Become Fighter
Jab and cross with takedown awareness: MMA guide
Throw the basic punches without leaning, reaching or squaring up into a shot.
A boxer can lean into a punch because nobody is going to grab his legs. In MMA every punch you throw is also an invitation to be taken down. The jab and cross are the same punches, thrown with a base that survives a shot.
Three habits change: your feet stay wider, your head comes back to centre after every punch, and your hands return to your chin before your weight settles. You do not need to be slow. You need to be hard to reach for.
Key points
- Punch from your MMA stance. Do not narrow your feet to reach further.
- Rotate on the balls of the feet. Do not lunge from the hips.
- Keep your chin down and your head off the centre line after each punch.
- Return the hand to your chin quickly. A hand left out is a hand that gets controlled.
- Finish most combinations with a step or an angle, not a stationary pause.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Leaning forward to reach with the cross. Step in with the jab instead of leaning. Keep the head over the hips.
- Dropping the rear hand after the cross. Bring the hand back to the chin on the way out as a single movement.
- Standing square and flat-footed. Stay angled to the opponent and on the balls of the feet.
Combinations that use it
- 1-1: Jab, Jab
- 1-2: Jab, Cross
- 1-1-2: Jab, Jab, Cross
- in-1-2: Step in, Jab, Cross
- block-2: High block, Cross
- parry-2: Parry, Cross
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 Striking for MMA module of MMA foundations.
Get it on Google Play. Coming soon to the App Store.
More from Striking for MMA
- Low, body and front kicks: MMA guide
- Checking kicks: MMA guide
- Defence against strikes and shots: MMA 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.