The Jab

The Jab
Former British Welter Weight Champion at Full Contact Kickboxing Dan Foster Practices Jabs on the bag
The Basics 
  • A punch from your lead hand Extends out in a straight line 
  • Starts and returns from your guard around height of own jaw line
  • Should be fast and with “snap” 
  • Extend the lead hip forward in time with the fist for power and range 
Aimed at Opponents....

• Jaw line 
• Nose 
• Eyes 
• Solar plexus




guard up, throwing the Jab, extending the hips, Jab returning to the guard 



Bit More Depth

 

Best known from Classic Boxing the Jab is a great punch for range finding, setting up combinations and more powerful strikes, and even defence if you need to regain some range or get some breathing room. In Kickboxing generally speaking you would Jab most at the start of a fight/round, use it to establish yourself and find your range, Kickboxing tends to be shorter fights so its more about power strikes to score the points or go for the KO. In MMA when the fights are generally longer you may use the Jab a lot more, its a great set up punch, more about that below. 

I have always favoured aiming more into the nose and eye line to disrupt my opponents vision and distract them. It’s a fast snapping punch not powerful enough to KO anyone, can be useful to try and get an opponent to drop their guard with the occasion Jab to the body.

 When using the Jab its not just extending the arm out in a straight line as fast as you can. Its essential it returns to your guard at around your own Jawline, a classic counter to a jab that returns to low (IE your mid section) is an overhand right or even a head kick. To generate more power and extend your range time the jab with extending your lead hip forwards.

You can use it with your footwork to close the distance between you and your opponent, as your jab returns to the guard drive forward with your rear leg (ensuring you maintain correct stance and your legs do not cross) to close down your opponent. If you need a bit of space when under pressure as your jab returns to your guard drive backwards with your lead leg to widen the gap.

The Jab is great to start a combination or get a reaction from your opponent to set up a PowerShot, a classic Kickboxing combination would be, Jab, Cross, hook, Kick.  A Jab to the body to see if someone drops their guard can be a good way to set up a rear cross or over hand shot to the jaw line. In MMA a jab to the eyeline can be a good set up for the clinch or a take down, driving from the rear leg as the jab returns to your guard much the same as mentioned above.

 

In Mauy Thai the Jab is seldom if ever used, it doesn’t score with the judges, fighters are looking to punch with power to get a reaction from their opponent when it lands so its scores with the judges. In Mauy Thai you could argue the Teep Kick from the lead leg is like a jab almost.

 

 

 

 


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