don't lean forward when you jab and don't throw a "nothing" jab, a little tip tap piece of rubbish just to let your opponent know you are there, throw a ramrod jab and always be sure to bring your hand straight back after you've thrown the shot, don't jab and bring your hand down then up in any way, because if your sparring/fighting with someone better than yourself this will get noticed and you might be met with a right hand shot. and of course, as speechless said, be clever with the positioning of your face, but bring that hand straight back and don't dip it
I would say that the pit pat jab is an advanced technique that does have its place. If you watch Mayweather, he puts the jab in his opponents face to "blind" them while he throws a hook or right hand. Also it can be used to set an opponent up when they go to block it. I wouldn't recommend it to complete beginners though.
yes mate thats a fair point there. disorientate them a bit whilst setting up a much more sinister punch, and no neither would i.
Appart from that, you can use it to stablish a much slower tempo, and later on break this tempo with a high-speed combination, so that your oponent cannot get your timing. You can use it to pin your oponent's gloves right before a power-shot to avoid a counter from the hand you pinned. You can use it to occupy the space with your rare hand so that your opponent cannot use this space to attack you. You can use it to distract your oponent's attention to some place and hit on another place. Or to force your oponent to put his ward at certain position and later on hit the holes you have opened in his guard. You can use it when your oponent fails a combination so that you can punish him breaking his breathing rithm not allowing him to fully recover and thus destroying his stamina, though for that I think it's better to use a body jab "mayweather's style". But a pit pat jab on the nose/mouth does its job too. Those pit pat jabs are huge ****nal. Maybe I agree that beginners shouldnt abuse them, but for any good boxer they are a must.
One of the worst mistakes you can make while throwing a jab, appart from the obvious ones that have been already said, is "you dont know why did you throw the jab". Look for a purpose on every hit. Specially the jab. What do you want to get with this jab? Open spaces? blind your oponent? stay busy? gain some time? force him back? you need to know it, and once you know, you throw it the way you need it (soft, hard, quick, slow...) and try to win this advantage you were looking for.
Bringing the jabbing hand back before throwing it, projecting the jab. Had to work on that one and still do this once in a while.
This is exactly it....too often I see people get caught up in the mechanics of a punch that they never actually learn how to use it....it's one thing to be able to throw a text book perfect punch, it's another all together to know why you're using it. The amount of people I see get in a ring and circle and jab just because they think they should astounds me.
Only when your hooking off the jab. This is so you can hook immediatley, changing weight from front to back.
