PUNCH BY NUMBERS!
I'm pretty sure most of you have done Paint By Numbers art projects before where a number corresponds to a specific colour. With punching in Boxing and Martial Arts, it's the exact same thing. Except that the number corresponds to a punch! This can really help in a number of ways. It helps familiarize yourself with the punches and also when hearing combos being called out spontaneously, it's much quicker to just say the number than the words. It makes things a lot easier when you're taking notes as well. Another benefit is that of having to think and respond quickly. Studies have shown that Martial Arts can help the mind work, learn, be spontaneous, and help with conditions such as Dementia.
So let's look at those numbers and how they can be used. These can vary depending on the martial art. In fact, I have different numbering systems depending on which martial art I'm working on for a particular day. For this post, I'll cover Boxing punches since they're more commonly known than techniques from other arts such as the Pak Da from Ving Tsun. So here they are.
1) Jab
2) Straight Rear Punch / Cross
3) Lead Hook
4) Rear Uppercut
5) Lead Uppercut
6) Rear Hook
7) Lead Hook To The Body
8) Rear Hook To The Body
9) Lead Shovel Hook
10) Rear Shovel Hook
11) Jab To The Body
12) Straight Rear To The Body
There are virtually endless possible combinations of these punches that you can do. But to makes things simple, it's best to start with individual punches first. Get in the habit of throwing the punches and then immediately moving. There are a number of ways to move which include:
1) Slipping (moving your head off the line)
2) Ducking
3) Rolling
4) Pivoting
5) Sidestep
Moving after your punches is a good habit to have since a moving target is much harder to hit than a stationary one. Many people have the bad habit of just staying in one spot all the time, barely moving. Make sure you move right after your punches! After you're comfortable with the single punches, you can then progress to combinations. Here are some combos for you. I'm only going to put down the numbers. Let's see if you can figure it out yourself using the numbering system!
1-2
1-2-3
1-3-2
4-3-6
2-3-2
1-9-3
4-3-8
5-2-7
4-5-6
5-4-3-9
8-7-4-3
11-12-3
3-7-10
8-4-3
So that should be pretty good to get you started. By using this numbering system, it makes for a fun and challenging workout. Give it a try and if you have any questions about this or anything else fitness and health related, click here to get in touch