“Whether you are 15 years old or 50, the basic training required for boxing will make you infinitely fitter than you have ever been in your life.” - Tony Parsons, GQ Magazine Sept 2013. 

From absolute beginners to keep-fit enthusiasts and international world champions - everyone can enjoy boxing training and the benefits of a healthier and fitter lifestyle.

George Burton, Advanced England ABA Boxing Coach offers:

1. 1. One-to-One boxing coaching;
   2. squad/group coaching;
   3. preparation for White Collar Boxing;
   4. classes for recreational boxing undertaken with or without contract;
2. Available at various Sports and Health clubs

Hi I’m Head Coach at Sands End ABC and responsible for maintaining the standard of coaching at the club. In the short video below I have complied a short example of pad techniques which I hope may be of help to you when introducing pads to your boxer.

It is essential that your boxer has a reasonable knowledge of foot work in terms of balance foot and arm coordination before he is introduced to pad-work.

Today I am working with Craig; we’ve worked together for years and he is obviously used to my style of pad-work, but we’ll go through fault correction which most boxers are sure to have at the start of their career.

First of all, make sure your boxer is well-balanced with hands in a good “on guard” position.

The style of your boxer [orthodox or southpaw] should be assumed at the commencement of the exercise and the coach should thereafter alter his own stance for the benefit of the boxer.

Make sure your pads are in a realistic position and representing a realistic target.

So let’s start off with the leading hand jab – my left hand pad will be the target for this punch. This will give me a good vision of the rotation of wrist; deltoid on impact.

I would advise keeping with straight shots from both hands for a number of sessions before proceeding to angle shots [hooks & uppercuts].

I always encourage my beginners from the start to slip & move his/her head after every single shot and not to stay in line to be countered; then roll after last shot of combination. i.e. Craig jabs, boxer counters, Craig slips into left/hook to body possibly.

Let’s look a scenario:

• Craig lands with rear hand, left/hook head, rolls off the left/hook
• As a defence then, having transferred his weight onto his left leg, he is prepard for a 2^nd phase attack – preferably left/hook & right/cross

Weight transference is a very important part in boxing. It creates the fluency to deliver combinations with speed - that is until oxygen intake runs out.

When this occurs and your boxer decides to step-off make sure he maintains his composure and doesn’t switch off by dropping his hands.

I find most beginners will drop their jabs on the way back like cycling. If a verbal response does not work, then I’ll change my stance with my right/hand nearest my boxer – this puts me in the position to demonstrate ‘with a touch’ to the open target – which he normally instantly takes on board. Similarly, you’ll find your boxers right/hand will drop or dwell off guard [possibly caused by concentration on delivering the left/hand]. In this case I will change my target pad from left to right which allows me to remind my boxer with my left/hand that he is exposing his own chin or upper target.

Coaches can be responsible for or having bad habits:

• Probably the most common is the meeting or slapping shot i.e. meeting the shot prevents it from landing on target and the persistence of this approach will only be effective at close range and will therefore be easily ‘read’ by the opponent.
• Holding pads too wide apart can encourage off target shots. Although it can be used to a degree to encourage boxer to increase rotation.
• Rotation assists in power – gives extra range and also cuts target down by blading body. Return to a normal stance as soon as possible to prevent over commitment.

I hope this information has been of help to you and may encourage you to be involved in the ABA setup.

If you are interested in a coaching qualification give me a call on: 07931 582534 or apply directly to the London ABA office:

56- 60 Comber Grove

Camberwell

SE5 0LD

Phone: 020 7252 7008

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