This video gives a list of the top 10 beginner boxing mistakes that I see. I must have coached 1000s of boxers since I began coaching in 1996, and with pretty much every boxer there will be at least a few of these mistakes that we identify and fix at the outset. Thing is, these mistakes can creep back in at any time, so well worth keeping them at the front of your mind.
Mistake 1 – Losing the Line
A massive part of a solid boxing style is balance.
Defense and offense rely on the right configuration of your feet.
As a beginner boxer, go with the standard, bladed boxing stance.
An imaginary line on the floor goes from the toe on your front foot to the heel on your basck foot.
Maintaining this line gives you good balance, especially when taking incoming hooks.
Mistake 2 – Feet Together
Beginner boxers often bring their feet together when moving forwards and backwards.
It’s so important to maintain a good distance between the front foot and rear foot.
You have pretty much zero balance, any shots come your way and your are in real trouble.
Remember this simple rule when it comes to moving forwards and backwards.
Open the stance then return, don’t close then open.
Mistake 3 – Crossing the Legs
As you move side to side, don’t cross your feet.
As with mistakes 1 and 2, maintain your boxing stance.
When moving left, push off the right foot and move the left foot first.
When moving right, push off the left foot and move the right foot first.
Mistake 4 – Front Foot Angle
Your front foot should stay at 45 degrees.
Beginner boxers will often lose this angle in two scenarios.
When moving backwards, the front foot will point forwards.
When throwing the back hand the front foot will point forwards.
If you lose the 45 degree angle, you will have balance problems especially when using the back hand punches.
Mistake 5 – Droppng the Hands
This one is pretty obvious.
As a beginner boxer, keep your hands up.
Maintain a good guard, and by doing that you will stop a lot of punches hitting your head.
That’s without being a defensive wizard.
Just keep your hands up.
Similarly, when you throw the left hand, keep the right hand up.
When you throw the right hand keep the left hand up.
Boxing defense is not rocket science.
Mistake 6 – Lifting the Head
Keep your chin rested in to your chest.
Beginner boxers often have their head held quite high.
Often a beginner will lift their head even higher when punching.
The point of keeping your chin rested into your chest is that your shoulders provide additional protection when punching.
Don’t lift your head, it’ll get punched off.
Mistake 7 – Bodyweight Forward
Beginner boxers seem to think that if you throw your body after a punch more power will be generated.
Wrong.
Rotation of the hips driven from the feet will drive power (see mistake 9).
Throwing your body weight forward with your punch will add power – to any punches coming back at you.
Simple rule – don’t let your nose go past the line of your knee.
Mistake 8 – Telegraphing Punches
As a beginner boxer it’s important to avoid bad punching habits from the outset.
Telegraphing your punches is a bad habit.
When you telepgraph, the chances of your punch landing drop dramatically.
Telegraphing can be a movement of the fist before the punch comes.
It can be lifting the elbow of the punching arm.
It can be drawing the arm back.
All of these are not good.
Learn to execute the punch cleanly and with the only arm movement being along the path to it’s target.
Mistake 9 – Under Rotation
Great punching is so much about hip rotation.
Hip rotation, driven from the feet, is critical – all top boxers know this.
If you don’t learn hip rotation, your straight punches will fall short and if they do land will lack power.
Without hip rotation, you have arm punches and they are no good to anyone.
Mistake 10 – Poor Retraction
If you land a great punch, don’t let your hand go on a grand tour before returning to the guard position.
Every split second your hand is away from the guard position increases the risk of you taking a punch.
So, when you throw a punch, get your hand back to the guard position…quick!
Next Steps
Knowing what the mistakes are and whether they are affecting you is half the battle. Once you know, you can do something about it.
Work the drills.
Be precise, don’t rush the actions.
Nail the mechanics and get better at boxing 🥊
Any mistakes you think I’ve missed? Let me know below.
Cheers
Fran
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