Jab Technique: Boxing VS Muay Thai

[UrbanSavage**]

Currently, I train standup in a muay thai gym and on the side train a little bit of boxing with an ex boxer with focus mitts who just trains me for fun.

My question is, the way the trainers have me jab in boxing and in muay thai are very different. In muay thai, the trainer has me rotate my body kindve and turn my fist to the right while I punch so that my pinky is the top finger.

In boxing, the trainer has me jab and I rotate a bit but it seems like I'm not committing tot he jab so much, I'm more firing it out there and also when it lands, my pointer finger is the top finger.

The boxing way feels a lot more natural to me and it seems like I can't set up any combinations with the muay thai jab way and it feels like I'm trying to make my jab some kind've knockout punch but then turning it over all the way like that feels like it's taking all my power away.

My question is, which one of these jabs is technically correct, or are they both correct just different because of the different stand up styles? And also, which one of these would be the preferred style for MMA?

Also, the boxing trainer tells me when I land a punch, I'm supposed to want to land with my ring finger because landing with your middle finger will be more likely to give you a broken hand, is that true? Thanks.

 

[triplex429]

i didn't know that jabs in MT and boxing were different as far as the way you connect with your fists

it might just be a preference of your coach. some coaches teach me to twist my wrist at the end of a hook and some tell me to keep it straight

not all jabs thrown the same but i think if anything....the only reason why it would be different is because in MT kicks are involved so i'm sure the mt stance requires a different approach in some aspects. or not, i'm not sure

 

[bobNweave]

i think the exboxer has little experience. you gotta twist your fist until the way your knuckles are lined up are parallel to the ground, and if youre trying to get though a tight gaurd then use the MT way of jab which is usually called the corkscrew in boxing. youre just feeling like youre losing power because its not natural and it hasnt yet become a reflex when you extend your arm, as you practice the twist shouldnt feel like it's robbing you of power. also, land your punches on both your index knuckle and your middle knuckle, landing on the index finger can make your punches slip if youre throwing a jab straight out, especially in a real match where they put vaseline on your face and/or gloves, think about it, your fist is facing to the side when it should be aligned with your arm.

idk if this works for MMA gloves but twisting your fists at the moment of contact does rip flesh with boxing gloves

 

[ziggity]

i was taught to jab by a boxer as well. you learn to rotate your torso to fire the punch, to stiffen your arm, and to let the stiffness at the end of the movement be your power. it's not a matter of punching really hard, more a matter of executing it properly to achieve a hard impact.

 

[big nookoo]

My kru hasn't been teaching us to "corkscrew," as you described it. We're instructed to finish our jab with the knuckles parallel to the floor, not with the pinky up as you stated.
This is also consistent with the instruction I rec'd when learning Shaolin Kempo 8+ years ago.

Dunno if its better or worse... My guess would be as long as you have your fist configured right and make contact with the right knuckles, you won't break anything in your hand or wrist - no matter where your fingers are pointing.


Do you feel like you can flick the jab out there quickly and then pull it back / re-chamber it quickly when you rotate the arm that far over? It seems like this motion would be slower than not rotating the arm...

 

[aries]

I'd stick with the fist being parallel to the ground. Just can't see any benefit from turning the fist over even further. I'd trust the 'hand' specialist when it comes to use of hands.
(BTW I box and have never seen anyone turn the fist over that far).

 

[Brando]

I always thought turning the fist over was hugely important with straight punches, and plays a big role in giving your punch that real "snap". I know a few guys who throw with a vertical fist (i.e. thumb facing the ceiling) who told me that it feels better jabbing from the hip without turning the punch over, but I don't agree. Might boil down to a matter of personal preference, but I feel robbed of power when I don't turn my fist over... however, turning it over as much as you described is new to me. He could be overemphasizing the turn-over so that your shoulder is going to be up guarding your chin when that jab is extending without question, or maybe it's a MT thing I'm not familiar with?

 

[jlagman]

I've been taught the "thumb side down, pinky side up" method before. The rationale behind that is that rotating your fist at such an extreme angle forces your lead shoulder upwards; which helps guard the chin. I personally don't use it, I feel that the jab is a pretty low-risk maneouvre to begin with...in this situation, I think you should use whatever you feel comfortable with.

 

[SideofKO]

My boxing trainer says that the fist should twist thumb side down, so as to do two things.

1. It forces the shoulder to turn into your jaw, so as to keep it protected.

2.The twisting action cuts people.

 

[Marvin Covar]

do whichever you are more comfortable with. if you practice it enough it CAN be a deadly weapon.

 

[blackriceman]

ur supposed to land wiht your index and middle finger , ring and pinky hits are suppsoed to cause boxers frracture

 

[Sinister]

Just so everyone knows, there's not only one type of jab.

There's power-jabs, flip-jab (a.k.a. up-jab), trip-hammer jabs.

For almost every style fighter there's a suitable jab to go with.

 

[Lui Hailong]

The first time I learned of punching with the thumbs to the ground, I thought it felt pretty awkward. So I just kept punching as before, parallel to the ground. Sure enough, I noticed that my thumbs actually were pointing to the ground at impact, I just wasn't noticing it or trying to do it deliberately. If you punch in a "fluid" manner - "fluid" meaning you keep your arms and hands relaxed until the very moment of impact - and roll your shoulder into your punches your arm will naturally "corkscrew". It's not the turning of the hand that makes you roll your shoulder, it's the other way around.

Just like a lot of other things in striking, like the way your arms move while throwing a roundhouse, this isn't something that should be mimicked, but should just feel right. I've said it before and I'll say it again, striking is a lot like dancing.

 

[Sean Buckley]

Well MT is not really known for their punching techniques. Boxing and western style kickboxing have superior punches and punching combos. But don't get me wrong, when it comes to knees and elbows MT is where it's at

 

[ON A MISSION]

Yeah as someone mentioned before always hit with your index and middle finger knuckles. Do pushups with your weight on those two knucles only and you will get great wrist strength

I've made a mistake a few times fighting while I was drunk and braking my fingers on tables and faces because of hitting with my pinky or ring finger knucks

 

[Symphony-x]

rotating ur torso, and twisting ur wrist... thought that was the only way. pushing ur body forward a bit...

20% arms... 80% body

 

[jcs980]

I'm a boxer and when I punch, my fist isn't vertical or horizontal. It's in between at about a 45 degree angle. I've had no problems doing it that way and I have really good speed and power with both my jabs and my straight punches. Also, I'm able to guard my chin very well when I jab.

 

[Payak]

usually done with the right cross,not the jab.
the corkscrew is old school, kostya tzsyu began using it later in his career. it allows all your knuckles to touch the jaw.
the thumb should not be all the way down,it should be diagonal.
it's taught in boxing sometimes,rarely in muay thai,and never for the jab.

 

[Snubnoze707]

Well MT is not really known for their punching techniques. Boxing and western style kickboxing have superior punches and punching combos. But don't get me wrong, when it comes to knees and elbows MT is where it's at

Across the board, maybe, but their have been a lot of Nakmuays that have moved into boxing after Muay Thai and taken WBC and WBA World Championships....

 

[Pro Killer]

In Boxing I think the Jab is more important obviously as there are so fewer weapons so everyone of them has to be made to count.
In Muay Thai I was told to not worry about throwing the jab powerfully at all, Just foucs on speed, I've never actually been corrected on the jab its the easiest punch to learn how to throw, the only thing I was corrected on was to make sure not to telegraph it, I.e. Dropping it before throwing it or cocking it before throwing it and making sure to snap it straight back afterwards!

Therefore the way my Kru likes me to throw it is Vertical fist i.e. imagine ur having a wank, Same hand position just open, So palm is facing the side with pinky finger nearest to the ground.THEN SNAP BACK STRAIGHT AWAY!!!
Then when the jab has broken threw the guard of the opponent, Twist it almost 180degrees so the thumb is the nearest to the grown and the palm is facing the other way!
As far bodyweight transferrance I dont commit to it with the feet and hips like other punches, That motion commits the shoulder and thats all u need in Muay Thai as its all about speed. In Boxing it could be different although as you can't get kicked etc... And have fewer weapons so will be more specialised.

For MMA I'd say don't commit your body too it as it'll obviously slow it down and then more chance of being taken down etc..