Reasons to "JAB"

Technique: Hands in the read position. Shoot the punch straight out, locking the elbow and shoulder. Chin should be safely tucked under the left shoulder, right hand up and protecting the right side of the jaw. Punch comes straight back, not down and back up. Be very careful to return the fist straight back to the ready position, not dip it under and up. A right cross could be following! The punch should be stiff, but not extended as a knock-out blow. Thomas Hearns has a fantastic jab. Mike Tyson, when he throws it, has a devistating jab.

Now, the top ten reasons to jab -

1. Ruin the opponent's timing. When an opponent catches or sees our jab, his timing and mind set must re-focus, re-adjust, and re-set.

2. Keep the pressure. Jabbing with mean intent keeps us on the role of predator. It’s very disconcerting to have a guy with a dominant, stiff jab putting pressure on you.

3. Set up combinations. That flash in the eyes, that initiation immediately puts the opponent on the defensive, allowing us our offensive assault. The jab is the punch that opens us up to our bigger punches. Thomas hearns jabbed at the forhead to lift up his opponent's chin for the knockout right cross. Jab to the stomach to lower the guard, then right cross to the chin, followed by a left hook to the liver, doubling up to the head, ending with a jab. 4. Establish dominance. Step into the danger zone and establish the jab. The opponent may back away, setting the roles of the fight or jab with us to challange our superiority.

4. Counter his jab. Stay one strategy ahead by countering his jab soon after yours is established. When the opponent attempts to engage us in the battle of the jab, keep one step ahead by working off of his jab. A)When his jab comes, slip left and shoot an inside left hook. B.) Slip to the right for a body punch jab and come overhead to catch a lazy left hand. C) Slap down the jab down with the right hand and come straight with a right cross and move forward to offset your opponent. Remember, this is why we can’t be lazy retrieving our jab. A right cross could be following!

5. Force your opponent to attack, then counter. Jack Johnson said that, being a counterpuncher, he would use his jab to force his opponent to attack, from which he could counter.

6. Safety. Beginning and ending combinations with the jab helps us stay safe and unhit. It allows us to end a combination and re-group. Exiting the danger zone with a good jab helps to extinguish the opponent’s counter offensive.

7. Energy. It requires the least energy to throw the punch, and it is the most important punch.

8. Finesse. You can out-finesse your opponent with the jab. Timing, doubling up, up and down, down and up. Adding finesse to the jab is necessary. If your jab is robotic or predictable, a smart opponent will time it and launch an attack around it. Making it shrewd and unpredictable helps to befuddle the opponent.

9. Mobility. It’s the only punch that’s not commiting the body in some way. You have full control of your lateral movement at the blink of the eye. Any other punch commits the body far more, temporarily depriving us of our mobility.
So keep jabbing... The difference between a good fighter and a great fighter is usually the jab.