Trouble with Jab

[007]

My jab is weak and sucks real bad. I want moe power even though it is not a power punch, would speed help? Any help thanks :icon_idea

 

[mschatz]

well, what about it sucks? are you just flicking it out there? having trouble doubling and tripling it up? not bringing it back to defend? The more specific u get, the better advice u can expect to recieve

 

[Pale1]

A good jab is a highly effective tool. But we can't help if we can't see it. Or if you don't tell us.

 

[Spoonman7]

we need to see it or be given more in depth explanations before we can help you.

 

[phenomfan1529]

Be a little more specific bro.

 

[TequillaSlammer]

I have no idea what your problem with the jab so I'll just give you the real basic stuff that I see begginers doing wrong.
Step in behind it, every time you throw it out take a step forward this will help you move your weight behind it a little better.
Throw it out straight down the middle, you see a lot of new guys move their hand away from their face to their shoulder and then throw the jab.
Turn it over at the last minute, you should turn your hand over so that the thumb is almost pointing at the floor, but only at the last minute anything else and you're just bleeding off power.
Bring it straight back to your chin, a lot of people throw it out there, leave it hanging for a minute and then pull it back in slowly.

Not all jabs are meant to be powerful, try throwing a few flicky jabs to keep them at a distance and then throw in a stiff one. It's hard to think when you have a glove in your face, no matter how softly it's put there.

 

[joe broadway]

just keep working on snapping it out there and bringing it back fast. throw it at your head level and dont worry about power until you have good technique and if you dont have any coaches you are going to be up a crick trying to teach yourself proper boxing technique

 

[luckyTAP]

Some people worry too much about turning jabs ovver like with a cross, don't worry about that, just throw it fast with your knuckles already parallel to the ground. It only has to be hard enough for it to move your opponent's head just enough to disorient him and keep him occupied for that split second while you follow it up.

 

[moodymikey]

A jab isnt a powerful punch, you just need it to put the opponent off guard so you can strike him with a second, more powerful, strike

 

[ThaiJJJ]

When you do a heavy bag workout, the 1st round should be jabs only. You'll improve significantly.

 

[miniaq]

I was waiting for someone to tell you this but since no one has, here we go.....the basic rule in throwing an effective jab is not to look at it as an arm punch, but a strike that is originated by the shoulder. Not only does the shoulder adds power but it will help you reach further. Same idea of the hip being the key to the cross. Someone mentioned "step" into the jab, well in certain cases when fighting guys that have much more reach you may be forced to this or if you want to mix up your attack and play with the distance issue. Otherwise you don t want to get in a habit of taking a step each time you jab!

 

[Crazyhorsebeer**]

A jab isnt a powerful punch, you just need it to put the opponent off guard so you can strike him with a second, more powerful, strike

I beg the differ, a jab can be a powerful punch. A boxing Jab is not a powerful because they don't fully step into the punch(also to stay away from opponents distance), like you said it a setup for a power right, but if your fight in the MMA or street, you can you the jab as a powerful punch. but the boxing stance will have to be changed, feet in a horizontal line slightly at a angle and push off the back foot which will add more torque to the jab, I've seen people get knocked out by a jab.

 

[Dedicado]

Some people worry too much about turning jabs ovver like with a cross, don't worry about that, just throw it fast with your knuckles already parallel to the ground. It only has to be hard enough for it to move your opponent's head just enough to disorient him and keep him occupied for that split second while you follow it up.

With respect, I disagree here. Start the jab with the knuckles alongside/pointing at your face, turn it over (rotate fist) as you aproach target.
Also, for MMA, you want that jab to be as hard as possible to merit throwing it out. In Boxing it's o.k. to throw the jab light if that's your style, to set up the cross or another big punch like Lucky tap says, but in MMA you might not get the chance to throw again, especially if the guy shoots as you punch. Make the jab hurt the guy, aim to break his nose with it, and he will fear this punch.

 

[Dedicado]

A jab isnt a powerful punch, you just need it to put the opponent off guard so you can strike him with a second, more powerful, strike

Respectfully, I disagree here too. The jab can be a devastating punch, especially if it connects with the eye or the nose.

 

[Dedicado]

the basic rule in throwing an effective jab is not to look at it as an arm punch, but a strike that is originated by the shoulder.

O.K. dude, props to you for knowing to integrate the shoulder....but you are, no dis to you man, off target here.
The jab doesn't get the most power from the arm, the shoulder or the hips (although the hips are key to what I'm about to say.)
The jab begins with the lead foot. No sh!t, the lead foot.

Picture a boxers stance. The toes are shoulder width apart, the lead foot is a half pace, or 6-9" inches in front of the rear foot, the toes are pointing towards the opponent, the hips are square to the Opp, the hands are up.
^
^ <---the toes.
Now, when I punch I pivot the lead foot clockwise as I throw the jab, I also pivot the rear foot.
>
> <--- the toes (note, they should be diagonal, but I don't have the right keys, still picture the toes between the top image and the bottom one.

as my toes pivot, I begin to generate real power. My hips, which were square with the target are now pointing so my hip bone is now pointing at the target.

This pivot generates more power. Throwing hard and getting my shoulder to fire in tune with the foot/hip movement + snapping the shot= sick amounts of force. Add in stepping into the punch, or the opponent steppig in to my fist and voila, a k.o. caliber jab.

Do you see?

 

[Dedicado]

ok, I can't get the editor to stop parsing my toes so they don't look right!

picture the toe on lead foot like this ^, it pivots to something a little shy of this >. Is it clear? the foot goes from a zero degree angle, while pointing at target, to a minus 15-30 degree angle, pointing clockwise. > should be viewed as 15-30 degrees and not a right angle to ^ <--this.

 

[2om30]

Turn your hip into it!

 

[luckyTAP]

MMA guys talking about hard jabs, lets get over it. A boxer whipping 2 or 3 jabs in a row will be probably throwing all three of them harder than an MMA fighter throws a single jab, it's just the nature of the game. The boxer has proper foot work and spends a much greater amount of time on punching ability. I haven't seen any MMA fighters aside from those who have participated in a dedicated striking art whos jabs approach boxers. Miguel Cotto for example throws harder triple jabs than most MMA light heavy weights throw a single jab.

 

[luckyTAP]

Sorry for the double post, but most pro boxers (whose jabbing ability would put mma fighters to shame) have very little if any rotation or "turning over" in their jab, that's reserved more for throwing crosses. There's no way you could snap out consecutive jabs fast enough to disrupt counter punching if you concentrate on turning over every punch.

 

[GCSD Fighter]

The simplest way of explaining in addition to dedicado's graphical description.

Imagine an aerial view of your body, put a pipe straight down through the top of the head.
Now picture the same thing from reverse and side views.

You need to rotate your body around this imaginary pipe, through your feet, hip, and shoulder. That is where the power and speed come from, not your arm! Pivot slightly on toes, this is more important to facilitate the shifting of weight to lead hip, forward lead shoulder movement, backward rear shoulder movement. As you turn the punch til your clench palm is pointing downwards, not thumb. This adds snap. The lack of direct arm muscle involvement adds speed and arm returns to protect face rapidly.

Speed x Velocity = Impact power

Physics - The basis of science and life.