Page 84 - Doug Werner Boxer's Start-Up
P. 84
Chapter Eight:
Punch Mitts:Working
Offense with Defense
Hitting Something with a Brain
Punch mitts are pads that strap on the hands. Your
training coach or partner wears them as targets for your
punches and can be used to simulate return fire. It’s a
step up from bag work since your target is capable of
thinking, moving and reacting to your actions. And
unlike your bag, your target talks
(and grunts) back. Since the
targets are small, punch mitt
drills also develop accuracy.
All the stuff you work into
the heavy bag can be
brought to your punch mitt
drills. Punches and combina-
tions can be practiced standing
still as well as moving up and back
with rhythm (as you would during actual sparring).Also,
punch mitts can be gently thrown to simulate incoming
punches and combinations in order to work on your
defensive game. Practice blocks, parries, slips, ducks,
counterpunches and reaction punches.
As you can see the punch mitts allow you to work on
offense and defense during the same drill or set of drills.
For example, throw a jab at one hand and a right at the
other, duck a left hook and come back with another
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