Good body movement (meaning moving the head) adds a certain something to a boxer’s style. When done right it makes the boxer look like the consummate professional. It’s also a brilliantly diverse type of skill, which we’ll cover in a moment, so if you want to learn how to box then understanding how to execute the perfect body movement skills are vital.
So, what is body movement?
Body movement can be defined as movement of the legs and upper body whilst the feet remain static.
Most people will have heard the phrases “ducking punches”, or “rolling with the punches” or “slipping punches”. Well, rather unsurprisingly these all describe the types of body movement used by a boxer.
There are 3 main reasons why we undertake body movement:
- Firstly, body movement as a defensive measure allows incoming shots to miss. A boxer will use rolls, ducks and slips without seeing the punches coming, that is, body movement in a defensive setting is proactive (not reactive as with blocking or parrying punches). This is reason enough to employ body movement, but there are other reasons too.
- The second reason is as a diversionary tactic, that is as a ‘feint’. Feinting is a process by which a boxer deceives the opponent into acting in a particular way. I’ll not cover it here, but click on this feinting in boxing link if you want more information on how to feint properly.
- The third reason that a boxer uses body movement is to generate leverage for their shots, particularly hook shots.
So, body movement should be high on your ‘learn how to box’ check list.
Below are links to 4 video articles on the site that will open up your world on effective body movement in a boxing ring:
