot, but it's why his seemingly half effort straight punches have such dramatic effect. When your heavy on your front foot, you can trigger step at any time- just lift your front foot and your weight is falling hard and fast.

So out of no where with no sign it's coming, Nate trigger steps while at the same time quickly lifting his jab out so that the falling weight is caught by Conor's chin.

This is the punch that initially rocks Conor, from here on he is wobbly, spent and his confidence is shot.

When thinking about how and why the trigger step works, the biggest thing to remember is there is no movement that gives away its coming. If you take a moment to practice a trigger step, you'll notice your front foot smacks the ground extremely hard when you catch yourself. If a jab catches your weight before your foot does, it will have the same amount of power behind it(which is all of your body weight in a sudden freefall.)

This type of Jab has KO power and is lightning quick. The down side of this is that being heavy on your front leg opens you to other strikes in MMA- but its a trade off the Diaz bros have been more than willing to take.

If you haven't read Dempsey's Book, 'Championship Fighting,' you definitely should. One last bit from Dempsey:
"Learn now and remember always that in fighting you cannot afford to give your body the luxury of a useless preliminary or preparatory movement before shooting a punch. In the first place, your target may be open for only a split-second, and you must take advantage of that opening like a bolt of lightning. Secondly, preliminary movements are give-aways-"tell-tales"-"telegraphs"-that treacherously betray to your opponent your own next action."

Really good post. I do the same trigger step in grappling, usually with a knee tap from clinch range. Never knew it's name though.


Cheers.

 

[GordoBarraBJJ]

After a Torrid pace that left Diaz bloodied and swollen, Mcgregor is still feeling confident and sits in the pocket with Diaz.

At 2:54, all that confidence was flushed out the window by a basic boxing technique known as a "Trigger Step." A normal Jab is not a punch that will turn fights around, generally it hides or sets up other punches.

Moreover, in order to get power into a typical jab; your entire body weight needs to be moving forward. making it both predictable and adding moments to the time it takes to deliver the punch. All this means that a typical jab is very unlikely to blow your opponent backwards- it'll either be a light punch or something they see coming.

But add a Trigger Step? That Jab now has power similar to a straight, with no set up motion required.
"Failure to teach the FALLING STEP ("trigger step") for straight punching has resulted in the LEFT JAB being used generally as a light, auxiliary weapon for making openings and "setting up," instead of as a stunning blow." -Jack Dempsey

So what is a Trigger Step? Most people will find a trigger step extremely awkward feeling and Difficult to do. Basically you do this:
1. Get in a normal boxing stance, lead foot 18 inches or so ahead of the rear foot.
2. Put as much weight as possibly on your lead foot without leaving your stance.
3. WITHOUT REMOVING WEIGHT FROM LEAD FOOT, lift your lead foot.

More from Dempsey:
"You unquestionably will be tempted to shift some of the weight from the left foot to the right foot just before you step. But don't do it. Do nothing with the right foot, which is resting lightly on its ball, NO PRELIMINARY MOVEMENT! Just lift the left foot and LET THE BODY FALL FORWARD IN A LONG, QUICK STEP. The left foot should land flat and solid on the floor at the end of the step. It is a quick, convulsive and extremely awkward step. Yet, it's one of the most important steps of your fistic life; for that falling-forward lurch is the rough diamond out of which will be ground the beautiful, straight knockout jolt. It's the gem-movement of straight punching."

The basis of the trigger step is a way to get all of your weight suddenly falling by putting all the weight on the front foot then catching that falling weight with a quick step forward from the same foot. Done correctly your lead foot will slam the ground louder than a hard slap. Done incorrectly, your instincts will shift your weight onto your back foot before you lift your front, and so your weight will be moving backwards and add nothing to the Jab. Your back foot will do its job on its own- when your trigger step your back foot comes to the rescue by pushing your weight forward. It cannot be overstated how necessary it is to let yourself fall and catching yourself with the lead foot.

You don't jump off it, you don't rock- you just lift it up and your back foot will automatically push you forward as your lead foot catches the weight again.

Conor had just thrown a Jab that fell short. he is already back to balance but still inside Diaz's range.
People make a lot of how Diaz keeps weight on the front foot, but it's why his seemingly half effort straight punches have such dramatic effect. When your heavy on your front foot, you can trigger step at any time- just lift your front foot and your weight is falling hard and fast.

So out of no where with no sign it's coming, Nate trigger steps while at the same time quickly lifting his jab out so that the falling weight is caught by Conor's chin.

This is the punch that initially rocks Conor, from here on he is wobbly, spent and his confidence is shot.

When thinking about how and why the trigger step works, the biggest thing to remember is there is no movement that gives away its coming. If you take a moment to practice a trigger step, you'll notice your front foot smacks the ground extremely hard when you catch yourself. If a jab catches your weight before your foot does, it will have the same amount of power behind it(which is all of your body weight in a sudden freefall.)

This type of Jab has KO power and is lightning quick. The down side of this is that being heavy on your front leg opens you to other strikes in MMA- but its a trade off the Diaz bros have been more than willing to take.

If you haven't read Dempsey's Book, 'Championship Fighting,' you definitely should. One last bit from Dempsey:
"Learn now and remember always that in fighting you cannot afford to give your body the luxury of a useless preliminary or preparatory movement before shooting a punch. In the first place, your target may be open for only a split-second, and you must take advantage of that opening like a bolt of lightning. Secondly, preliminary movements are give-aways-"tell-tales"-"telegraphs"-that treacherously betray to your opponent your own next action."

Good read but posting it in the heavy forum will just result in "did not read gifs".

 

[wonderbread]

Your images are not working.. fix them.

 

[I WILL CUT YOU]

"3. WITHOUT REMOVING WEIGHT FROM LEAD FOOT, lift your lead foot."

The laws of physics say this is impossible.

You'd need outside force to do this.

Nah, try it a few times. You'll understand.

 

[MayhemMonkey]

Incorrect. Go back and watch that part of the fight, there was no straight thrown. Just a jab by itself. You'd understand why and how if you read the very detailed explanation Above.

this is where Conor got rocked, Nate threw the 1-2. Conor attempted to slip and throw his uppercut but got caught by both punches. this is when it started going downhill for Conor. so whatever your thread is about, its obviously wrong if you think it was a jab that rocked Conor initially

 

[YouNeedLogic]

You wasted your own time

Didn't read

So he wasted his time making that post because a random Sherdog poster didn't read it? Ok.

 

[LoneStalker]

Well, I read it.
It's interesting that you mention Jack Dempsey, one of the more brutal heavyweights ever but one who wasn´t famous for his jab but for his right straight.
But what Dempsey was saying is that a jab is a powerful punch if the fighter transfer the force from the body to the arm. That simple trick of the upward motion is what transfers the force. Dempsey was defeated twice my Tunney, who took the art of the jab to a even higher level.
Marvin Marvelous Hagler was a southpaw who boxed with the orthodox stance, and his jab was devastating precisely because of that motion to transfer force.
But the jab is also the punch that sets the distance and defines the sequence. There is a very interesting video on youtube about the fight in which Foreman KTFO Moore. In that video, Foreman tells how for much of his career he depended on his devastating right hand until he realised that the jab was the key that opens all doors. Against Moore, he was throwing heavy jabs for 10 rounds until he put Moore in position to be duly KOed.
Good post, TS.

 

[Final Say]

this is where Conor got rocked, Nate threw the 1-2. Conor attempted to slip and throw his uppercut but got caught by both punches. this is when it started going downhill for Conor. so whatever your thread is about, its obviously wrong if you think it was a jab that rocked Conor initially

Not a bad thread overall and I love talking technique but I agree with Mayhem here. Conor was rocked by a 1-2.

 

[tenniswhiz]

Cerrone zapped Barboza with a sweet jab.

 

[snizzar]

"3. WITHOUT REMOVING WEIGHT FROM LEAD FOOT, lift your lead foot."

The laws of physics say this is impossible.

You'd need outside force to do this.

This. The technique sounds interesting, the execution explaining it could've been a little better.

 

[Pyreen]

Oh right, he did! I even remember commentators being surprised how Kohsaka got stunned by "just" a jab.

Yup, that's the one. It's funny how people nowadays paint prime Fedor as a reckless brawler with heavy hands.

 

[MayhemMonkey]

Nate wins that fight 100 times out of 100 IMO.

I dont see how anyone can be confident in that prediction after seeing the first 7 minutes of that fight

 

[Aerose91]

This is just kind of boxing 101, its the very first thing i learned about punching in boxing. Your hands always move with your feet, reach comes from your feet not your arms, you should hear your foot hitting the ground not your punch landing etc..
The diaz bros just do the basics really well, GSP was the same.

Not trying to disparage your post, TS, its a good, detailed explanation of a proper jab

 

[Peteyandjia]

Conor got tired throwing his left like a bomb over and over, as well as getting sucked into the mental Diaz vortex that saps fighters' wills, and then was rocked by a cross. It's weird that you can't see this, because it's an incredibly obvious moment of someone going from not rocked, to rocked, by one single punch: the 2 in Nate's 1-2. I think maybe you are just in love with this jab and so you are projecting.

 

[wiseolddragon]

this is where Conor got rocked, Nate threw the 1-2. Conor attempted to slip and throw his uppercut but got caught by both punches. this is when it started going downhill for Conor. so whatever your thread is about, its obviously wrong if you think it was a jab that rocked Conor initially

He was no doubt rocked there as well.

But If the getting knocked off balance and slackjawed that happens @ 2:54 isn't considered getting rocked, then nothing is.