[Ninja Kl0wn]

The one I used to put it up in the first place is free, and requires no registration. www.yousendit.com

[shurite44]

http://www.savefile.com/files/246711

Just click on the download button that says "boxing",

enjoy, and thanks to Zeff again for sending it too me. great book, not finished but I am really enjoying it.

[The BadBoy]

15. Purity in Punching

The stepping straight punch, which you learned earlier, is pure because it has all the essentials of a punch. One of those essentials is this: THE BODY-WEIGHT MUST BE MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTION THAT YOUR STRIKING KNUCKLES ARE POINTING. In other words, the body-weight must be moving in the same direction that the exit of your power line is pointing.

When you punch straight from the falling step, the fall and the right-foot spring send your body-weight straight forward-in the same direction your striking knuckles are pointing (Figure 20). And the assisting power you get from the accompanying shoulder whirl in the falling step does not change the direction of your weight in motion.

That essential-same direction of weight and striking knuckles-is lacking when you punch straight from the shoulder whirl, WITHOUT STEPPING.
You'll understand what I mean when you try this little experiment. Take your normal punching position before the bag. Using the shoulder-whirl, hit the bag hard with your left fist; then, move to follow with a terrific straight! right to the same spot, BUT, INSTEAD OF LETTING YOUR RIGHT FIST ACTUALLY HIT THE BAG, YANK YOUR FIST IN AGAINST YOUR CHEST JUST BEFORE IT CAN LAND.
What happened?

Your body whirled around, using the left foot as a pivot. Your body had practically no tendency to plunge forward into the bag, for your weight was spinning like a top.

Had you completed that punch, your striking knuckles would not have been pointing in the same direction as that of your whirling weight. Your striking knuckles were shooting straight forward, but your shoulder was whirling.

Usually when a straight punch is exploded against its target, the arm is fully extended. At the instant of explosion in a non-step whirling straight punch, the striking knuckles of the extended arm are trying to continue in one direction. whereas the shoulder is trying to pull the arm in another direction (Figure 21).

Your moving body-weight, instead of being exploded straight forward into the target as it was in the falling-step punch, may be whipped away to the inside by your whirling shoulder. That type of punch cannot have explosive follow-through-unless your opponent steps into the punch.

Incidentally, I believe that "whip-away" causes many of the mysterious shoulder and elbow injuries suffered by fighters-torn ligaments, pulled muscles, and socket dislocations.

The harder you throw a straight punch from the whirl, the more your body will try to purify the punch by giving it loop. Your body will try to send your striking knuckles in the same circular direction in which your body-weight is whirling.

The harder you try to punch, particularly in rapid-fire exchanges, the more old Mother Nature will try to force you to hook. You see: THE HOOK IS THE PERFECT WHIRLING PUNCH, IT'S PURE. Consequently, the more loop given a whirling straight punch, the more explosive the punch.

Nevertheless, you cannot let nature have her way with your straight whirls. It's unfortunate that the wider the loop, the easier your opponent's block or slip. Moreover, the straighter you throw your punches in a rapid-fire exchange, the better you will keep "inside" your opponent's attack. The fellow who has the inside track in an exchange usually lands the most punches, so, DON'T LOOP 'EM.

Although a non-step straight punch from the shoulder whirl is impure, don't get the idea you shouldn't use the whirl for straight punching, THE WHIRL IS VERY VALUABLE WHEN YOU CAN'T STEP, AND VERY VALUABLE AS AN AID TO POWER IN THE FALLING STEP.

The more power you can generate with the shoulder whirl, the harder you will hit with both types of straight punches; and the more explosiveness you will inject into your hooks. The shoulder whirl is extremely important.
But let me stress this fact: NEITHER YOU NOR ANYONE ELSE WILL BE ABLE TO HIT AS HARD WITH A STRAIGHT PUNCH FROM THE SHOULDER
WHIRL, WITHOUT THE FALLING STEP, AS WITH IT. I emphasize that because many instructors teach: "Never step with a straight punch unless you have to." That instruction is wrong.

The trigger step (falling step) must be part of your instinctive equipment before you begin experimenting with straight, shoulder-whirl punches.

Otherwise, when you do have to step with a shoulder-whirl punch, you'll be using the wrong type of step. When you step in with a left jab, you'll be using a curved step; you'll be letting your foot follow your whirl. And when you try to step with a straight right, you'll be trying to "hit off the right foot" by "raring back," like a baseball pitcher, before you throw the punch. A pitcher has time to rare back before he goes into his falling step, but if you rare back you'll be a "catcher"

You may ask, "Well, when should I step, and when should I whirl?" The answer is simply this: STEP WITH A STRAIGHT PUNCH WHENEVER YOU GET THE CHANCE, EVEN IF YOU CAN TAKE ONLY A VERY SHORT STEP. When you can't step, nature will force you to depend entirely upon shoulder whirl.

Let's move on to short-range punching: to hooks and uppercuts.

16. Hooking

A "hook" is a whirl-powered blow that is delivered while the elbow is sharply bent (Figure 22A and B).

Many people mistake a swing for a hook because each blow travels in a circular direction.

There's a life-and-death difference between the two blows, however. That difference originates in the hook's sharply bent elbow. In the swing, the arm usually is fully extended, or nearly so (Figure 23A and B).

Although a swing is the most natural blow for a fellow to use in self-defense, it is also the most treacherous blow that he can throw. The swinger leaves himself wide open to a punch from his opponent, both while he draws back to swing and while his fist is travelling in its long arc to the target.

Moreover, since it's almost impossible for the fist to land with its striking knuckles at the end of a hard swing, the landing usually is made with the palm-side knuckles or with the thumb knuckle or with the wrist. Any of those three landings is an invitation to a fracture.
In addition, the swing is a doubly ineffective blow. It's easy for an opponent to block or to evade. And it lacks the explosiveness of the hook.

The swing lacks explosiveness because it's an impure punch. Although your arm and fist are travelling in the circular direction of your whirling body-weight, your striking knuckles are not pointing in that direction. Your striking knuckles-the exit of your power line-are pointing straight out, or nearly straight out. Your arm is moving like the spoke of a wheel; but your power line is running straight down the spoke and out the end (Figure 24).

Unless your striking knuckles are pointing in exactly the same direction that your body-weight is moving, you will not have your weight behind the punch nor will you have frozen solidity along the power line when you attempt to explode the punch.

By bending the elbow sharply for the hook, however, you point your striking knuckles in the same direction that your weight is whirling (Figure 25). You achieve a pure punch. And the more sharply the elbow is bent, the tighter and more explosive is the hook. When you explode a hook against an opponent's jaw, you can feel your good old power line running just as solidly from shoulder through fist as when the line was straight out in a falling-step punch. The hook is as pure as the swing is impure. To use the swing as a weapon in fist-fighting or in boxing is as dangerous as using a live rattlesnake as a weapon. The user is more likely to be the victim. And as far as the opponent is concerned, always remember this: Anyone who is so inexperienced or stupid that he can be hit by a swing is a palooka who can be "moidered" by straight punches, hooks or uppercuts.

TAKE THE SWING AND TOSS IT INTO THE SLOP BUCKET AND FORGET ABOUT IT.

Let's examine those explosive beauties-THE HOOKS.
Generally speaking, there are two types of hooks: (1) SHOVEL HOOKS, which are thrown "inside" with the elbows "in," pressing tightly against the hips for body blows and pressing tightly against the lower ribs for head blows; and (2) OUTSIDE HOOKS, which are thrown with the elbows "out"-away from the body.

We'll feel out the "shovel hooks" first, for they are thrown from your normal punching stance and they are the short-range dandies you'll be using most in fist-fighting or boxing.

Take your normal punching stance before the heavy bag. Shuffle in close to the bag. Let your left arm dangle loosely at your side. Raise your left hand (thumb up) and your forearm until they are pointing straight' out from your elbow (Figure 26). Pull your elbow "in" and press it firmly against the front edge of your hip bone. Turn your half-opened left hand up slightly so that your palm is partially facing the ceiling. Your palm should slant at an angle of about 45 degrees between floor and ceiling. Meanwhile, keep your right hand in normal guarding position.

Now without moving your feet, suddenly whirl your body to your right in such fashion that your left hip comes up with a circling, shoveling hunch that sends your exploding left fist solidly into the bag, about solar-plexus high (Figure 27). The slanting angle of the left hand permits you to land solidly with your striking knuckles.

Try that punch several times. Make certain you have no tension in the elbow, shoulder or legs until the whirl is started from your normal position, MORE IMPORTANT: Make certain that (1) Your hand is at the 45-degree angle, and (2) the hip comes up in a vigorous shoveling hunch.
The "fist angle" and the "hip hunch" are important features of all shovel hooks, whether to body or head. The leg spring used in the hip hunch speeds up your body whirl and, at the same time, deflects the direction of the whirl slightly upward in a surge. Meanwhile, the combination of the angled fist and the bent elbow points your striking knuckles in the same direction as that of the whirl-surge. You have a pure punch. Your fist lands with a solid smash that packs plenty of follow-through, AND YOUR PURE PUNCH IS ANGLED TO SHOOT INSIDE AN OPPONENT'S DEFENSES.

Next, try a right shovel hook to the body. Use exactly the same combination of movements, but keep the left hand on guard. Because of the better shoulder and hip whirl you can get from the right side, the right shovel will be much easier for you to throw in the beginning. Practice a few rights.

Now we are ready to shoot shovels to the head.

Head-shovels are delivered from the normal stance at close range. If you have a pear-shaped, inflated punching bag, it will enable you to feel out the head-shovels more satisfactorily than the heavy bag. That is so because your shovels are rising at chin-height.

Stand before either bag. Keep your hands in normal punching position. Fold the left arm in toward the body, keeping your forearm straight up until the thumb knuckle is only a slight distance from your left shoulder. Be sure that your left elbow is well "in" and that it is pressing against your lower left ribs (Figure 2.

Now, without moving your feet, suddenly give your body the combination shoulder whirl and hip hunch, and let your angled left fist explode the punch against your chin-high target (Figure 29).

Try four or five of those left shovels, making certain each time that your elbow is pressing against the lower ribs, at the start of the whirl, and that your fist, when it lands, is only a short distance from your left shoulder.

If strangers were watching you practice that shovel to the head, one might remark, "Why, he's just clubbing sideways with his left hand." And another might say, "Naw, he's just throwin' a left uppercut."

Both would be wrong, for you are neither "clubbing" nor uppercutting. You are throwing a full-fledged inside left hook-one of the shortest, yet one of the most explosive, blows in the human arsenal. You're doing that if you're landing with your striking knuckles, and not with the side of your hand.

Next, try a few of the head-shovels with the right hand. These, too, will be easier to throw than the left head-shovels.

I permitted you to make certain preliminary moves or "telegraphs" when you were getting set to throw your first shovels to body and head. Later, however, after the combination of shovel movements becomes automatic, you'll not need to drop your elbows to your hips before starting the body punches; nor will you need to cock back your forearms and fists before starting the head blows. Instead, your hands will be in their normal positions before the blows begin. But they will flash instinctively to their shovel posts as your body starts its hunching whirl. Your body will pick them up.

You've probably been wondering how one gets into short range before throwing a shovel, since no step is taken with the punch. You won't have difficulty there. You can make the range, for example, with any number of attack combinations in which the shovels are used for follow shots. The simplest combination would be a long left jolt to the head, which failed to knock your opponent backward, followed immediately by a right shovel to head or body. Or, you could follow a similar straight left to the head with a left shovel to head or body. Likewise, a long straight right to the head, which failed to accomplish its explosive object, would put you in position for left shovels to either target.

Also, if a fast opponent steps into you, his speed may be such that you can't catch him with a stepping counter-punch; but that very speed may make him a perfect "clay pigeon" for your short-range artillery. In addition, you'll be in short range for counter-shovels many times when you ward off attacks by means of blocks, parries, slips and the like. I'll show you all the defensive moves later-after you've completed your punching education.

Practice the shovels until you perfect them. They are particularly valuable for the fist-fighter. In importance they rank next to your long, straight punches. They will enable you to knock out or at least "soften up" an opponent who is trying to clinch with you. They will help you, from your normal stance, to keep "inside" the attack of bobber-weavers, most of whom hook from the "outside."

They'll help you to straighten up bobber-weavers, although not as effectively as will uppercuts. They'll eliminate the necessity of your "getting down" in a low crouch to try to beat a bobber-weaver at his own game.

Since the shovels are all short, tight blows, you are less likely to get hit while using them than while throwing the more open "outside" hooks.
That brings us to an investigation of "outside hooks."

An outside hook is any hook that's landed while the elbow is well "out" or "up"-well away from the body. The properly executed outside hook is a pure, full-fledged knockout punch. Your striking knuckles are pointing in the exact direction of your whirling weight.

However, the outside hook is pure only so long as you keep it tight-only so long as the elbow is sharply bent- only so long as it's delivered at short range.

REMEMBER THIS: The more you "open" an outside hook, the more it degenerates into a swing. You must keep it tight.

Naturally that fundamental is true also of shovel hooks; but there's less tendency to open the shovels.

The amateur and professional rings are crowded today with "club fighters" who wade in with wild hooking attacks. Among them an explosive puncher is a rarity, for the club fighter's so-called hooks generally are so open that they're swings. Moreover, most of those club fighters are easy to nail because:

WHEN YOU OPEN A HOOK, YOU OPEN YOUR OWN DEFENSE.
Let's try the outside hooking movement.

Stand in the middle of the floor, with your feet on an even line. Raise each elbow shoulder high, and bring "in" your half-opened fists, palm-down, until the thumb knuckles are pressing against your chest (Figure 30). The fists should nearly touch each other, but not quite. In that position, practice the easy shoulder whirl, letting each elbow and shoulder swing far back when the other elbow and shoulder are forward. Keep your thumb knuckles lightly against your chest.

Now, continue that shoulder-whirl practice; but, as each elbow whips forward, try to strike an imaginary chin-high target sharply with the point of the elbow. And, as you make your imaginary "elbow-point landing," clench explosively the fist that belongs to that elbow, while the fist's thumb knuckle is still lightly against your chest.

Next, go to the bag. Stand in the same ideal position, but close enough to the bag so that you can strike it with your elbow points (Figure 31).

Hit it sharply six times with each elbow point. Then, as you are whirling to strike the bag the seventh time with your left elbow point, let your left fist come away from the body and smash into the bag at the same spot where the elbow point would have landed (Figure 32). Make your usual explosive landing with the second knuckle and with the fist palm-down. Then, whip back and make the same sort of landing with your right fist.
Practice a few of those fist-landings. Make certain that each hook is almost as tight as if your fist still were against your chest. And be sure you're exploding each punch.

As you whip from side to side, it might appear to an observer that you're just in there swinging. But, brother, you aren't swinging. You're throwing perfect punches. Any one of those punches can knock an opponent stiff if it lands squarely on the side of his jaw.

Those are the kind of hooks you'll be landing in a head-to-head slugging exchange.

By bending a bit lower you can hook to the body-terrifically. Your fists land to the body in the same palm-down position. Practice a few body hooks.

You have been throwing those outside hooks (to head and body) from the ideal hooking position or stance. You could get full body whirl for each fist because your feet were on an even line. And you could keep the hooks tight without much difficulty because you were close to your target.
But as you shift to any other position you are immediately confronted with the problem of keeping those hooks pure. And you must use them in other positions, for they are too valuable as weapons to be restricted to the ideal stance.

In the normal punching position, the outside left hook is very useful as a lead that shoots in behind guarding right hand. And it is useful as a counter that "beats to the punch" a straight right started by your opponent.

However, it is so difficult to get proper power into an outside left hook (without telegraphing) that the "cork-screw" is used. The late Kid McCoy, foxy old-time middleweight, made famous the corkscrew left hook. Try the corkscrew on the bag. Stand in normal position. Do the following movements slowly: Start your shoulder whirl as if you were to shoot a medium-range left jab. No preparatory movement. Instead of jabbing, however, snap your left forearm and fist down and your left elbow up. Your left fist snaps down with a screwing motion that causes your striking knuckles to land properly on the target. When your fist explodes against the target, your forearm is almost parallel to the floor (Figure 33A and B).
When you first try the corkscrew, the combination of movements will seem silly and futile. It will seem like a fizzle. With a little practice, however, you'll master it.

Let me help you at this point by admitting that the cork-screw usually is a medium-range punch, and that it's usually delivered while you are circling to your opponent's right. For that reason, it's nearly impossible to keep the corkscrew as pure-as tight-as the hooks you were throwing from the ideal position. Nevertheless, you can make the corkscrew explosive enough to stun an opponent, or at least to set him up for another punch. Moreover, if you have a potent left corkscrew that flashes in without warning, your opponent will be very cautious about menacing you with his right fist. Remember that your left hand, in normal position, is always closer to your opponent's head than his right hand is to your head. As he attempts to start a straight right, you can beat him to the punch with your countering corkscrew. Moreover, if he permits his guarding right hand to creep too far forward as he blocks or parries your left jabs, your corkscrew can snap down behind that guarding right and nail his jaw.

Can the left corkscrew be used for body punches?

Yes, it can be used effectively for landing left hooks to the right kidney or to the liver. It is best used, of course, after a feint to the head lifts your opponent's guarding right hand high. You use the corkscrew then as a lead. You can counter with a left corkscrew to the body, as you slip under a straight right. I'll explain "slipping" later. Let me caution you that it's dangerous to lead with a left corkscrew to the body, for your left side is open to right counters, and your head is in position to be nailed by a countering left hook.

Can the corkscrew be used with the right hand?

A right corkscrew to the head can be used properly only in one instance-as a counter-punch after you have blocked an opponent's left hook with your right forearm. At the instant the block is achieved, your right fist flashes down in a corkscrew hook to your opponent's left jawbone (Figure 34A and B).

You can use a right corkscrew to the body as you slip under a left jab.
Thus far we have considered hooks thrown only when the feet are motionless-both shovel hooks and outside hooks; for hooks are purer and more explosive when delivered without a step. However, about one-third of all hooking openings can be reached only by stepping in, to bring the target within hooking range.

Always try to nail a long-range target (either body or head) with stepping straight punches. However, if your opponent is blocking, evading, or countering those straight blows, you can resort to long-range hooking attempts. You can step in with any type of hook, if necessary.

You'll step in most with the left corkscrew. But when you step with the corkscrew, you do not move in with the straight-forward falling step. Instead, you move in with a "pivot step." You step forward and slightly to your own left, pointing the toe sharply in. Your body pivots on the ball of your left foot as your left arm and fist snap down to the target. At the instant of the fist-landing, your right foot generally is in the air; but it settles immediately behind you (Figure 35).
If your opponent is using hooks that are "open" or semi-swings, you can step inside his left hook and land your own right shovel hook to his chin or to his body. In reverse, you can step inside his right hook with your own left shovel to chin or body.

Usually when you slip a straight punch you can step beneath it with a corkscrew to the body. You can step in with hooks whenever you feel that the openings require it; but DON'T LET YOUR STEPPING CAUSE YOU TO OPEN YOUR HOOKS SO THEY BECOME SWINGS OR SEMI-SWINGS.
And once you do step in with a hook-regardless of its effect upon your opponent-be prepared to let that hook be the first in a barrage of hooks, or the first in a combination series of hooks. In the barrage you merely blaze away to body and head, trying to land as many stunning hooks in the shortest time possible. The barrage may be shifted at any time from body to head, if it has brought your opponent's guard down; or, from head to body, if your opponent's guard has gone up.

Quite different is the combination series. The series has been practiced many times in advance. It may include from three to six punches. Each punch has its particular target, and you try to make each punch find that target as you deliver them with rapid-fire speed. However, the chief aim of the series is that the combination of hooks, shooting for various targets, will so confuse your opponent that the target for the final punch will be wide open.

A series of five, for example, might be designed to open an opponent's chin for a crushing tight outside hook to the chin. Such a series could be thrown like this: (1) as you slip under his left jab, you smash him in the solar plexus with a right corkscrew, followed immediately by these outside hooks: (2) a left to the chin, (3) a right to the chin, (4) a left to the right kidney, and (5) a terrific right to the jaw. Sometimes you can mix shovel hooks and outside hooks in a series without destroying your punching rhythm.

Before I finish with hooks, let me tell you about an interesting punch called the "sneaker."

The sneaker is a slightly overhanded right hook to the head, delivered at the instant you force a break-away from a clinch. In boxing, it is illegal for you to use this blow, or any other, after the referee has told you to break. But you can use it before he orders a break-when you make your own break. In fist-fighting you can use it whenever you get the chance.

Here's what you do in a clinch when you haven't room to punch with either hand: (1) Keep your head in close to the left side of your opponent's head, with your chin slightly over his shoulder; (2) maneuver with your left hand until you can grab the inside crook of his right elbow, and thus hold his right arm so firmly that he can't punch with it; (3) get his left arm under your right arm, and clamp your right hand under his arm-just above the elbow-just below the biceps (Figure 36). When you hold him in that fashion, he can't hit you; but you are in perfect position to break away sharply and deliver a stunning overhanded "sneaker" hook.

Suddenly, yank him tighter to you with your right hand; then, shove him violently away with both hands; and-- almost in the same movement-whip an outside right hook up over his left shoulder-and down-so that your striking knuckles smash into his left jawbone or left temple (Figure 37).

If the "sneaker" is delivered properly, your opponent will drop like a poleaxed steer. If he doesn't drop, he'll be so groggy that one or two shovels to the chin will finish him.
Practice the "sneaker" until you can do it automatically. It's called a sneak punch because it's delivered on the break, when an opponent is not expecting it, and when he's off balance. Because of its surprise and explosiveness, the sneaker is one of the deadliest of punches.

TBC...

[samurai6string]

Thanks guys, I've been showing this to just about everyone I know. lol.

[The BadBoy]

17. Uppercuts

An "uppercut" is a blow that shoots up straight (along an imaginary line from the floor) to an opponent's solar plexus or to his chin (Figure 3.
Because an uppercut rips up straight, it is very difficult to block or evade. It comes up inside the protections used against other blows-the guarding elbows, forearms and hands.

An uppercut's direction differs from that of a shovel hook. The shovel sweeps sideways and up; but there is no sideways sweep to the uppercut. It shoots straight up.

There is an important difference between the deliveries of the two blows. All shovels are assisted by an upward hunch of the hip beneath the arm that is striking, IN THE UPPERCUT, HOWEVER, THE HIP BENEATH THE STRIKING ARM SHIFTS OR FADES ASIDE (Figure 39). The hip fades aside to permit straight-up gangway for the fist and arm. It shifts aside somewhat as does the hip of a man driving a golf ball. And the upward surge of body-weight is somewhat similar to that in the completion of a golf swing.

You'll understand the fading and surge by trying the following movements.
Face the heavy bag, with your feet about 18 inches apart on an even line about 18 inches from the bag. Bend your knees slightly. Bend your body forward slightly. Distribute your weight evenly on both feet. Teeter up and down to be sure you are comfortably balanced.

Place the palms of your opened hands on the outside of your hips. Shift your weight easily to your left leg, letting your hips sway easily to your left (Figure 40).

Still in slow motion, sway your weight to the right leg. As your left hip fades toward your right, let your left hand slide forward off your hip and strike the solar-plexus spot on the bag easily with your fist palm-up (Figure 41). Sway your weight back to the left leg and let your right hand and fist go through the same sliding, striking motion, palm-up (Figure 42).

Without trying to get any power into your punches, keep swaying your hips and using the sliding blows to the solar plexus until you feel yourself doing it with a sort of rhythm. Be sure that your fists are sliding straight up to the target. Be sure also that your hips are swaying far enough to let the elbows miss the fading hips on each punch.

Those are the fundamental movements of the uppercut. They must be done easily and automatically before you try to put dynamite into the blow, for the rest of the uppercut movements will seem outrageously awkward-at first. Okay, let's try the awkward moves.

Take your feet-on-the-even-line position before the bag. Put your opened left hand on your left hip. But raise your right hand to its normal guarding position. Your knees should be slightly bent. Sway your weight to your left foot so that you are resting lightly on the ball of your right foot (Figure 43).

Suddenly sway your weight to the right foot so violently that your right heel comes down with a thud. And at the same time, wrench your RIGHT shoulder and RIGHT arm upward so violently that your previously guarding RIGHT hand flies up near the back of your head. Meanwhile, as your left hip faded to the right, your left fist should have snapped straight up to the solar-plexus spot with terrific impact (Figure 44). As the fist landed, your weight should have been planted firmly on your right foot, with only the ball of your left resting on the floor. Naturally, your hips swayed far to the right.

Next, try a right uppercut to the solar plexus. Just before you deliver the punch, your weight is firmly on your right foot, and your opened right hand is on your right hip. Your left hand is in normal guarding position. As you sway your weight suddenly to the left, wrench your left shoulder and left arm upward and backward so violently that your left hand flies nearly back of your head. Meanwhile your right fist shoots explosively straight up to the solar-plexus spot. When you first tried that combination of uppercut movements, you probably felt you were working at cross purposes. In delivering the left uppercut, you felt that shifting your weight to the right foot had started your body-weight moving to the right, and that the backward wrench of the right shoulder suddenly tried to yank the body-weight in a different direction.

You will continue to feel that way until you blend the movements into one unified motion. Then, on the left uppercut, you will be: (1) hitting off the left foot; (2) dropping your weight so suddenly onto the right foot that the shift will act like the dropping of a weight onto the end of a seesaw, helping the spring of your left foot to give an upward surge to the left side of your body; (3) increasing that surge to include more body-weight by the backward Wrench of the right shoulder.
Since your right shoulder will be pulling back, almost directly above your left hip, the surge will be almost straight up.

In your first experiments with the uppercut I let you exaggerate the backward shoulder wrenches. I permitted you to straighten up and let your guarding hands fly back to the sides of the head. Naturally, you can't do those things in a fight. They would leave your head wide open to counter-punches.

Now, try the uppercut movements with just as much violence as before; but refrain from straightening up, and, under no circumstances, permit your guarding hands to fly away from their normal guarding positions (Figure 45).

In shooting uppercuts to the chin you'll naturally be more upright than when smashing to the body. The chin blows are delivered with exactly the same movements as those to the solar plexus (Figure 46).

You have been practicing the movements by sliding your hands off your hips. Now, with your feet still on the even line, place both hands in normal guarding positions, and let each hand automatically drop into its proper route as it delivers the blow.
Practice a few uppercuts in that position.

Next, try uppercutting from your normal punching stance. You'll find it's difficult to get much power into the left uppercut from the normal stance. Your right foot is back, and the hip-sway shifts your body-weight backward as you punch.

CONSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT UPPERCUT SHOULD BE USED ONLY WHEN THE FEET ARE EVEN OR NEARLY SO.

The right uppercut, however, is much more explosive from your normal stance than from the toes-even stance. Greater freedom for right leg-spring and left shoulder-wrench provides faster body-surge, despite the fact that the weight-shift from right to left foot is not as great as when the feet are even (Figure 47).

Uppercuts are particularly effective at close quarters against an opponent capable of blocking your various hooks to body and head or capable of bobbing under your hooks to head. The uppercuts explode inside his defenses against hooks. They shoot straight up into a bobber's face.

Although most uppercuts are delivered at close quarters, without moving the feet-without taking a step-the right uppercut can be used effectively with a short step. It can be used with a step as a lead to straighten up a croucher or bobber; and it can be used with a step as a counter inside an opponent's hook or swing.

However, the uppercut never should be used at long range-with a long step. It is not a long-range blow. It opens; it loses its purity at long range. Moreover, it leaves you wide open when attempting to use it at long range.

Some current fighters attempt a long-range right upper-cut called the "bolo" punch. They even attempt to lead with it. Let me warn you that the bolo is more showy than explosive. It's more dangerous to the user than to his opponent. The bolo, or any long-range uppercut, is merely an underhanded swing. And you know that any type of swing, against a good straight puncher, signals to the mortician.

18. Punch Ranks First

You now have a thorough understanding of "punch." Why did I give you such a detailed education in the fundamentals of hitting before I taught you any defensive moves?

I did it for many reasons; but the principal reason was this: The best defense in fighting is an aggressive defense. Each defensive move must be accompanied by a counter-punch or be followed immediately by a counterpunch. And you cannot counter properly if you do not know how to punch.

That does not mean that "a strong offense is the best defense." That overworked quotation may apply to other activities; but it does not apply to fighting. It does not apply when you're pitted against an experienced opponent. You may have the best attack in the world; but if you're an open target-if you're a "clay pigeon"-you'll likely get licked by the first experienced scrapper you tackle.
YOU MUST HAVE A GOOD DEFENSE TO BE A WELL-ROUNDED FIGHTER. AND THE BEST DEFENSE IS AN AGGRESSIVE DEFENSE.

Another reason for teaching punch first was this: You learned how to throw every important punch without having an opponent attempt to strike you.

I'm convinced that it's wrong to try to teach beginners punching moves and defensive moves at the same time.

Most humans cannot have two attitudes toward one subject at one time. And a beginner can't have two attitudes toward fighting.

If you take any ten beginners and attempt to teach them punching and defense simultaneously, more than half of them will concentrate on defense instead of punching.

That's a natural inclination, for it's only human that a fellow doesn't like to get hit in the face-or in the body either, for that matter.

It follows that more than half the beginners will consider it more important to protect their own noses than to concentrate on learning how to belt the other guy in the nose. They'll develop "defense complexes" that will stick with them. Fellows with defense complexes rarely develop into good punchers. Even when they are shown how to hit correctly, they sprout bad punching habits while concentrating on blocking, parrying, back-pedaling and the like. They "pull" their punches; they side-step while trying to throw straight smashes; they move in with "clutching" fists that seek to encircle their opponents for clinches; and they do much showy but purposeless footwork.

The little thought-ditch that is dug in the beginning will become the big channel for later fistic reactions.

You're lucky. You're starting with the mental accent on punch. And it's a 100-to-1 shot that your attitude will not change.

It's true that you haven't punched yet at a live target-at another fellow.
Don't worry; there's plenty of time for that. And when you do start tossing at a live target, you'll know exactly how to toss. That exact knowledge will help you to become accurate and precise, as well as explosive, against a moving target.

19. Your Sparmate

Before you can learn the moves in aggressive defense, you must get a "sparmate"-some chap who can toss punches at you and who can be a target for your counter-punches.

In connection with that activity, let me give you a bit of advice. At the beginning of this book I pointed out that it was being written for any healthy boy or man-from twelve to forty-who desired to learn to defend himself with his fists.

It's natural that anyone who is neither crippled nor under a doctor's care should imagine himself to be healthy. And usually he is. However, just to make certain that you are physically okay for sparring, I suggest you have a doctor give you the once-over. The object of such an examination, of course, is to make sure that your heart will be able to stand a bit of strenuous activity. After getting the green light from a physician, go ahead and arrange for practice sessions.

If you're in a locality where you can practice in a gymnasium, you'll probably be able to find someone there who'll spar with you. I use the word "spar"; but you'll do no actual sparring during your first eight or ten sessions with a sparmate.

Use the early portion of each session to perfect your punching moves against a live target. Then, you can devote the latter portion of each session to defense. Follow that routine at each of your first ten sessions, at least. If you try spar too soon-before your defensive and countering movements are learned correctly-you may develop bad habits, careless moves. As you begin each defensive and countering movement with your partner, do it in slow motion a few times before speeding it up.

It would be best if your sparmate were a chap of about your own weight, although that is not essential in your early practice sessions. However, when you actually spar later be sure that your partner or partners are of approximately your weight. If you scale less than 175 pounds ripped, never spar with anyone who outweighs you more twenty pounds, even though he may be a raw beginner. If you register more than 175 pounds, try to limit your partner's advantage to thirty-five pounds. In practice and in sparring make certain that both you and your mate use big training gloves-12- or 14-ounce gloves. Until you are an experienced performer, let no one tempt you to practice or spar with the 8-ounce gloves used in amateur tournaments, or with the lighter gloves used in professional bouts-five or six ounces. You can find the big gloves at almost any gymnasium, or you can buy them at lost any sports-goods store.

Do not bandage your hands for early practice and sparring. Unless you know a first-class trainer who can show you exactly how to wrap up your particular hands, forget about bandages and tape. Improperly bandaged fists are more likely to be injured than bare fists.

For protection against accidental low blows or knee raises, you should wear an up-to-date scrotum protector, made of tough fiber, leather and rubber. Such a protector can be obtained at a sports-goods store.
Don't worry about headguards and rubber mouthpieces until you're ready for amateur competition.

Wear regular boxing trunks and soft leather boxing shoes if you can get them. If you can't, wear an old pair of trousers and tennis or basketball shoes. Be sure they are shoes and not slippers. The shoe comes up around the ankle and helps prevent turned ankles. In either trunks or trousers, you can strip to the waist; or you can wear a shirt if you need warmth.

If necessary, however, you can practice and spar in your regular clothes, right out in the street. But make certain that you and your pal are wearing big gloves.
Now that you have a sparmate and gloves, we'll begin the study of defense.

20. General Defense and Blocking

For our purposes "defense" means this: how to prevent a starting punch from landing on its target, and how to counter with a punch.

Punches thrown at you by an opponent will include blows aimed for head or body with either hand. They can be swings, hooks, uppercuts or straight punches.

They can be prevented from landing on their targets by three methods:

(1) COMPLETE EVASION of the blow by slipping, bobbing, pulling away or side-stepping;
(2) DEFLECTION of the blow by parrying (brushing away) with the hand, or by knifing with the forearm, or by shrugging off with the shoulder;
(3) BLOCKING the blow solidly with the hand, forearm, elbow or shoulder.

Evasion is the preferred method. When you force an opponent to miss completely with a blow, he usually lurches off balance and leaves an opening for your counterpunch. Moreover, since the blow has not touched you, it has not off-balanced you for counterpunching.

Deflection is next best; for the parry, glance or shrug usually off-balances your opponent without interfering with your own equilibrium.

Blocking is the least desired; for a solid block not only affects your balance but it also may bruise the spot that makes blocking contact with your opponent's fist. Repeated bruisings of one spot-for example, the left shoulder muscles-can handicap your fighting.

Nevertheless, BLOCKING MUST BE LEARNED FIRST. It is much easier for the beginner to block than to deflect or to evade.
We'll start with blocks for straight punches to the head.

The straight left is blocked by your opened right hand (Figure 4.
Take your normal punching position before your spar-mate. Let him lead at you with a slow-motion left jab. Your guarding right hand should flash "in" slightly and catch your mate's fist in your open palm, as near the heel of your hand as possible (Figure 49). Be sure that the block is so solid that the jab doesn't force your hand back into your face.
KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THE BLOCK.

Never close your eyes; no matter what kind of a punch is coming at you, and no matter what kind of a punch you are throwing. Keep your eyes riveted on his left fist. After you develop the habit of watching punches, you'll discover that even though your eyes are focused on one threatening fist, you'll be noting from the corners of your eyes every other move your opponent is making.

Block several of your mate's left leads in slow motion. Then let him speed up the jabs. Be sure you're not changing your punching position as you block, that you are not trying to step back or to pull away from the jab.

Next, you'll block that left jab and you'll counter at the same time.

Watch your mate closely. When he starts a left jab at you, step into him with your own left jab to his face, and at the same time block his jab with your right hand (Figure 50).

Shoot your left so fast and hard you'll beat him to the punch. Your left fist should land and knock him off balance as you block the blow. The objective is to hit him just a split-second before his fist smacks into your hand. By so doing, you'll bring into violent collision on his chin: (1) your forward-moving body-weight, and (2) his forward-moving body-weight. That's the aim of most counter-punches: catch him coming in; hit him not only with your weight, but also with his own.

Practice that fundamental block and counter until you do it automatically, with power and accuracy. Be sure are using the falling step and that your left fist is landing in an upright position.

Next, let your mate try blocking your left leads, and countering you with his left. Your alert right hand must block his left counter-as you step in-in the same fashion that it previously blocked his left lead. If your left lead is fast and hard enough to knock him off balance, despite his block, his left counter will be weak. Or he may not be able to counter. Some expert defensive boxers use a "bump block" against left lead. The right hand blocks with an upward motion, and the heel of the hand bumps the left lead up into the air over the head or shoulder. However, that's too fancy and dangerous for us. If you're fighting a chap who's fast enough with his left lead to outspeed your left counter, be satisfied to block it without making a fancy right-hand movement that might deflect the blow into your face.

Straight right leads to the head are blocked by either (1) the extended left hand, or (2) by the hunched left shoulder.

The extended left hand does the blocking if the lead is thrown at you when you are in normal punching position. Let your mate throw a right lead at you in slow motion. You step in and block or "smother" his right fist with the heel of your opened left hand before his right lead is well under way (Figure 51); and, at the same time, shoot your own straight right at his chin (Figure 52).

If, however, his right lead is thrown at you when you are out of normal position-when, for example, you have permitted your left hand to drop down in an overzealous feint to the body-you must block with your left shoulder. You give your left shoulder a frantic, whirling hunch to protect your already snuggled chin. Thus, the blow thuds into your shoulder instead of into your face (Figure 53).

You'll be tempted to use your right hand to help your left shoulder in that block. You'll be tempted to make a "shell defense" with shoulder and hand. But don't do it. You've got to keep that right hand in its normal position, ready to (1) guard against the possibility of a following left hook, and (2) smash a straight right counter to your opponent's solar plexus or chin.

STRAIGHT PUNCHES TO THE BODY ARE BLOCKED WITH THE ELBOWS.

To block a straight left to the body, the body is turned slightly to the left and the punch is caught with the right elbow (Figure 54). To block a right, the body is turned to the right so that the left elbow catches the punch (Figure 55). By using the elbows instead of the forearms for body protection, the hands can be kept in nearly normal punching and guarding positions. Blocking a straight left to the body, you can counter with a left shovel hook to the chin (Figure 56). Blocking a right to the body, you can counter with a right shovel or a right uppercut to the chin (Figure 57).
BLOCKING HOOKS AND SWINGS: Left hooks and swings to the head are blocked with either the right forearm or the rigid, opened right hand.

Blocking contact is made with the outside edge of the arm or hand. The longer and wider the blow, the more easy the block. If the punch is a left swing or left hook used as a lead, you block with the right forearm or hand, and counter simultaneously with a left jab to the chin (Figure 5. If the punch is a tight left hook at close quarters, you block with right hand or arm, and counter simultaneously with a left shovel to the chin (Figure 59).

Right hooks and swings to the head are blocked with the left forearm, hand or shoulder. At long range, you counter with a straight right to the jaw; at close range, with a right shovel or uppercut.
Hooks to the body are blocked with elbows-keeping the hands in punching position. You can counter with shovels or uppercuts to the chin.

Uppercuts to head or body are blocked by dropping your forearm or hand onto the opponent's upshooting fist or forearm. You may be able to counter with either a regular outside hook, or an overhanded hook thrown like the "sneaker" (Figure 60).

TBC...

[The BadBoy]

21. Deflection

Deflection is achieved by (1) "the parry," and (2) "the glance-off."
The PARRY is used against straight punches for head or body. Let your mate throw a left jab at your head. Your opened right hand whisks in and gives him a brisk slap on the wrist, forcing his left jab to pass over your left shoulder (Figure 61). The parry or "brush-away" is done without great effort, without interfering with your balance. However, the deflection spins your opponent off balance and leaves him open for your countering left shovel to solar plexus or heart.

Next, have your mate lead at your head with a straight right. Whisk his wrist with your opened left hand, so that his right goes over your right shoulder-or to the right of the shoulder (Figure 62). Counter simultaneously with a straight right smash to the body or with an outside right hook to the body.

Parries for head blows are used only in that manner. Do not attempt to "cross-parry" head blows. Do not try to reach across and whisk a right lead with your right hand, or a left jab with your left hand. The instant you attempt to cross-parry, you leave yourself open on the side of your cross-parrying hand.

Some boxers attempt to parry straight punches to the head from the inside out. I mean they use a whisk of the right wrist to send a left jab over the right shoulder. That can be done, but the method is dangerous against a fast puncher. In the first place, your guarding hands are not in position to give proper outer whisk. The punch is likely to break through. Secondly, you are risking broken thumbs, for the outward whisking movement throws your thumbs up into prominence.

If one wishes to use an outward movement, it's far better to choose the powerful chopping or knifing back-handed "glance-off" that deflects the blow with the outer edge of hand or forearm, instead of with the whisking back of the hand.

Straight punches to the body are parried with the brush-away from the inside to the outside. Let a mate shoot a left at your body. The right hand and forearm whirl down, inward, and then outward, whisking your opponent's wrist away to the right (Figure 63). As you execute that parry, you step in with a left shovel to the jaw.

When your mate leads with a straight right to the body, reverse the procedure and whisk with your left from inside to outside (Figure 64). You counter with a right shovel or right uppercut to the jaw.
THE GLANCE-OFF is even more important than the parry in causing deflection. The guarding positions of your hands and arms, and the hunched left shoulder in your normal punching stance were designed to give the upper portion of your body a wedgelike effect. That wedging of hands, arms, shoulder and forehead should enable you to (1) keep inside an opponent's attack as you step in to lead or to counter, and (2) cause most blows to glance off to the sides or up into the air.

The glance-off is more dependable than the parry because there's more solidity, if necessary, in the glance-off 1 than in the parry. The reserve solidity is there only in case your glance-off has to be turned into a block. However, the less solid the glance-off, the less your own balance is disturbed. Your glance-off movements are not the solid, chopping movements of hand or arm blocks; they are lightning, knifing or sliding movements. They interfere little with your balance, but they spin your opponent slightly out of punching position.

If you watch a professional fighter punch the light bag, you'll note that more than half his bag-work comprises a rhythmic tattoo achieved like this: straight left - backhand left - straight right - backhand right -straight left - etc. You may ask, "Why this backhand striking, when the backhand blow is illegal in boxing?"

The answer to that is: He's sharpening his backhand for glance-offs and blocking. If you get a chance to use the light bag, spend half your time on that tattoo. A power-backhand for glancing and blocking is almost as useful for a fighter as is a good backhand for a tennis player.

THE GLANCE-OFF AGAINST LEFT LEADS: If your opponent throws TRULY STRAIGHT left jabs at you, it will be difficult and dangerous to try to knife them to the outside. The right hand-block is a much more certain defense; and the parry would be more dependable than the glance-off. However, if the left jabs are slightly angled or looped (as in the case of most), the glance-off can be used effectively. You knife off the left jab with the side of your rigid right hand or with the side of your right forearm (Figure 65). REMEMBER: Whether you block or glance off a left jab, you counter simultaneously with your own straight left. THE GLANCE-OFF AGAINST RIGHT LEADS is achieved by knifing with the left hand or forearm (Figure 66). That's an excellent protection, because your guarding left hand is normally inside his right. His body turns slightly in throwing the right. Naturally, it's better for your knife-edge to contact the opponent's wrist or forearm instead of fist. Practice knifing right leads and stepping in with your own right counters to the face or to the heart.
Note that when you attempt a right lead of your own, your left hand and arm should be in position to knife off a countering right.

ALTHOUGH GLANCE-OFFS WORK PERFECTLY AGAINST SLIGHTLY LOOPED STRAIGHT PUNCHES, THEY SHOULD NOT BE USED AGAINST SWINGS OR HOOKS. Be content to block swings or hooks if you can't evade them. You'll learn "evasion" now.

22. Evasion

Evasion is the method of defense whereby you force an opponent to miss a punch without any physical contact.
It is the preferred method because it throws an opponent off balance without interfering with your equilibrium. It opens him up, but allows you complete punching freedom.

"Evasion" is achieved by (1) SLIPPING, (2) BOBBING, (3) FOOTWORK, and (4) PULLING AWAY.

A SLIP is the evasion of a straight punch to the head by shifting the head to either side of the punch, and letting the punch slip over a shoulder.
To understand the theory of the slip, try this experiment. Stand in normal position and let your mate lead a very slow-motion straight left at your chin. Instead of trying to defend by blocking or parrying, do not change the position of your hands. Merely tilt your head to your right as far as possible. Try to let his left fist slip over your left shoulder. That wasn't successful, was it?

If one were able to do this trick by simply tilting the head-without moving shoulders or body-he would achieve the perfect slip. Unfortunately, however, humans are so constructed that it's nearly impossible to get the left side of the neck and jaw out of the path of a straight punch to the chin, even when tilting the head to the right.

And when you try to let a punch slip over your right shoulder by merely tilting your head to the left, you discover (in normal position) that your head has no room to tilt to the left because of the protective left shoulder.
Accordingly, the head must have assistance in slipping a punch.

That assistance is provided by rolling the shoulders. In fact, the shoulder roll will do all the work in shifting your head. You need not try to tilt your head even slightly. And that's fortunate; for when you tilt your head to either side, you find difficulty in keeping your eyes on your opponent. Moreover, when you side-tilt your noggin, you immediately change the head-and-neck angle of greatest resistance to a punch-the angle you use in your normal position.

Let's try the slip.

Have your mate throw a slow-motion left jab at you. As the punch starts, you roll your left shoulder forward and down, as if you were about to deliver a left corkscrew to the body (Figure 67). That movement will succeed in making your opponent's left pass harmlessly over your left shoulder, as you slip to the outside.

Practice that slip ten or twelve times without attempting to counter. As you become accustomed to the slipping movements, your mate can speed up his jabs.

Next, try slipping the left jab over your right shoulder. Use a similar forward and down roll with that shoulder (Figure 6, as you slip to the inside. Try that defense ten or twelve times.

Now you are ready to counter on slips against left jabs. Return to the left shoulder (outside) slip. On each slip, step in with a left corkscrew to the body (Figure 69). Try that counter several times. Make sure that you begin your corkscrew as you begin your slip. Then return to the right shoulder (inside) slip, and counter with right corkscrews to the body (Figure 70).

When countering left jabs with corkscrews to the body considerable down roll may be used. However, the down roll must be slight when you slip a left jab and counter with a "right cross" to the head.

THE RIGHT CROSS-deadliest of all counterpunches-is used when a left-jabber becomes careless and forgets to keep his chin protected by his left shoulder as he jabs.

Try the right cross like this: As your mate throws a slow-motion left jab at your face, slip the punch over your right shoulder (inside); but, as you slip, step in and shoot a straight right counter over your mate's extended left arm to his chin. It is called a cross because it crosses his extended arm (Figure 71).

The right cross is a terrific blow because (1) it is entirely unexpected, and (2) it crashes into your opponent's jaw as he is coming in. The punch packs the fast-moving weight of both bodies.

The straighter you keep the cross, the more explosive it will be. Many fighters make the mistake of hooking the cross. Many also err in delaying the counter until after their opponent's jab has slipped over the shoulder.
Don't make those mistakes. Keep the cross straight, and shoot it in the same split-second your opponent starts his jab. To do that requires enough practice to give you nearly perfect timing. And when you use it in a fight, don't throw it until you are positive that your opponent is exposing his chin when he jabs.

I stated earlier that a well-rounded fighter is always in position to punch-that you do not have to get set to punch. That's true. But in using the cross, you must get set mentally, at least. You must anticipate your opponent's jab. That is, you must watch him and time him until you're certain he's ready to jab again. Then, let him have it!

THE RIGHT CROSS IS USED ONLY AS A HEAD-COUNTER AND ONLY AGAINST A LEFT JAB.

Never attempt to use a left cross (if there is such a thing) as a counter when slipping a straight right. Trying that, you may get your brains knocked out. You wouldn't have slipping room between your left shoulder and your chin.

Slipping straight rights, you use movements similar to those employed in sliding under straight lefts. Counter with corkscrews to the body, but never attempt a left cross. You can slip inside or outside on straight rights.
However, remember this: In slipping either a straight right or a straight left, you'll be safer if you slip the punch over your left shoulder. The left shoulder-slip moves your head into a sort of "safety zone," where it would be difficult for your opponent to hit you with either fist. In other words, it's more dangerous to use your right shoulder for slipping either inside a left jab or outside a straight right, than it is to use the left shoulder for slipping either outside a left jab or inside a straight right.
When a left jab goes over your right shoulder, your head may be in position to be nailed by a following right upper-cut or right shovel hook. And when you try to slip a straight right over your right shoulder, there's always the risk that you may roll solidly into the punch.

Nevertheless, you must be able to use right-shoulder slips against either of an opponent's fists. Often the action in a fight will force you into a position where you must use the right-shoulder slip. For example, if an opponent has feinted you into attempting a left-handed block or "muffle" of his right, it would be very awkward for you to try to let the right slip over your left shoulder when he does throw it. Instead, you must slip it over your right shoulder. You would be in a somewhat similar position if you were short with your own right counter to the head, and had to slip either a countering left or right.

Moreover, there are times when you can do greater damage with right smashes to the body on right shoulder-slips than with the other combination. For example, if your opponent telegraphs his right, or if he is slow in starting it, you must be able to slip outside that right and paralyze him with your own right smashes to the solar plexus. And, of course, you must be able to slip inside his left jabs in order to deliver your own right cross.

Some fighters who never learned to hit on the slip, use delayed counters. For example, a fellow slips a left jab over his right shoulder, without hitting. Then he is in position to counter with a right hook to the body; but he also is in position to be nailed on the chin by his opponent's right uppercut. Had he delivered the body-smash on the slip, his opponent probably would have dropped the right hand instinctively to protect the body, leaving the opponent's chin wide open for a left shovel to the head.
When you hit on the slip, you not only take advantage of the immediate opening, but your damaging blow forces a defensive gesture by your opponent's free hand, and thus makes another opening.
ALWAYS HIT ON THE SLIP!

BOBBING might be called glorified ducking, for a "bob" is an artistic duck.
To most folk the word "duck," when applied to human movement, means a frantic, undignified downward dodge to escape being hit by some flying object. And that's what a "duck" usually is.

But such is not the case with a "bob." There's nothing frantic nor undignified about the bob. When executed properly, it's as graceful and controlled as a bow from the hips made by lucky Alphonse as he kisses Cherie's hand. And why not? After all, the bob is a bow. And please don't let it be anything else.

You'll understand the "bow" business when you use the bob to evade swings and hooks for the head.

Let your mate throw a slow-motion swing at your head with either fist. Before he swings, be sure you're in normal punching position, with your weight forward as usual. As he swings, merely bow forward from the hips. That is: you merely relax your back and stomach muscles and let the upper part of your body jackknife down and forward, without moving the feet. The knees bend only slightly more than normally (Figure 72).
As you start to bow beneath the swing, your knees may try to take a big dip. That's natural. It's instinctive to try to squat down with the legs when you're ducking anything. But don't do it. BE POLITE, MERELY BOW.
The purposes of the bob are: (1) to sink under the swing or hook with a single, perfectly-controlled movement; (2) to bring your fists in toward your opponent; (3) to maintain nearly normal punching position with legs and feet, even at the bottom of the bob; and (4) to maintain at all times your normal slipping position with head and shoulders, for defense against straight punches.

It's extremely important that you be in position to slip at any stage of the bob. Your freedom to slip will enable you to employ the "bob and weave" in attacking. I'll explain the bob and weave in a minute.
Meanwhile, try a few more bobs under your mate's slow-motion swings. Make your bow from the hips naturally and easily, and without throwing your weight so excessively forward that you will off-balance yourself. Keep your hands in guarding positions.

Generally, you will not be able to counter on the actual bob, if it's a straight-down bob that's not part of a weave. But you'll be in position to make delayed counters at the bottom of the bob with whirling straight punches to the body or with outside hooks. Or, you'll be able to come up from the bob throwing terrific right or left shovels to body or head.
Practice the bob a little every time you spar until its movements become automatic. However, don't practice it too long at any one session, before the muscles of your left hip and leg become accustomed to the strain that bobbing from the normal stance puts on them. Your muscles may get stiff and sore.

Now, we'll return to the bob and weave.
A simple weave is merely a series of slight, imaginary slips.

As you shuffle toward an opponent, you roll your left shoulder slightly; then your right; then your left; etc. (Figure 73A, B, C, D).
The objects of the weave are (1) to make a moving target of your head (from side to side); (2) to make your opponent uncertain about which fist you will throw when you punch; and (3) to make your opponent uncertain about which way you will slip if he punches at you.

When you are using the weave by itself in your normal punching position, you must keep your shoulder movements slight. Otherwise, you'll open up your defenses.

However, the weave is rarely used by itself.
Almost invariably the weave is used with the bob.

Do a slight bob-weave like this: In normal position, bob slightly. As you come up from the bob, roll your right shoulder forward. As you swing back from that roll, bob again. As you rise from the bob, roll your left shoulder forward; then back, and bob, and right, etc. You'll quickly get a rhythm to that combination of movements so that they can be done without effort (Figure 74A, B, C, D, E).

When the bob is used with the weave, your head becomes a more elusive target, and the uncertainty increases as to whether you will evade a punch by bobbing or slipping.

Nearly all fighters use the bob-weave to some degree as they shuffle toward their opponents. Most of them use it mildly. However, the genuine bobber-weaver uses it fully. He uses a deep bob and a wide sway (Figure 75A, B, C, D, E). He uses it to slide under his opponent's attack. He uses it to get to close quarters; the real bobber-weaver always is a hooking specialist. If he slips in under a straight punch, he hits on the slip and continues with a terrific barrage to body and head. If he bobs in, he begins his barrage with a delayed counter to the body.

Experienced bob-weavers often use the "apple bob" with great effectiveness. It is done like this:

As a left jab starts toward you, you make a quick, low, combined slip-bob to the outside; and, in the same motion come up on the outside (Figure 76A, B, C). The entire movement-slip, bob, rise-is circular. Your head appears to go down inside your opponent's arm and to bob up like an apple or a cork outside the arm.

In the apple bob you do not counter on the slip. Instead, you counter as you rise. You counter with a left shovel to the chin. The shovel is delivered while your opponent's left arm is over your left shoulder.

And, the instant your shovel lands on his chin, you follow with an overhanded "right sneaker" hook to the jaw.

A reverse combination of counters can be used when you apple-bob outside an opponent's straight right.

Because of my varied fighting experience before I reached Toledo, I was -or should have been-a well-rounded fighter when I faced Willard.

Nevertheless, I specialized in the bob-weave attack. It was only natural that I should, for it is the perfect attack for one to use against taller opponents. I was comparatively small for a heavyweight, and I found the bob-weave very effective against larger men.

No one taught me the bob-weave. I picked it up the hard way. Charley Diehl, one of my schoolmates at Montrose, developed into a pretty fair fighter. He might have gone f