Level up your boxing by adding these partner drills to your workout!
These drills are essential if you’re looking to train your defense, get used to boxing in the pocket, or improve your ability to read your opponent’s body language.
Keep reading to add these boxing partner drills to your workout!
Boxing Partner Drills
Incorporate these partner drills into your boxing workout the next time you’re at the gym with a friend:
- Combination Drill
- Catch And Counter Drill
- Tire Drill
- Wall Ball Drill
Combination Drill
The first drill on our list is the Combination Drill.
This simple drill helps you and your partner to improve on defense.
To do the Combination Drill:
- First, face your partner in a boxing stance.
- Next, while he throws a basic combination (jab, cross, hook), you defend against it by slipping, rolling, or blocking.
- After, switch with your partner and go on offense if you were defending before.
Once you get the timing down for each combination, move on to a different one.
Of course, if you want to increase the speed and power of the combinations, we recommend that you both use headgear and mouthpieces.
Catch And Counter Drill
Next on our list is the Catch And Counter Drill.
This drill is similar to the previous one, but this time the person defending adds counters to blocked punches.
To do the Catch And Counter Drill:
- First, face your partner in a boxing stance.
- Next, while he throws a basic combination of power punches, you defend against them by blocking with your gloves or elbows.
- Lastly, just as you feel the impact on your gloves at your head or on your elbows, throw a counter (but don’t hit your partner too hard).
We counter with body shots each time we block a power shot with our elbows, with crosses each time we catch a punch with our rear hand, or a hook each time we catch a punch with our lead hand.
The point here is not to throw with power, but rather to train yourself to counter each time you absorb a punch.
We like to think of it as pressing a button; each time your glove or elbows get touched, you shoot out a counter automatically.
Tire Drill
The next drill that you can do is the Tire Drill.
This drill is great for learning how to throw combinations and defend yourself in the pocket.
To do the Tire Drill:
- First, face your partner as you both put your front foot inside of the tire. At any point during the drill, you’re not allowed to take your front foot out.
- Next, take turns throwing combinations and defending against them.
If you’re on offense, this is a great time to practice attacking the body first before aiming for the head.
Make sure not to wind up your punches since that will give your partner extra time to defend and counter.
If you’re on defense, this is also a good time to get comfortable with clinching and using small footwork angle changes.
Wall Ball Drill
Last on our list of partner drills is the Wall Ball Drill.
This drill will train your reflexes, hand-eye coordination, and defense.
For this drill, you’ll need a wall as well as your partner.
To do the Wall Ball Drill:
- First, start in your boxing stance with your back against the wall while your partner stands a few feet away.
- Next, your partner will slowly throw the ball towards the edge of your frame so you can dodge it.
- Lastly, as you dodge the ball, throw combinations that flow with your defensive movement.
After, switch up spots with your partner.
If you want a bigger challenge, try and catch the ball after it hits the wall behind you to further train your hand-eye coordination and reaction time.
Benefits of Partner Drills For Boxing
The benefits of partner drills for boxing include:
- Train In A Safe Environment
- Get Used To Boxing In The Pocket
- Train Your Ability To Read Body Language
Train In A Safe Environment
First, partner drills allow you to train in a safe environment.
Both you and your partner can decide how fast or intense you want to do these drills.
These drills were meant to be done repetitively, so that you can get used to the combinations being thrown at you.
For boxers who don’t like to spar regularly, these are great for improving your technical skills.
Get Used To Boxing In The Pocket
Next, partner drills allow you to get used to boxing in the pocket.
For example, the Tire Drill forces you to stay close to your opponent and throw tight, controlled shots.
If before you were clenched up and tense while fighting in close-range, you should feel much more confident at this range after doing this drill.
Train Your Ability To Read Body Language
Lastly, partner drills train your ability to read body language.
For example, if you’re looking at your opponent’s shoulder line during the Combination Drill and Catch And Counter Drill, you’ll be able to recognize the exact moment before your partner launches his attack.
The Tire Drill specifically is handy in teaching you how to predict your opponent’s move when you’re in close contact.
Since you’re so close to your partner, you’ll have to rely less on your vision, and pay more attention to your opponent’s weight and subtle changes in body language when you’re leaning against him.
Conclusion
Boxing partner drills are a great way to sharpen your technique and reflexes without getting in the ring to spar.
These drills are only limited by your imagination; make up your own and have fun!
After you and your partner work through these drills together, you’ll have much more camaraderie and competitiveness in the ring if you two decide to spar.
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