Shadow boxing is a part of virtually all combat striking arts and it is a crucial exercise in all training sessions.
Shadow boxing is very versatile and as such can be:
- integrated after a decent warmup and before the heavy training begins
- at the end of your heavy training session.
- as a standalone training tool used when you can’t get to the gym or on your off days from the gym.
But if you are just going through the motions and viewing your shadowboxing as simply to warm up and get the body loose for your heavy training, then you are neglecting lot of potential progress and improvement in your skills and technique.
Without concentrated effort and a focused mind in your shadow boxing you wont be able to get the most out of your shadow boxing sessions.
Like all the different tools in your striking training, such as heavy bag training, pads and sparring, shadow boxing has its own unique benefits which is why all gyms advocate fighters put in multiple rounds of shadow boxing.
Whether they be beginners or veterans, all gyms place high importance on having their fighters go through many rounds and hours upon hours of shadow boxing.
This post will help beginners to grasp the essentials of shadow boxing and recognize the benefits so they don’t neglect this crucial part of your training.
Also for more seasoned strikers, this post will help you get the most of your shadow boxing training through incorporating the 8 tips below.
1. Stay Relaxed
Speed and power are not the most important aspects to train in your shadow boxing.
Smooth movement, coordination and crisp clean technique are by far more important. So keep this in mind.
Stay relaxed and loose and breathe in a composed manner.
Practicing staying composed and calm while shadow boxing helps you conserve energy and to keep your mind in a calm state when you are under fire in a fight or sparring.
Have a look at the Professional Thai Boxer in the video below. He is focusing on good clean technique and efficient movement.
2. Set Targets and Goals for Each Session
As stated just going through the motions of shadow boxing is fine for warming up and getting the body loose.
But in order to get the most out of this time in your training you really need to have pre-determined targets and goals in mind before you begin your shadow boxing.
Here are some very useful goals to approach your shadow boxing with:
- I want to make sure I’m drawing up power from the ground, rotating my leg, hip and shoulder on every punch.
- I want to feel the shoulder of my punching hand touch my chin and my opposite hand on my face on each punch.
- I want to make sure I return to my fighting stance after throwing each kick, knee, elbow and punch.
- I will pay attention to my balance on each strike thrown even if I have to throw each strike slowly.
- I will keep my hands up and face protected the entire round.
Here are some goals you can set for yourself for your shadow boxing:
- I will to throw 100 jabs by the end of this shadow boxing session.
- I will drill the Jab, Cross, Switch Knee 50 times this shadow boxing session.
- I will drill that new technique I learnt in my last session from my trainer 20 times this session.
These are just some suggestions but I hope you get the idea.
Make sure to set goals for each session and they can be a little different each time. Also make sure to have some goals to work toward each session you shadow box.
This will help you to stay focused and improve each and every session rather than just going through the motions to warm up and get a sweat going.
3. Include Footwork & Movement
It’s important to not stay in one spot when shadow boxing.
Use your footwork to carry you to your target to strike and to get away from your target to defend.
Make sure you have a good amount of space to move around.
Practice your footwork – moving forward, back, to the lead side and to the rear side.
Incorporate circular movement and pivoting – circling away from your opponents power side.
Practice moving out of range or covering up defensively after each strike and combination you throw.
4. Use Visualization
The ability to visualize comes from experience.
You can get this experience from sparring and drilling and actual ring or fight experience. Also I would suggest watching fights and fighters you like to emulate to see how they move in response to different ring situations.
So how do you visualize?
Pre-determine if you are boxing an orthodox or south paw and how you will move to get in range to strike and out of range. This way you can picture an opponent in your mind with a specific stance.
Visualize where is their power side and how will you move when they throw their power shots?
Another suggested way to visualize is at the end of the round of shadow boxing imagine you are down on points and its the final round of the fight so you need to score a knockdown or KO your opponent.
A great tip is to visualize you are fighting a specific fighter or your favorite fighter. What attacks do they like to use? What is their strategy and how do they move?
All this can be visualized and integrated in your shadow boxing.
5. Work on Your Defense and Countering Also!
Do not neglect your defense when shadow boxing! Its fine to throw 30 secs of rapid fire straight punches to work your arm and shoulder endurance and cardio from time to time.
But do not neglect your defense techniques and strategies. Below are some ideas for incorporating defense into your shadow boxing:
— Work on your defense for straight punches – parrying, blocking, evading and moving your head to slip punches.
— Work on your round punch defense; practice blocking hooks and uppercuts as well as ducking under and moving out of range.
— Visualize and practice blocking kicks with your shins and catching kicks and countering or sweeping and dumping your opponent.
— Practice shelling up in your guard against heavy elbows and punch combos you cant evade and focus on staying composed and ready to counter.
— Practice keeping your guard up and adjusting from the long guard, to the cover up and back again.
The above are just some suggestions but the point is to not only throw attacks when shadow boxing but to make sure you incorporate defense as well.
6. Practice New Techniques and Combo
In shadow boxing, this is a great time to drill those new movements and combos you have learnt.
Or if fighting, visualize your opponents style and strategy and how to counter them if you haven’t faced them before.
Note your balance on new combos and unfamiliar moves and figure out the best way to execute them with the best balance and coordination and composure.
Shadow boxing in a relaxed manner to drill and perfect new techniques is very useful before you add power and speed on the bag and pads and eventually testing them out in sparring.
7. Review Your Shadow boxing
This can be self-review if you are training mostly alone. You can do this by filming your shadow boxing on your mobile device.
Watch and re-watch your sessions and see if you are hitting your targets and achieving the goals you set out for yourself for each session.
Check your technique when you review your training sessions.
Are you executing them with balance and coordination?
Are you returning to a good stance to be ready to defend on each strike?
If you are in a gym with a trainer they can also provide you some feedback. But often times fighters are left shadow box alone. So you really need to also be able to review and critique yourself.
A mirror is a very useful asset to have when shadow boxing and is great to use to review your own technique in real time also.
But I would highly recommend you video yourself and review your shadow boxing.
If training alone there are many forums and discussion groups where you can submit your videos and get comments and critique from others. This can be helpful also.
8. Double Up Your Shadow Boxing Rounds
Quality over quantity is a valid and well known saying. However the truth is most people training striking just don’t shadow box enough.
I would suggest increasing the quantity of your shadow boxing. By incorporating the tips from this post you will also be able to get in quality work at the same time.
As shadow boxing can be done virtually anywhere at anytime you really can add in more sessions rather easily.
If you currently only shadow box for 2 rounds before your heavy training. Add in another 2 rounds on your off days or at the end of your workout. This way you can easily increase the amount of rounds you do.
Remember the tips given in this post to make sure you put in quality time and you will get the most out of your shadow boxing – guaranteed!
