Learn about the seven jabs every boxer should know!
Any good boxer will tell you the majority of your punches should be jabs to establish your rhythm and set up your combos.
While your rear hand is mainly used for power (crosses, hooks, and uppercuts), your lead hand is more versatile.
Think of the jab as a boxer’s Swiss army knife: able to be used in any situation.
Keep reading to learn about the different jabs every boxer should know!
7 Jabs Every Boxer Should Know
Every boxer should know these seven jabs:
- The Basic Jab
- The Slip Jab
- The Power Jab
- The Body Jab
- The Double Jab
- The Backstep Jab
- The Pivot Jab
The Basic Jab
The first jab you should learn is the basic jab.
When you’re in your boxer’s stance, step forward with your lead foot.
As your lead foot touches the ground, unlock and extend your elbow. Rotate your lead fist 90 degrees.
When your jab is extended, your lead shoulder should be raised to protect your chin from any counters.
A good jab feels like whipping a wet towel; its purpose is to sting and stun, rather than to knockout.
The Slip Jab
The next jab you should learn is the slip jab.
It’s the same as the basic jab, except when you throw the punch, slip towards your rear side at the same time.
It has the advantage of combining your offense and defense by getting your head off the center line.
For maximum defense, you can keep your rear hand in front of your face to block any returning jabs.
One good combo that builds on this is throwing a cross that loops over your opponent’s jab and shoulder to hit his chin.
The Power Jab
The next jab you should learn is the power jab.
Hop in so that your front foot leaps forward and your back foot replaces your front foot.
As you reach your new position, extend your lead hand to complete the jab.
This jab is powerful since the full weight of your body is behind the punch.
It is also useful for disrupting the range between you and your opponent.
If you hop back and forth in rhythm, you can use this momentum to launch you into the power jab.
The Body Jab
The next jab you should learn is the body jab.
With this jab, aim for the stomach instead of the head.
This jab is great for an opponent who is curled up in a high guard.
After getting hit in the stomach, she’ll lower her guard which will then open her head as a target.
Mix these up with well-timed jabs to the head so your opponent cannot decide whether to keep her arms up or down.
The Double Jab
The next jab you should learn is the double jab.
It’s simple: as your hand is returning back to your chin after a basic jab, throw another one.
No matter how fast you are, there is always a time gap if you throw a cross, hook, or uppercut with your rear hand after throwing a jab.
With the double jab, you keep your shots fast and crisp.
Because of this, it has the advantage of being hard to predict.
This jab is less about power and more about surprising your opponent and throwing him off rhythm.
Along with the jab-cross, the double jab is an essential combo.
The Backstep Jab
The next jab you should learn is the backstep jab.
Instead of stepping forward with your lead foot, step back with your rear foot when you throw the punch. Then step back with your lead foot to regain your balance.
This is for gaining distance from aggressive opponents who only advance. Once they get a few of these to the face, it disrupts their rhythm and discourages them from coming forward.
Since you’re stepping back, there is no weight behind this jab so it will be weak.
Your opponent might not respect it as well, so combine it with another punch or angle change.
In general, don’t always step backwards with an advancing opponent; find a way to change the momentum or the angle.
The Pivot Jab
The last jab you should learn is the pivot jab.
After stepping with your lead foot and throwing the jab, pivot your back foot clockwise and pull your hip back so that you’ve rotated 30-45 degrees on your opponent.
This allows you to change the angle and step out of harm’s way.
From here, if you decide to throw a straight cross, it will hit your opponent at an angle.
Try using this technique with a double or triple jab so that you are moving in a circle around your opponent.
Why Should You Learn Different Jabs?
You should learn these jabs to become a flexible boxer.
These jabs allow you to:
- Gain and judge your range
- Set up combinations
- Test defense
- Establish your rhythm
- Break your opponent’s rhythm
While the rear hand delivers power, your jab can keep your opponent occupied for the whole fight, especially if you throw it with different angles and timing.
Your jab is the punch that helps you establish your defense, as seen with the slip jab, backstep jab, and the pivot jab. Even a soft basic jab can be used to blind your opponent’s vision.
Where Should You Go From Here?
Now you see why experienced boxers spend endless hours training jabs.
When you shadowbox, spend a round practicing these jabs at different angles and speeds. With all the different flavors, you won’t be bored!
Most combinations you learn use the jab at the beginning of the sequence, but don’t forget to use it at the end of the combo too!
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