Become Fighter
Reading the jab: Boxing guide
Spot the tells that give away the jab, then choose the right counter.
Every fighter gives something away before they punch. A small drop of the lead shoulder, a bend of the knee, a twitch of the rear heel, a breath out. The jab is the most common punch you will face, so it is the best place to learn to read.
You do not have to react to the punch itself. You react to the tell, which comes slightly earlier. Pick one tell on your partner, watch for it, and counter it with a planned response.
Key points
- Watch the chest and shoulders, not the hands. The shoulder moves before the fist.
- Look for patterns: do they always jab after stepping in? Do they double the jab?
- Against a jab you can parry and cross, slip and cross, or slip and overhand.
- Counter the second jab of a double. The first draws it, the second opens them.
- Choose one response per round. Too many options make you slow.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Watching the fist. Soften your focus on the chest. You will see the whole body and react earlier.
- Trying to counter everything. Choose a single response for the round and make it work before adding another.
- Reacting to feints. Do not move for the shoulder twitch alone. Wait for the weight to commit.
Combinations that use it
Related techniques
The rest is in the app
The step-by-step breakdown, the timed drill with the coach calling the shots and the quiz are part of Become Fighter Pro, where this lesson sits in the Counter punching module of Boxing fundamentals.
Get it on Google Play. Coming soon to the App Store.
More from Counter punching
- Slip and counter: Boxing guide
- Catch and return: Boxing guide
- Pull counter: Boxing guide
- Check hook against the rush: Boxing guide
Combat sports training is hard on the body. Warm up, stay within your limits and check with a doctor first if you have a health condition. Practise in a clear space and stop if you feel pain or dizziness. Learn partner work only under a qualified coach.