Boxing is a competitive sport that requires a high focus mind, strong and consistent strength. Focus mitt is one of the fundamental methods for boxers to develop their striking techniques, explosive power, speed, and body coordination.
If you’re interested in boxing, let’s find out how to train with focus mitt drills for beginners in our post below.
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How To Prepare To Train With Focus Mitt Drills For Beginners
Boxing coaches and bodybuilders use the focus mitts to train punching skills. They have a slightly curved outlook that attaches to a glove. Training with focus mitt, also known as glove punching, is a common way to practice the essential boxing techniques. For effective training, you will need the following equipment:
Good Mitts
Good mitts will be easy for you to target your punches. They are designed to allow your partner to catch your strikes easily. The boxer uses the padding to exercise their accuracy, strength, and speed.
A Good Pair of Boxing Gloves
Punching mitts requires a quality pair of boxing gloves to protect both your hands and your partner from injuries. Choosing a good boxing glove made from quality materials will help you feel comfortable going full speed.
A Coach Holding Focus Mitts
It would be best if you had a coach to hold your punches, transform your combinations and catch your punches. A boxing coach will observe and guide you on throwing your punches and correcting your boxing technique mistakes.
A Timer
During the focus mitts training, the boxer also needs to develop a rhythm and timing control. Using a timer would be beneficial to them to keep track of their speed better.
How To Train With Focus Mitt Drills
Training focus mitt drills are necessary for boxers to improve their ability and get ready for their fights in the future. Therefore, when you’re in a focus mitt drills, the exercises should focus on these aspects:
Jab Power
Power is one of the most important elements during a boxing fight. Many strong professional boxers like Mike Tyson can knock out their opponents in just one round with their powerful jabs. To achieve this result, the boxers must maximize their explosiveness, techniques, distancing, and timing.
Defense Skills
Boxing is not just attacking the opponents but also distancing yourself at the right time to avoid injuries. That’s when focus mitt drills benefit you the most. This type of exercise is made for training dodging and defense skills. Defense techniques include blocking, rolling, slipping, and parrying.
Speed
Being fast is another element that boxers must take into account when training. If you’re strong but slower than your opponent, you will likely miss all the hits and lose the fight. With mitt drills, developing your speed is a part of the training after correct form and body mechanism.
Timing
In combat, boxers need to know the right time to strike. When training in focus mitt drills, boxers need to follow the pad holders to strike, corral or defend. They will start to have their rhythm and release their punches with good timing.
4 Best Focus Mitt Drills For A New Boxer
Focus mitt drills for a trainee will mostly train for fitness, techniques, and timing and distancing skills. If you are new to boxing, here are seven focus mitt drills exercises you can practice:
1, 2, 1, 2 with Covering and Countering Drill
This drill is the standard training for trainees to learn the maximum distance of their straight lefts and straight rights. It also helps you to understand the basics of defense, timing, and rhythm. After mastering the drills, you can be familiar with the required speed and jab power.
In this exercise, you will learn basic defense and counterattack skills.
Step 1: You will start with the 1,2,1,2 section. Throw your straight left and right punches to your pad holder’s left and right accordingly.
Step 2: After the 1, 2, 1, 2 section, the pad holder will feed a left hook to your right.
Step 3: Tilt yourself slightly to the right to cover in defense.
Step 4: Punch the pad’s holder left pad as a counterattack.
Step 5: Repeat the other side.
8 Count
One of the basic mitt drills for beginners is the 8 Count. This drill is designed for trainees to learn the fundamental skills of boxing. In 8 Count, you will learn a series of 8 moves for striking and moving within the boxing ring and how to dodge and control your movements.
Step 1: Throw a jab with your left hand towards the left pad.
Step 2: Make a cross with your right hand towards the right pad.
Step 3: Throw a lead hook.
Step 4: Make a cross, similar to step 2.
Step 5: The pad holder throws a lead hook. Weave under it to dodge it.
Step 6: Throw another cross.
Step 7: Throw a lead hook.
Step 8: Your pad holder throws a rear hook. You need to bob and slip under it.
Step 9: Make a cross and finish.
Counter Drill
This drill is perfect for training your striking technique and blocking skills. It also helps with your jab powers, speed, timing, and movements. During the drill, you can throw various techniques like jabs, cross, or uppercuts for flexibility.
Step 1: Your pad holder makes a counterattack on your left. You will block the attack.
Step 2: Use your left hand to punch the left pad.
Step 3: Repeat the other side.
Jab, Jab, Uppercut
Jab, jab, uppercut is another combo to train your speed and explosive power effectively. As you see in the name, the drills consist of jabs following up with an uppercut.
Time the drill for 45 seconds for each round.
Step 1: Make two quick left jabs. You don’t need much power in these jabs.
Step 2: Bend your knees and drop down to prepare for the uppercut.
Step 3: Throw a backhand right uppercut immediately.
Step 4: Repeat for ten rounds.
Tips To Hold Boxing Mitts
It takes two to tango. Boxing is the same. Focus mitt drills are most effective when both parties practice correctly. During the drill, it is understandable that the striker needs to be on guard and release powerful hits. What about the pad holder?
Holding boxing mitts requires good control of your posture as it can cause unnecessary injuries or poor technique development to the strikers due to wrong angles. Therefore, here are some tips for holding boxing mitts correctly.
Correct Height
The pad holder needs to put the boxing mitts at the right height. If the boxer needs to make a head strike, then the correct pad height should be the same as the striker’s head. If the height is too high or too low, you risk stretching the muscles too harshly.
Gentle Strike Catch
Many boxers tend to produce a strong force when catching the strike, as it is normal when they’re in a striking position. However, this creates unnecessary force to the joints and shorten the reach of the strikes. Therefore, you need to keep a shoulder-width distance so that your partner can spread their maximum reach.
Feedback to Your Partner
As a pad holder, your task is not just holding the pad for the strikers but also observing your partner’s movements and giving critical comments during the drill. Whether your partner is in pain or off guard, you must motivate and remind them to focus on the drills.
Conclusion
Focus mitt drills are a great way to train new boxers’ different techniques, power, speed, and rhythm. With quality equipment and a good trainer, you can train your strength in engaging and interactive sections.
After learning how to train with focus mitt drills for beginners, you can understand the basics of focus mitt drills and practical exercises to train with your partner.
