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Boxing · Basic · b1

Stance and footwork

At home 8 min 1 player One room, terrace

Ready when: nothing, this is the first card.

Start a session

What you are learning

The guard stance, how a boxer stands ready and protected, and how to move in it: the foot nearest the direction steps first and the other follows, the feet never crossing. Balance comes first; crossed feet are easy to knock over.

Words on this card Guard, Footwork, Cross, Round, Distance
Guard
The ready stance: feet apart, one foot a little ahead, knees soft, hands up by the chin.
Footwork
How a boxer moves: small steps, the feet never crossing.
Cross
A straight punch with the back hand, with a turn of the hip.
Round
A set time of boxing, followed by a rest.
Distance
How far apart the boxers are: long, middle or close.

Set up

An empty floor, a timer.

Weather: any weather indoors

The base setup for boxing

Show it first for the one teaching

  1. Feet a shoulder-width apart, one foot a little ahead (the left foot for most right-handers), knees soft.
  2. Hands up near the chin, elbows in.
  3. Forward: the front foot steps, the back foot follows the same distance. Back: the back foot goes first.
  4. Sideways: the foot on that side steps first and the other follows. The feet never cross.

Your part while they practise

Call the directions.

Step by step

  1. Take the guard stance.
  2. Step forward and back for 30 seconds.
  3. Step left and right for 30 seconds.
  4. Mix all four directions on your calls for 30 seconds.

How much: 30 seconds each, 3 rounds 8 min a session 3 days a week

Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.

The game: Step on the call

You call a direction and clap; the child must be back in a steady stance by the clap.

Who plays: the child steps and you call; then swap.

How to play, turn by turn
Turns
  1. Call a direction: "forward", "back", "left" or "right"
  2. Count "1, 2" and clap on 2
  3. By the clap the child has stepped and is still in the guard
  4. 10 calls
Fair play
A slower count for a younger child.
Points
1 point for each call done by the clap, in a steady guard.
Fouls
No point for that call
  • The feet cross
  • The hands drop from the chin
  • The wrong direction
  • A wobble at the clap
Winning
More points after 10 calls each.
Stars
  1. 5 points for 1 star
  2. 7 points for 2 stars
  3. 9 points for 3 stars

Easier or harder

Easier

Slow, forward and back only.

Harder

Faster, change direction on a call.

What you will see, and what to say

  • the feet cross over Keep the feet apartStep, then follow; never past each other.
  • the child stands flat Stay light on the toesWeight on the front of the feet, ready to move.

Self-check

30

30 seconds of stepping in all four directions without crossing the feet.

Stop and get a coach when

Pain in the knee or ankle.

Fitness for this

Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.

This card trains balance, footwork.

awiseathlete.com/sports/boxing/boxing-b1