This has been puzzling me for a long time. When i first started boxing, it took me a long time to get used to putting my hands up to cover my face. However, i realise that as soon as i start covering up, my footwork and my head movement has almost disappeared. I am mainly a fighter that uses weaves/bobs/slips alot to dodge punches and rely on parrying too, but i dislike blocking. Blocking makes me feel lazy and trapped. E.g. if i am in the corner and someone is throwing many punches at me, and i cover up, i will just remain in the corner and continue blocking instead of moving out and throwing back. I tried many times to move fast and quick when my hands are up, but it just doesn't work. Also, when i try to slip, my head ends up going to the left-side, but my hands stay in the middle (?lol) I always wondered how Mike Tyson did it so well. what should i do now? fighting with hands down is bad and yet when i try to adjust it makes me less agile.
practice man, keep your hands up and start your movements slow at first until you are comfortable, then move faster and faster, practice makes perfect
If you want to use a peekaboo defense, try keeping your gloves lightly touching your cheeks. Shadowbox in front of a mirror and make sure your hands are glued in position.
It is because your center of gravity goes off making you less stable and unconsciously limiting your head movement. Even not actually Boxing (shadow) if you move with your hands at shoulder level you will notice a marked loss in stability if you put your earmuffs up. You get far too top heavy. You lose a massive amount of range of motion. That is why you either have to learn to: -- put up the guard, change levels (lower), then get the hell out of dodge -- put up the guard, close quickly, and clench -- become a master at countering out of the guard like a Winky Wright or Josh Clottey Pick the escape routine of your choice and repeatedly practice it. Honestly I think this is the reason things like the Philly shell were even invented. If you have the reflexes to make up for what you sacrifice in defense, you don't lose much in terms of mobility and offense. A high guard is meant for offense.
Should be able to do everything with your hands up. Should be able to block, parry, feint, slip, bob/weave, and roll, as well using your legs to control your distance. Keep practicing. You do not want to rely on blocking punches with your face.
I had a problem keeping my hands up while moving my head for a bit. The trick is just to practice your usual sips and body movement while maintaining a tight guard. Last-minute cover-ups are rarely ever going to be fluid, but ducking out and changing the angle is always better than going straight back in a shell with a stiff stance. Switching from time to time from a peekaboo or conventional guard to a guard with the right hand on the chin and the left a little outside the face might help defensive fluidity without being irresponsible with your hands. Duran and Marquez often adopt this stance when on the ropes or in close; check out the movement and positioning of the gloves at 2:30 in particular. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5uxEG2GiM0[/ame]
Thanks for posting the video. Ouch, katsidis suttbornly soaking up punches like that.... Yeah you can shrink your hands in when weaving/bobbing it helps to reduce your 'size' so your upperbody momentum is less and you can move faster. Arms can spread out a bit more when you stand up.
I'm not very much experienced enough to advice you but I had the same exact problem when my hands are up.. Later I realized that my hands were so high that my gloves block the views of hook and cross and I happen to get them on my gloves.. Hope you got my point.. Good Luck..
