Basic Boxing Combinations – For Beginners To Try Out

Boxing isn’t simply fighting with both hands. There’re arts and tricks inside this sport. Here are some basic boxing combinations and tricks you should know when practicing boxing.

Let’s get to it, tigers!

Basic Boxing Combinations – Top 4 Combinations Perfect For Beginners

Jab + Cross (1-2)

When it comes to boxing combinations, this jab and cross-practice is likely the first thing you will learn. It is not only simple but also very effective to be applied in different situations. 

For example, if you want to measure the distance from you to your opponent before attacking, this combination is perfect for the job. By throwing a jab, you will have a fine idea of the distance and know what to do when beginning the cross move. 

As we have already known, a jab is a fast and straight punch, while a cross is a punch done with the rear hand that comes over and across the opposite hand of the opponent.

To perform the jab + cross-movement, what you have to do is:

• Throw a straight punch – a jab with your left hand to your opponent’s body to make him guard go off. 
• Then, with your right hand, do a cross to his head to knock him off. 

There are also some combination elements for your consideration while doing this jab + cross combo: 

• Range: A little bit outside of your opponent’s range
• Risk of injuries: Low
• Head Movement: Suppose you are shorter than your rival. Then, while performing this move, bob down your head under his left arm after the cross – just like bobbing and weaving. In that way, you will avoid his counter when he does the left hook.
• Footwork: To cover more distance in this move, try to move with the jab. Suppose you want to exit the combo, step to your right so that you quickly get to the safe position without making any additional step. 
• Angles: Any angle.
• Feints: There are two options for you to choose from. The first option is to fake the jab, wait a second for the rival to show himself, and then instantly throw the cross. Or you can fake a jab and do a jab + cross. Both will work perfectly.
• Rhythm: You can choose to move quickly with the flow or wait for a moment to interrupt the rhythm and surprise him with your cross.

Double Jab + Cross (1-1-2)

The Double Jab and Cross is another most effective combination. It is a great technique to trick your opponent as he may expect you to perform a 1-2 when you first throw the jab. For that reason, the next jab will be an unpredictable factor to catch your rival by surprise if he is waiting for the cross to perform a counter. 

This second jab is like a strategy to test the water – his defense and make him guard off so that you can put a right cross into his head immediately. It is also an excellent way to cover up more distance when competing with taller opponents.   

To pull this move off, you follow:

• Throw the first jab with your right hand to fool him like doing the 1-2 movement. ( Jab to the head)
• Throw the second jab with the left hand to his head to surprise your opponent and raise his guard more to the head. 
• Instant carry out the right cross to his body as an unexpected factor and knock him off. 

Some combination elements for your application to make it better:

• Range: Long ( longer than the 1-2)
• Risk of injuries: Low 
• Head movement: If there is no counterpose from your opponent, you won’t have to do much head movement. Yet, if there is any, you can perform bob and weave to avoid it.   
• Footwork: Step two steps forward while doing double jabs. However, make sure to plan your foot movement so that you can follow up when you bring off your rugged cross. 
• Angels: A forward angle
• Feints: No feint required
• Rhythm: You can do it in the following order: Fast-hard-hard, hard-fast-hard, or fast-fast-hard.

Jab + Cross + Lead Hook 

This 1-2-3 combination is a great technique to enhance the chance of a knockout. The 1-2 movement is just for tricking your opponent into the trap, and the lead hook is the perfect ending for the combination.

You can vary this combination in any way you want. Here are some examples from us:

• Jab to the opponent’s head, then do a cross to the body. And instantly followed by a hook to the head. 
• Or jab to the body, followed by a right cross, and then a left hook to the head.
• Maybe do both jab and cross to the head and then a left hook to the body.

It would help if you also tried to diversify the power on the punches. You may throw a hard right jab, a light left cross and a hard left hook, or many more to keep your opponent wondering and confusing. 

Other combination elements to consider:

• Range: Mid-long
• Risk of injuries: Medium level ( Maybe you will get a counter when doing your lead hook)
• Head Movement: Proactively based on the counters and situations.
• Footwork: stay outside the range first and then step in when doing the jab. Next, step another step when throwing a cross and shift your body weight to set up for the hook.
• Angels: Neutral stance
• Feints: you may fake the first jab and catch him with the following cross + lead hook.
• Rhythm: You can either do it with no break or wait a second after throwing the jab + cross and about to carry out the lead hook.

Jab + Rear Hook

The jab and rear hook is another basic combo with the jab and cross that you may learn at the start.

This combination will benefit you in your learning to shift the bodyweight between your legs effectively. This may later be a useful maneuver in your fight with a highly defensive opponent.

What you have to do is to throw a jab to the head and set up a hook to the rear (to maybe body or head).

Here are some combo elements that need to be executed in the movement: 

• Range: Short or Mid
• Risk of injuries: Low
• Head Movement: When doing the hook, you can try to duck your head under the inside angel or move it towards.
• Footwork: Step forward when throwing the jab so that you can bring out the hook conveniently later. 
• Angels: forward, backward, or from a neutral stance. 
• Feints: No feints needed
• Rhythm: The hook should follow the jab immediately so that the opponent cannot see it. 

More Boxing Combo – Mix of The Old Ones

Fakes and Feints

A feint in boxing is a deceptive movement where you fake an attack to make your opponent react and lower their defense. Therefore, feinting is a must-known trick and might be your key to victory.

The most common attack to be faked is a punch or a kick. Although kicking is illegal in boxing, if it doesn’t hit your rival, it doesn’t count.

Constantly striking your opponent with clear intention doesn’t always work as they can react to your attack and raise their defense. That’s where a feint comes in handy, deliver a fake attack with the intention to lure your opponent, then throw a lethal blow when they’re off guard.

The best time to fake a movement or attack is when your rival seems to get tired and lose consciousness; since they will block any of your attacks to avoid getting injured, you are likely to get them with an appropriately timed feint.

Lighter and Faster Punches

One common mistake in beginner boxers is that they fight with all forces, putting maximum power into every attack and hoping they’ll be the dominant one.

But reality is another story! Not only does it cost a lot of energy but also not effective if your opponent can dodge and block most of your attack. That’s why you should use light punches, and a quick punch can disrupt your rival’s intention and rhythm, exposing their weak spot.

Once your opponents expose themselves, there’s the opportunity you’re looking for; grab your chance and deliver a powerful strike to weaken them or even knock them out.

Go To The Body

We all know that aiming for the head is always a top priority in every battle, but is it worth wasting your energy on that high-risk, high-reward target?

The answer is it depends on who you’re dealing with, a small but quick guy or a bulky one. Instead of focusing on hitting the head, consider a bigger and easy to hit target like the body.

Hitting the body in the right place can be very valuable, especially if it’s the ribs or the center of the gut. Another benefit of targeting the body is that the damages you cause will stack up; your opponent won’t stand for long in later rounds.

Keep in mind the following steps before every fight, evaluate your rival first, give out the right strategy, then keep following it with calm and belief.

>Read more: Shadow boxing vs heavy bag.

In Short 

After reading, we hope that you know some basic boxing combinations and do them at home for your practice. Along with the four basic combos, there are also some tricks and mixes of them to make up some new ones to do in the fight that you should try out.

Best luck with your work. Thank you for reading.