Learn how to throw your first power punch, the cross!
After the jab, this is the next punch you should learn. While the jab mainly uses the rotation of the arm, the cross uses the full rotation of the lower body to generate its power.
Because of this, the cross is where you can start to add power and knockout opponents!
Keep reading for our simple guide on how to throw a cross.
How To Throw A Cross
To throw a cross:
- Start With A Boxer’s Stance
- Twist Your Rear Foot And Rotate Your Hips
- Extend Your Elbow And Rotate Your Fist
- Bring Your Fist Back To Your Face
Start With A Boxer’s Stance
The first step to throwing a cross start with a boxer’s stance.
The boxer’s stance will be the beginning and end point of the jab.
Keep your hands up, chin and elbows tucked, and eyes up.
Your weak foot should be the lead foot and your body should be tilted slightly off center. This will make your body smaller as a target.
Relax and breathe. Don’t clench your hands and forearms.
You are now ready to throw a cross.
Twist Your Rear Foot And Rotate Your Hips
Next, twist your rear foot and rotate your hips.
Like the jab, it looks as if this movement happens at the same time as the punch. Focus on the footwork first.
Keep your body low and “sit on the punch”. It will make the cross feel powerful and balanced.
While many beginners think that the cross’ power comes from the arm, the power comes from the rotational force generated by your hips; the arm is only used to transfer the force to the target.
Extend Your Elbow And Rotate Your Fist
Next, as your hip is twisting, unlock and extend your elbow and rotate your fist 90 degrees.
As you extend, exhale sharply to add power and to encourage you to breathe.
Your raised shoulder protects your chin from any counter hooks.
As your arm extends, take care not to overextend your arm to get the same reach as your jab. Clench your fist and brace it for impact.
Then return your arm, hip, and foot to their original positions. You should be balanced and ready to dodge or throw another punch.
Bring Your Fist Back To Your Face
Lastly, bring your fist back to your face after throwing a cross.
After reaching your full extension, return your arm, hip, and foot to their original positions.
Doing this makes sure that your face is always protected, in case you miss and your opponent tries to counterattack.
You should be balanced and ready to dodge or throw another punch.
Common Mistakes When Throwing A Cross
Some common mistakes that beginners make when throwing the cross include:
- Generating Power With The Arm
- Dropping The Hand Before Punching
- Not “Sitting” On The Cross
- Not Bringing Your Fist Back To Your Face
Generating Power With The Arm
The first mistake that beginners make when throwing a cross is generating power with the arm.
To fix the first mistake, throw one cross without twisting your body and throw another cross with the correct form.
While it seems counterintuitive at first, the first cross will be weak and off balance, while the second one will be powerful and sharp.
Throwing the cross with your arm instead of your body introduces other problems too.
First, you can overextend and injure your elbow.
Next, beginners will overextend and try to reach their target. This will drop your shoulder and leave your chin wide open for any counterattacks.
If your cross is out of range, use your footwork and jab to move forward so that your cross will land.
Dropping The Hand Before Punching
The next mistake that beginners make when throwing a cross is dropping the hand before punching.
The cross should come straight from the face and back.
Your opponent will notice you dropping your hand before punching and time your punch.
To fix this, forget about throwing the cross with speed and power, and stand in front of a mirror practicing your form until it becomes muscle-memory.
Not “Sitting” On The Cross
The next mistake that beginners make when throwing a cross is not sitting on the punch.
When you throw a cross standing straight up, you’ll tend to generate power with your arms instead of your hips.
Sink your hips while throwing the cross to fix this mistake.
As a result, your cross will be sharper and more balanced as you’ll use your whole body to generate power.
You’ll also have a lower center of gravity which will allow you to dodge your opponent’s punches easier.
Not Bringing The Fist Back To The Face
The last mistake that beginners make when throwing a cross is not bringing their fist back to their face.
We’ve seen that beginners like to “admire” their punches.
After throwing a particularly sharp cross or hook with great form, they tend to pause and stop moving.
If you do this in the ring, your opponent will notice and you’ll get tagged easily.
Instead, make it a habit to keep the punch sharp and fast, and immediately bring your fist back to your face.
Conclusion
Using the jab as a foundation, the cross is the next level of a boxer’s offense.
It can stun like when you throw a jab, but it can also provide power, thanks to the rotational force generated by the hips.
After throwing the cross, you have options. Your footwork with the cross sets you up perfectly to throw a lead hook or throw an uppercut. If you see a punch coming towards you, you can pull to dodge, slip the punch or roll under the punch.
Make sure to go slow and focus on form when shadowboxing as a beginner!
Read this article to see how to use this technique when you hit the heavy bag!
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