How to keep my elbows straight when throwing a jab ?

[WillieWild114]

I have a bad habit of throwing my elbows out when I throw a jab how to stop this bad habit ?

[Rockin']

Put your arm straight out in front of you and put your fist at 90' to your elbow. Leaving your fist as it is, lower your fist while straightening your forearm out in line with your arm. Now raise your forearm again and then lower it again. That is all that that you have to do with your arm to throw a jab. You'll want to rotate your fist, in the delivery of the jab, so that your knuckles end up parallel with the ground. Power in the jab is not generated in the arm, a teeny bit it is, but mostly the power is in from the back leg as you are sharply pushing forward, beginning with your toes. Turning your jab over (horizontal to the ground) makes that sheet sharp when it lands. It aligns all of the energy that you are creating as you focus it all into your fist and then into his face. Add in your back pushing foot, straight at your opponent, fist to his face. Just make sure to turn that sheet over (never rotate your fist past the horizon, doe). Your elbow must remain between your shoulder and his face while throwing the shot.

And put a light book under your right arm if you are tired of looking like a chicken trying to fly when throwing your jab. If you're in the gym just get a punch mitt and put it under your right arm.

Don't ever let that book/mitt ever hit the floor. When some guy slips your jab and busts you in your ribs, with a hook, you'll understand why.

Good luck man! The deeper you dig in to yourself the further you will go.

Dig your ass off and you may end up surprised, later on in your life, with how far you actually got.

...............Rockin'

[crimsonfalcon07]

You can also practice some jabs with your shoulder against a wall. Have a literal wall keeping you from flaring out, assuming you're flaring the elbow out on the jab arm too. That's a pretty common beginner mistake.

Another thing that I've found helpful for people with this problem are those elastic bands with wrist and waist cuffs. It's quite a bit more exhausting to punch with those if you let your elbows come out, or if you push your punches instead of snapping them. They have some downsides also, but a quick session here and there can have some good benefits.