Components of the Lead Jab: the Falling Step

[bsrizpac]

what are the chances of you writing up a southpaw version?

You literally just change the right to left and left to right words in my post.....so uh.......

[Enemy/Friend]

Could a lead right hand or straight left substitute a jab?

[bsrizpac]

Could a lead right hand or straight left substitute a jab?

Ah the answer like most is complicated.

Yes and No. lol.

No- because in terms of boxing techniques, from a trainer/coach perspective I'm going to just say no to any lead right or left hands. Ever. At all. You aren't gonna be Roy Jones Jr. so no need to be practicing bad habits.


Yes- Because Dempsey himself claimed that "every straight punch should be thrown using a falling step". So yes you can use the lead falling step weight shift if throwing a lead right or left. I wouldn't recommend it though.

[bsrizpac]

very nice post. it's good to have some technical posts rather then just haters trying to justify their bull**** all the time.

I thought I'd clarify this initial post with a further idea.

Why does the falling step work? Think of it this way:

I was told this and have read online and talked to people who described it this way- a scale. Get on a weight scale and check your weight whatever it is- say for example 180 pounds. Now hop straight up in the air with both feet (not too high as to break the scale) and land flatly on the scale. You'll notice that your weight can increase anywhere up to 30-50 pounds depending on a lot of factors. You are a heavyweight for an instant.

This is the concept of the falling step and why it is effective in power punching. The idea is to throw your punches right at that moment this happens and you increase your punches powers.

Dempsey believed you should always step into every punch (and I think I 70 percent agree with this- there are time for backpedals and flick punches).

Another way to drill this conceptually is to think of walking on a flat surface on the second floor of your house in the dark. Ever notice when you reach a flight of stairs and start walking downward you hold you the siderails of the stairs or the wall to brace yourself as you can't see. What happens when you get to that last step and you still think there are more steps to go. You perform an exaggerated falling step.

Or conversely you can think of the falling step as any forward step you take on a flight of stairs going downward (just practice that same idea on a flat floor).

[Ishy Aytan]

When i throw my jab, i usually jump into it and jump back out... It has its risks, as you can get caught whilst jumping in, but I only ever get caught by super fast boxers. Or guys with great counter punch ability.

[Enemy/Friend]

Ah the answer like most is complicated.

Yes and No. lol.

No- because in terms of boxing techniques, from a trainer/coach perspective I'm going to just say no to any lead right or left hands. Ever. At all. You aren't gonna be Roy Jones Jr. so no need to be practicing bad habits.


Yes- Because Dempsey himself claimed that "every straight punch should be thrown using a falling step". So yes you can use the lead falling step weight shift if throwing a lead right or left. I wouldn't recommend it though.

Great answer

[bsrizpac]

When i throw my jab, i usually jump into it and jump back out... It has its risks, as you can get caught whilst jumping in, but I only ever get caught by super fast boxers. Or guys with great counter punch ability.

What do you mean by jumping? Both feet leave the ground like Roy Jones vs. James Toney in the sucka move punch in round 4?

Bad, bad, bad, idea if so....

[bsrizpac]

When i throw my jab, i usually jump into it and jump back out... It has its risks, as you can get caught whilst jumping in, but I only ever get caught by super fast boxers. Or guys with great counter punch ability.

If you insist on something like this, might I suggest a feint before you lunge in?

[Ishy Aytan]

What do you mean by jumping? Both feet leave the ground like Roy Jones vs. James Toney in the sucka move punch in round 4?

Bad, bad, bad, idea if so....

The correct term was step in. I step in when i throw my jab. I get out of range then step into range, this is where i throw my jab.

I used to get countered when i threw my jab, then realized my legs would stay in the same position when i threw it. Now by stepping in and out, i can move in and out of range much easier.

[bsrizpac]

The correct term was step in. I step in when i throw my jab. I get out of range then step into range, this is where i throw my jab.

I used to get countered when i threw my jab, then realized my legs would stay in the same position when i threw it. Now by stepping in and out, i can move in and out of range much easier.

SO you do it in straight lines? that works for you?