When I first started here I was advised to shadow box more so than anything, and now can see why. With that being said, does anyone have a solid routine as far as time, rounds, etc. Also, is there ever a time you should solely practice punches, or should you always punch and move?
Does your opponent stand still in a fight? Do your feet remain stationary when punching or do you step into a punch? Better to move then - that's one of the key benefits of shadow boxing over hitting the bag. There's much to gain from standing in front of mirror nailing the technique of a certain punch. When shadow boxing in a ring move around. Visualise your opponent. Shadow box on the front foot and on the back. Shadow boxing is also a great warm up - build the intensity gradually. And it's a great warm down.
I always liked to have guys do the first couple of rounds in slow motion in front of the mirror, emphasizing whatever technique we had been going over -- bringing back the jab high or turrning over the punch, pivoting, whatever. Also I liked to mix in a couple of days of situational shadow boxing with two guys in front of each other. I feel like it helps a boxer learn to think and see in sparring and fight situations to have an opponent in front of him to look for openings and patterns and to adjust to what the other fellow is doing. Maybe have one guy be the aggressor in one round and switch it off in the next round, stuff like that.
