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Hi everyone i ‘ve been training in level 2 for almost a month…i go EVERYDAY and i really REALLY suck at focus mitts.I just can’t keep from lowering my hands before an uppercut, instead of developing it from the chin :S ….I also have a lot of trouble with my hooks, because i’m punching horizontaly…intead of pinky down, thumb up…….any suggestions?
please, helP!
Re: Focus mitts-Help!
Hi Mariana
Shadowboxing in the mirror is my advice. When you are trying to learn focus mitts, the “focus” seems to be on hitting hard, not on proper form. Its just how we are… we like “smashing things”. Shadowboxing takes you away from that mentality and allows you to watch yourself in the mirrow as you work on one single punch at a time.
It sounds like you know what to do, just the body is not listening to what your brain is telling it to do. So slow it down and work on it one strike at a time.
I also like to punch with thumb up / pinky down but it does take some getting used to. Just go slow and don’t expect you are going to look like a fighter in 2 months, 6 months or even a year.
Once you have corrected your habits and retrained your body, move to the heavy bag so you can still go at your own pace but add power to your punching. (Do not do uppercuts on the heavy bag unless you have an uppercut bag or ring, you will hurt yourself) Then after each punch, take a second and think about what you did correct and what you need to change. This takes alot of pressure off of you because somebody isn’t standing there waiting for you to punch.
After a while I am sure you will see much more improvement. But you are already ahead of they game by knowing what you need to fix, now you can fix it.
Hope this helps.
Re: Focus mitts-Help!
utilise negative reinforcement ie get your drill partner to pick up poor technique and tell you to do 10 exercises of their choice (eg clap pushups). You’ll soon learn…..
Re: Focus mitts-Help!
Kirsten…FANTASTIC advice. I’ve been working hooks and uppercuts a lot lately, especially my lead hook, and I’ve been doing exactly what you describe…but I couldn’t possibly have described it so well.
Re: Focus mitts-Help!
quote jaspthecat:utilise negative reinforcement ie get your drill partner to pick up poor technique and tell you to do 10 exercises of their choice (eg clap pushups). You’ll soon learn…..Actually I’ve found having your mitt holder whack you when you put your hands down works toorofl2
Re: Focus mitts-Help!
Kirsten,
You’re right, i DO LOOVE <3 smashing things up and i AM focusing on strength instead of accuracy, i’ll try the mirror thing…another thing i had trouble with was the huge pivot on the hook…and what i did was exactly what you said…about two weeks ago i started training with a mirror by myself … i’m better now…..
thank you SOO much for the advice….I’ll definitely try it…i’ll get it fixed (:
Mariana*
Re: Focus mitts-Help!
quote mara_jade:Actually I’ve found having your mitt holder whack you when you put your hands down works toorofl2Yes, especially when it’s a thai pad being used instead a focus mit and you feel your head shift one way and your lower jaw go the other.
Re: Focus mitts-Help!
quote Mariana(::Kirsten,You’re right, i DO LOOVE <3 smashing things up and i AM focusing on strength instead of accuracy, i’ll try the mirror thing…another thing i had trouble with was the huge pivot on the hook…and what i did was exactly what you said…about two weeks ago i started training with a mirror by myself … i’m better now…..
thank you SOO much for the advice….I’ll definitely try it…i’ll get it fixed (:
Mariana*
I am glad to hear that. I have no doubt that you will fix it. You have exactly the right attitude
Re: Focus mitts-Help!
quote smokelaw1:Kirsten…FANTASTIC advice. I’ve been working hooks and uppercuts a lot lately, especially my lead hook, and I’ve been doing exactly what you describe…but I couldn’t possibly have described it so well.Thank you!
Re: Focus mitts-Help!
Don’t focus on the speed/power. Focus on getting the technique right and the speed/power will follow. Do the techniques slow and controlled, focusing completely on proper technique. Once you can do it without thinking about it, then start working on developing your speed and power.
Re: Focus mitts-Help!
Something that might help with hook punches.is to
think of them in the motion of stirring a big pot.
A circular motion.Re: Focus mitts-Help!
Another thing I was told about hook punches was to invision punching around a pole.
Re: Focus mitts-Help!
Kirstens advice is great. When we learn something we need to learn slowly to get all parts of the body working as` a unit. My expirience in krav so far is everybody seems to be in a race. yes this teaches aggression , but it causes more problems in the end and at somepoint it’ll need to be cleaned up becuase we programmed crap into our system. Power and speed come from the removal of extranious movements. Its an important concept of how to learn
Watch a baby learn new skills, its slow and then it becomes smoother as the attribute developes
Re: Focus mitts-Help!
I re-read the original post and I wanted to add something that’s not really been addressed and needs to be:
When you are training punching for purposes of self-defense, remember where we like to keep our hands in relation to our face (think inside defense) and not where a boxer would keep them (tight on the chin). Get used to working your striking from your hands away from your chin in an KM stance. That way if you need to make a late defense you are in the best possible position in which to make that defense. If you start the defense from your hands on you chin, this makes a late defense difficult. You can make excellent, solid and technically correct strikes from this position instead of the traditional boxing style. Your just starting and returning your hands to the “inside defense” position each time.
Remember, we are doing self-defense. =)
This would be the “no no” for self-defense (and fighting/sparring, IMO) on the left and the “yes yes” defense on the right (very good KM stance, btw)
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