I have a problem with keeping my arms vertical with my guard. Or put another way, keeping my elbows from flaring. Of course, this exposes my side to body shots, telegraphs my punches and saps my power. My question is, has anyone had a similar problem and fixed it? I'm sure stretching is the cure, but I'm trying to find the most effective one. I have been using resistance bands on my wrists pulling to the outside while pulling the elbow the opposite way with my other hand and holding. I also think this problem is due to weightlifting too. Too many heavy pressing movements in my younger days... Any advice?
No. What do you mean? Is it painful to hold your elbows in or you just need to get into the habit of holding them correctly?
You're probably just leaning forward too much, put more of your weight on your back leg and it should be easier..
Tucking your elbows can be uncomfy at first, like keeping your chin down. It just takes some getting use to. Practice keeping your elbows (especially your left arm) tight when shadowboxing and hitting the bag. Unless you have got enormously monstrous lats, then I doubt weights are the problem.
I can't tell you how much my boxing improved when I understood and practiced one this simple thing. I shifted some weight onto my backfoot and all of a sudden my head was moving a lot more freely, my guard became more effective and my shots really started to ping out instead of push out. I still don't fully understand why it made such a huge difference.
Because when you're leaning with your weight on the front foot all your punching muscles need to push up and out, that uses up alot of energy and it isn't a natural movement for your body... when your weight is balanced you pivot around your centre axis with ease, everything else rotates easily and naturally aswell :good
I keep my weight even. I might try to shift it more to the back foot to see if it helps. When I hold them both totally vertical, I feel this tension in my rear delts. I didnt know if there was a common stretching exercise that would help. If I hold them "natural" without tension in my shoulders the elbows start to flare and my hands move a couple inches together.
Lol my dad used to put tissues under my bro's armpits when he ate. if he dropped the tissues...........a beat down was coming lol now my bro's elbows never flare up when eating ..just good manners
Lol my dad used to put tissues under my bro's armpits when he ate. if he dropped the tissues...........a beat down was coming lol now my bro's elbows never flare up when eating ..just good manners
