Boxing is a great way to exercise on your own at home because you don’t need a lot of space or any equipment to get started. It’s the perfect activity to keep your mind and body healthy!
Watch the video or read below for a step-by-step guide on how to box:
Step One: Stance
Make sure that you’re wearing clothes that are comfortable to move in and that you have a bit of room around you — about a meter in each direction. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Determine which side is your dominant one (Which hand do you write with?), then take a big step back with that foot. For example, if you’re right-handed, you’ll want to step back with your right foot.
Pivot your back foot 90 degrees so that your toes face sideways. Keep your front toes facing forward and tuck your front foot in a little bit. At this point, the toe of your front foot should be aligned with the heel of your back foot.
Keep your knees slightly bent and angle your torso to the side. Tuck your elbows in next to your ribcage and raise your hands to chin-height, keeping your front hand slightly higher and more forward.
Keep your fingers open to provide coverage for your face. Raise your front shoulder slightly, lower your back shoulder, and tuck your chin down.
Step Two: Footwork
To move your stance forward, take a step forward with your front foot followed by a step forward with your back foot.
To move your stance backward, take a step backward with your back foot followed by a step backward with your front foot.
To move your stance to the right, take a step to the right with your right foot followed by a step to the right with your left foot.
To move your stance to the left, take a step to the left with your left foot followed by a step to the left with your right foot.
Step Three: Jab
Extend your front hand to your opponent’s head, keeping your elbow behind your hand the entire time. As you near the end of your extension, clench your fist and twist it to give it more power.
As your arm extends, move your front shoulder in the direction of the punch and move your back shoulder in the opposite direction.
Twist your hips slightly as your arm moves forward and take a step forward with your front leg. Aim to have your front foot land at the same time that your punch makes contact.
Pull your hand back in towards your body, open your fist, and move your shoulders and hips back to your stance. You can either take a step backward with your front foot or take a step forward with your back foot to get your feet back to a neutral stance.
Step Four: Cross
Extend your back hand to your opponent’s head, keeping your elbow behind your hand the entire time. As you near the end of your extension, clench your fist and twist it to give it more power.
As your arm extends, move your back shoulder in the direction of your punch while your front shoulder moves in the opposite direction.
Twist your hips slightly as your arm extends. Lift the heel of your back foot and pivot your toes so that they face the front.
Then pull your hand back in towards your body, open your fist, and move your shoulders and hips back to your stance. Pivot your back foot to the side again and replace your back heel on the floor.
You can do a jab or a cross in any direction, and can easily combine these two moves by making the inward motion of the jab and the outward motion of the cross one fluid movement. Try it out!
Step Five: Defense
One way you can defend yourself is by moving out of range of your opponent using the footwork in step two.
Another great defensive technique is slipping. To slip, decide whether you want to evade the punch by moving to the right or left. (Hint: you’ll always want to slip to the outside of your opponent.)
Dip the shoulder of your chosen direction and point it at your opponent’s hip, ducking your head slightly. Be sure to always keep your hands up to protect your face.
Flex the knee on whichever side you’re slipping towards, putting your weight onto the ball of your foot.
Step Six: Box!
Now it’s time to put it all together! Try a jab-cross followed by two slips — one in each direction. Start slowly and gradually increase your speed.
Once you’ve got these moves down, you can try adding some more footwork and moving in different directions. You can do this drill on your own, with a family member, or using Alejandro in the video as your opponent.
Your boxing lesson is now complete. Don’t forget to take a picture or video of your boxing workout, share it on social media with #DAREtogether, and tag DAREarts!
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