Lead Uppercut - Cross Combo

[SummerStriker]

Conventionally, lots of lead hand strikes shift the weight to the rear leg, and lots of rear hand strikes shift the weight to the front foot.

Now that I'm more in touch with the sensation of weight shifting, I'm curious how y'all feel about the lead uppercut - cross combo, specifically for when fighting in open stance (one guy is southpaw).

To get my head offline and to the outside while I'm throwing the lead uppercut, I end up putting my weight on my front leg. Then, I throw the cross as my weight shifts back into position - stronger uppercut, weaker cross.

It seems to work well though because despite shifting away on the cross as if it were a jab, people like to rush in when they see the lead uppercut and it is easy to get them to throw themselves on it.

Am I on point or am I missing something?

 

[Discipulus]

You shouldn't have to throw a weak cross after that uppercut. Where is your weight headed during the uppercut? It should wind up on the rear foot, which loads the cross. I can say from experience, however, that it is difficult to consistently pull back all the way before throwing the cross. As someone who has problems with leaning forward, I tend to do it a lot on this combo, though it's one of my favorites.

I love the lead uppercut in general.

 

[SummerStriker]

You are right with the standard lead uppercut.

This is sort of a special situation, or at least I think it is:

When you throw the lead uppercut - cross combo in open stance, sometimes people like to get their head outside of their lead leg on the first punch because the lead uppercut is so often countered by a cross in this position. That makes the lead uppercut, in this case, a forward shifting hit.

 

[SummerStriker]

This could be a case of bad technique becoming standard technique

 

[NAKMUAY18]

If you struggle with the lead uppercut try an up-jab/slider/upshoot jab.
Less power but easier to pull off

 

[SummerStriker]

Thank you for the tip Nakmuay; I'll try it out.



___________________________________________

I just went back and looked at my shadow boxing video, where I used the combo a couple of times. I never did it facing the camera so it is hard to see the degree of head movement, but really I don't have much of a weight shift at all. It looks more like I'm just sitting on my front leg for both punches.

I'm not sure even where I picked this up from.

 

[LJD]

Personally I like the opposite, straight left followed by a lead right uppercut is one of my fav combos. Simple and effective. I think I understand what you're getting at with the combo you mentioned, the thing that gets me is shifting your weight back as you throw your cross. If you can pull it off more power to ya, it sounds kinda awkward to me though. Personally I'd probably go with a soft cross where the weight stays forward, followed by either one more attack with the lead hand, a pivot out of there, or a combination of a pivot and a lead hand attack.

Conor McGregor uses the lead uppercut before and after the left hand quite a bit, and he also uses a soft left hand. I think a guy did a breakdown with both of those techniques, so it may be one to check out if you haven't already.

 

[Discipulus]

Throwing the uppercut like that can be risky, because by the sound of it you are letting your weight drift backward away from either foot, and leaving your head forward/over the lead hip throughout the motion.

 

[SummerStriker]

Throwing the uppercut like that can be risky, because by the sound of it you are letting your weight drift backward away from either foot, and leaving your head forward/over the lead hip throughout the motion.

I'm sure you are right.

It doesn't even make sense anyway. If we are in open stance, and I shift forward to throw a lead uppercut, I'm just putting his lead arm and elbow more in the way. If I shifted back like normal, it would be more likely to get between his guard and the slip is still away from their cross.

I couldn't tell you where I got this from, but I have higher level training partners now and I noticed that it doesn't work anymore, not that I ever thought about it much.

I know what I'll ask about in class this week.

 

[Frode Falch]

I am starting to land this alot in sparring: As soon as the guy opens up to throw some punches, i throw a fast, short left uppercut, and follow up with a cross as i take a little step back. Chuck Liddell style.

 

[Discipulus]

Don't give up on the idea entirely. That slipping motion can totally happen before the uppercut, and it's a great counter to the jab of your southpaw opponent. If you get him to commit to a hard jab, you can slip to the outside, loading your left hip for the uppercut, and then throw the punch under his armpit and catch him on the chin as your weight moves back to your right hip. Then follow up with the cross.

It's a good combo, I just don't understand some of the details of the way you were using it.

 

[SummerStriker]

I am starting to land this alot in sparring: As soon as the guy opens up to throw some punches, i throw a fast, short left uppercut, and follow up with a cross as i take a little step back. Chuck Liddell style.

When you throw your uppercut, where does your head go: outside your lead leg, back to your rear leg, or stay center?

 

[Frode Falch]

Sometimes i need to slip a punch. but more often i just lean back a little.

 

[Discipulus]

Sometimes i need to slip a punch. but more often i just lean back a little.

Basically like walking someone into a left hook. Head forward a bit to bait, then pull back and throw the hook. The uppercut is awesome as a defensive punch because it comes up between the gloves, stands the opponent up for a follow-up, and it really disrupts forward movement.

 

[a guy]

Personally I like the opposite, straight left followed by a lead right uppercut is one of my fav combos. Simple and effective. I think I understand what you're getting at with the combo you mentioned, the thing that gets me is shifting your weight back as you throw your cross. If you can pull it off more power to ya, it sounds kinda awkward to me though. Personally I'd probably go with a soft cross where the weight stays forward, followed by either one more attack with the lead hand, a pivot out of there, or a combination of a pivot and a lead hand attack.

Conor McGregor uses the lead uppercut before and after the left hand quite a bit, and he also uses a soft left hand. I think a guy did a breakdown with both of those techniques, so it may be one to check out if you haven't already.

Yea mcgregor gets people to extend their lead arm by pawing at it, then subtly moves outside it before thrown the uppercut underneath it and coming in with his left from an outside angle. He does the normal front to back for the uppercut, back to front for the cross weight shift.

To SummerStriker, if you want to stay outside the lead arm you can always pivot slightly with the uppercut. So shift your weight forward, do a small pivot outside and throw the uppercut, then unload the cross like normal. If you want to use this combination while retreating, it's best to shift back on the uppercut then throw the cross as you take a small step back at an angle,

 

[StopDucking]

Just listen to this guy :

 

[Babba]

Just listen to this guy :

i dont throw it like that at all.

[YT]c-t41JDW51k[/YT]

8:55
just quick like this, very very quick as fast as you can move your body on the uppercut. then a step a littlebit sideways or back and u plant ur weight on the straight right, but only a milisecond. the back punch never came from rigo here he was slightly out of balance, but if he wanted he could stand in better balance so he throws it very hard and unexpected.

you do the front upprcut quick like that, then the step puts u on the right hand, with the hip movement backwards and into a right hand.

im southpaw i do this combo very very much


edit: like others says it doesnt have to be a perfect uppercut, do it like an upjab or any weird angle, to either hit target better from where u are or get a more unexpected angle. this makes u very dangerous

 

[apizur**]

I'm a huge fan of this combination. If you use it as a counter to the right hand (assuming orthodox to orthodox) you've removed the real danger in being countered. I would not recommend using this on someone of an opposite orientation as a jab counter. You're out of position for way too long if it's against a jab, and if your head is on the outside of his front shoulder... and your lead shoulder is on the outside of your head... most of the time you won't have access to his head.

My automatic guess from hearing your description is that your rear leg is too straight. If you have bend in your knee and room to swing your hip, you can generate power. You're just kind of bent to the left during the combo.

Reach with the hand. Don't be tempted to stand up too high with your uppercut as many are, because you remove your legs from the cross. Do pop up with the uppercut, do not pop up all the way. Also, I shift my weight to the front foot for this combination as well.


Do you fight, Summer?

 

[apizur**]

i dont throw it like that at all.

Me either, unless my opponent is advancing. I think the concept of "giving your head" or "giving your face" is a good one to pay attention to, however, there are times when it's fine to put your head to your opponent's chest and smother their power in order to do some work. Also, adding a step to your "pre-loading" phase for your left gives you balance while forward.

 

[Babba]

Me either, unless my opponent is advancing. I think the concept of "giving your head" or "giving your face" is a good one to pay attention to, however, there are times when it's fine to put your head to your opponent's chest and smother their power in order to do some work. Also, adding a step to your "pre-loading" phase for your left gives you balance while forward.

what do u mean by "giving your face"? taunt/troll them into committing then pulling back and countering? i only do that when i find out im faster / trick them into thinking i have a pattern. or are you thinking of something else