Japanese-Style Boxing Combinations

Each entry covers a punch combination together with the footwork and defense around it as one flow. Basic forms come first, then the ones drilled most often in practice. 74 techniques

• One-two (jab, cross)
  12
  The one-two is the most basic combination: you throw a left jab and follow it right away with a right cross. The left sets the path to the opponent and the target, and the right drives through that same target with the rotation of your whole body. Many other combinations start from this shape, so lock it in early, just as you would your guard.
• One-two-hook (jab, cross, left hook)
  123
  The one-two-hook is a three-punch combination that adds a left hook after the one-two. If you only throw straight punches, your attack gets monotonous and easy to read, so here you work in sideways rotation on purpose. The key is to use your hips turning back from the right cross as the load for the left hook.
• Two-one (cross, jab)
  21
  The two-one is a combination that starts with the right cross and finishes with the left jab. The order is exactly the reverse of the usual one-two, which starts with the left jab. After going in with the right, you place the left out front as your body turns back to your stance, so even in a close-range exchange you finish with your stance set.
• Double jab
  11
  The double jab is a basic combination of two left jabs in a row. Don't let the first and second drift apart. Send both on the same path, accurately, to the same spot on the opponent. Two punches arriving at the same place pin the opponent's eyes and guard there and stop their feet, which gives you a base for your next attack.
• Parry, then left jab
  Parry1
  Parry, then left jab is a routine where you parry the opponent's left jab and fire back one left jab of your own right away. It's a basic pattern for teaching your body to hit back after defending instead of stopping there. It's the first answer to the opponent's left jab, and one you'll want to drill again and again. Because it's simple, how small your parry is and how fast you fire back show up as they are.
• Parry, then one-two
  Parry12
  A parry is a defense where you lightly tap the opponent's jab inward with your palm so it goes past your face. This page covers parrying their left jab inward with your right hand and, without stopping that motion, hitting back with a one-two. Use it when the opponent is measuring distance with the jab, or pushing forward behind it.
• One-two-one (the third jab is the power punch)
  121
  This is a three-punch combination where you throw one more left jab after the one-two, and the power punch is the third and last one. Use the first two to lightly touch the opponent's guard, shifting where it sits and checking how they react. When the guard moves and leaves an opening, land the third punch, the left jab, precisely there.
• Left jab, parry, one-two
  1Parry12
  Jab, parry, one-two is a combination where you throw a left jab first, parry the left jab the opponent sends back, and fire back a one-two right away. Use it when you get into a jab exchange, to take back the flow of the attack instead of just defending. It works especially well when the opponent has a habit of answering your jab with their own.
• Pawing jab (shown, not landed)
  1
  The pawing jab is a left jab whose only role is to be seen, not to land and do damage. Your extended fist draws the opponent's guard and attention to one side and opens a path for the power punch. At the same time, the length of your extended arm lets you check the distance between you and the opponent and decide where to throw your next move from.
• Two-three (cross, left hook)
  23
  The two-three is a combination where you throw a right cross and then come back with a left hook. If you only throw straight punches, the opponent can deal with them by tightening up in front and backing away. Mixing in a left hook that comes in from the side lets you aim around the outside of their guard. You can use it as the follow-up after the right of a one-two, or on its own.
• Step back, then jab as they follow (vs. their one-two)
  Step back1
  Step back, then jab as they follow (against their one-two) means stepping back out of the opponent's one-two to make distance, then landing a left jab as they keep coming to stop their advance. If you only step back, the opponent rides the momentum and keeps pushing you. Leaving a left jab in front of your face after you step back cuts off the momentum that carries them forward.
• Step back, then one-two
  Step back12
  Step back, then one-two is a combination where you step back to make the opponent's attack miss and then come back in with a one-two. Don't just step back. Make the moment right after their attack hits air your way in to counter. Let their forward momentum spin out, and come in yourself right after it stops. Use it when you're stepping back to meet the opponent's step-in.
• Left jab, then retreating jab
  1Step back1
  Jab, then retreating jab means throwing a left jab and then throwing another left jab while stepping back, either as you punch or as you finish. You use it so the step back isn't just defense, and your left hand stays on the line the opponent is chasing along. It's a basic move for when the opponent is chasing you back, so they can't close the distance.
• One-two with a deep step-in
  Step in12
  This is a move where you step in deeper than your usual step-in and then throw a one-two, done as a drill to lengthen your step-in. In a real exchange, it lets you get closer than the opponent expects, so your punches land more easily. But it assumes your stance holds even when you go deep, and that you can get back out after punching.
• Decoy jab (missed on purpose) into the real one-two
  Decoy12
  The decoy jab into the real one-two is a combination where you throw a left jab that falls short on purpose, draw a reaction from the opponent, and then throw the real one-two. Reacting to the decoy jab, the opponent's feet may stop, or you may see a habit in how they move their guard. Of those, you aim for the moment their feet stop and slip the real one-two in.
• One-two, step back, left jab
  12Step back1
  One-two, step back, left jab is a combination where you throw a one-two, step back, reset the distance and place a left jab. Instead of staying close to the opponent when you finish punching, you put your left hand out in front of them as they chase, so you start what comes next from your own range. Use it when you want to tighten up your defense right after attacking.
• One-two-one and step straight back
  121Step back
  In the one-two-one and step straight back, you land the third punch, a left jab, after a light one-two, and step back right after you punch. The first two move the guard, and once the third lands you go straight out of the opponent's reach. Since you don't stay in front of them when you finish, you can make them hit air even if they punch back.
• Pawing jab, then step in with the real one-two
  1Step in12
  A pawing jab is a light jab thrown to draw a reaction from the opponent rather than to land. You put it out lightly, and the moment they tighten their guard or throw a hand, you step in with a hard one-two. The gap between the light punch and the power punch slows their response. Use it when the distance is a little long and the power punch won't reach from where you are.
• One-two, step back, one-two
  12Step back12
  In the one-two, step back, one-two, you throw a one-two, move back once to take yourself out of the opponent's attack, and then come back in with another one-two. You run attack, exit and re-attack as one unit. Because you step back and reset the distance before going in, you can throw the second one-two from a range that's easy to punch from.
• Slip, then right cross
  Slip2
  Slip, then right cross is a counter where you slip the opponent's left jab with a small move to the right and drive in a right cross as you come back. Use it when the opponent is throwing a straight jab, and send the right cross over their jabbing arm. The slip itself gets you ready to punch, so there's almost no gap between defense and offense.
• Slip, then left hook
  Slip3
  Slip, then left hook is a counter where you slip the opponent's right cross to the left and turn the twist that creates in your body into the rotation of a left hook. The aim is to land it while they're still finishing their right. Don't slip and then wind up. Get ready to punch inside the slip itself.
• Step back and place a left hook
  Step back3
  Step back and place a left hook is a counter for an opponent coming straight forward. You step back to make their punches miss and place a left hook as your back foot lands. Don't fight their advance. Step back and have the left hook waiting where they're about to step in. Leaving no seam between stepping back and punching gives them no time to react.
• One-two, slip out to the side
  12Slip
  One-two, slip out to the side is a way to finish a one-two: instead of staying in front of the opponent, you move to the side. The end of your punches is when the opponent tends to return a left jab, and if you're still in front of them, you're an easy target. So you step your right foot out, change position with your whole body, and get off the line of the returning jab.
• One-two with a double-step entry
  Double step12
  The one-two with a double-step entry starts from long range and closes the distance a little at a time, splitting the step into two before you punch. Your feet stay on the floor longer than with one big jump in, so you're harder to hit on the way in. Your range from mitt work won't reach here, so this form assumes you go in a little deeper.
• Pushing jab into the cross
  1Load2
  The pushing jab into the cross doesn't stop at landing the left jab. You put your weight into the opponent's guard or shoulder and push them lightly. Pushed, their guard splits, their balance breaks, and they try to get back into position. Right at that moment, you load your weight onto your back foot and drive the right cross through with your whole body working together.
• Decoy one-two, then left jab
  Decoy121
  The decoy one-two to left jab is a combination where you first show a one-two you have no intention of landing, then send the power left jab through when the opponent reacts. The one-two is just for show. It moves the opponent's guard and stops their feet. Because the third punch goes into the opening, you need to watch the opponent's reaction closely as you punch.
• Simultaneous left jab counter (while parrying)
  Parry＋1
  Simultaneous left jab counter (while parrying) means parrying the opponent's left jab with your right hand and driving in your own left jab on the same beat. Unlike "Parry, then left jab," where you parry first and then fire back, the defense and the punch happen at the same time. The moment the opponent punches becomes your time to counter. Because you get your hand out first against their left jab, it's easier to take control of the exchange.
• Step back to draw them in, then right cross
  Step back2
  Step back to draw them in, then right cross is a counter where you aren't pushed back. You step back on your own to draw the opponent in, then time a right cross as they step forward. You use the step back as a trap to pull them in. Keep the right loaded while you step back so you can meet the moment they step in.
• One-two-hook (light, light, full)
  123
  The light, light, full one-two-hook is the one-two-hook with a clear contrast in power. The left jab and right cross are shallow, short setup punches that draw the opponent's guard together, and you step in big only on the left hook, the power punch. The idea is to set your position by the left hook, which has the shortest range of the three.
• Decoy jab, jab, retreating jab, one-two
  Decoy11Step back12
  Decoy jab, jab, retreating jab, one-two is an advanced combination. You open with a decoy jab, add a jab and a jab while stepping back, then step back in and throw a one-two. Going forward, back, then forward again changes the rhythm so the opponent can't read your next move. Work on it once you're comfortable with the basic one-two and the retreating jab.
• Slip, then left body hook
  Slip3b
  Slip, then left body hook is a counter where you slip the opponent's punch and drive a short left hook to the body on the way back. Unlike a counter to the head, you can go for the stomach from the low position you slipped into, which splits their defensive attention between high and low. It's also a set pattern you repeat to teach your body to go straight from defense into a counter.
• Block and fire back
  Block12
  Block and fire back is a combination where you block the opponent's punch and then, without a pause, return a left jab or a one-two from that same spot. If you only block, you spend longer on defense and the opponent keeps punching. The moment right after the block overlaps with the end of their punch, so it's an easy moment to get a counter in.
• Soft one-two-hook (change the rhythm)
  123
  The soft one-two-hook is a combination where you show a one-two-hook in shape only, with almost no power. You don't try to land it. You use it to change the rhythm of an attack that has been going at the same pace. It's also a way to see what the opponent protects and which way they move, so you can use that for your next real attack.
• Left uppercut, recenter, right cross
  5Recenter2
  The left uppercut, recenter, right cross is a combination where, after throwing the left uppercut, you return your weight to the middle between your front and back feet and then throw the right cross as the power punch. The left uppercut breaks the guard from below, and you send the right cross through the opening in front. Putting the recentering motion in between lets you get your weight behind the right. The more you tend to lunge forward on uppercuts, the more carefully you should practice this recentering.
• Jab, cross, left uppercut
  125
  The jab, cross, left uppercut is a three-punch combination that drives a left uppercut up to the head after the left jab and right cross. The one-two gets the opponent to lock their guard in front, and you go up through the gap from below. You can throw it straight from the distance the one-two brought you to. Recentering your weight after the right cross puts power into the third punch, the uppercut.
• Jab, read the reaction, then one-two
  1Read12
  In the jab, read, one-two, you throw one left jab, take an instant to see how the opponent reacted, and then throw the one-two as the power punch. The first jab checks the distance and the opponent's reaction, so you throw the power punch once you have a real chance of landing it. This form builds the habit of looking and then choosing, instead of throwing without looking.
• Short right body uppercut
  6b
  The short right body uppercut is a punch that drives your right fist up a short, vertical path to hit the opponent's body. You throw it small, in front of your body, without a big swing up, so it leaves few openings even at close range. Stop your fist where you won't need to raise your guard again after punching. Rather than driving it through hard, use it to land small and link into the next punch.
• Left uppercut to the head
  5
  The left uppercut drives your left fist up from below to hit the opponent's chin or face. When the opponent is close and has a tight guard in front, you put it up through the gap in their guard from below. Throw it by the shortest path without changing your elbow angle, and it's harder to read. Push your shoulder blade forward on impact, and it reaches a little deeper.
• Right cross into right uppercut
  26
  The right cross into right uppercut is a combination where you follow the right cross with an uppercut from the same right hand. When the opponent locks up their guard against the right cross, you drive the right up from below. Because you throw the same hand twice, you can surprise an opponent who is waiting for the other hand. Link the two without folding your elbow back in, and the second punch comes out fast.
• Block, then right cross (vs. their one-two)
  Block2
  Block, then right cross (against their one-two) is a counter where you take the opponent's one-two on your two-arm guard and fire back a right cross right after they finish their right. Use it at close range when there's no room to get out of the way, or when the opponent is pushing in with combinations. Don't stop at blocking. Brace your core and make blocking and hitting back from that same spot one movement.
• Right uppercut into left body hook
  63b
  The right uppercut into left body hook is a combination where a light right uppercut gets the opponent to raise their guard, and then you hit the opened side hard with the left body hook, the power punch. When they get hit in the face from below, the opponent tightens their arms to protect high, and that is the moment you go low. It's a combination for close range. Don't let your body drift forward on the right uppercut. Sink where you are and link into the left body hook.
• Right body uppercut, then left hook
  6b3
  Right body uppercut, then left hook is a close-range combination where you drive a right uppercut up into the opponent's stomach, then go for the head from the side with a left hook. Because you attack on the diagonal, from low on the right to high on the left, it's easier to get over the guard of an opponent whose attention has gone to their stomach. Use it at very close range, when you want to break down an opponent who is only guarding high.
• One-two and pivot
  12Pivot
  In the one-two and pivot, after throwing the one-two you turn your body on your front foot and move off the opponent's front. You punch at long range, where your arms extend the most, as if pushing the opponent away, and in the same flow you take an angle to the side. The opponent can't throw the next punch until they turn to face you, so they're one move behind on both offense and defense.
• One-two, then walk in
  12Close in
  One-two, then walk in is a move where you throw a one-two and then take another step forward to close the distance to the opponent. If you move away after landing, you give the opponent time to recover and the one-two goes to waste. Instead of a jumping step-in, close the distance as if you're walking, and keep a distance that leads into your next attack.
• One-two on the spot (finding your range)
  On the spot12
  The one-two on the spot is a one-two thrown without moving your feet forward, using only the rotation of your hips and shoulders. Throw it first at the start of a round and you find out clearly whether your fists reach the opponent from where you're standing. If they reach, keep attacking. If not, add a step in. It gives you the basis for that next decision.
• Left uppercut, right hook, left body hook
  543b
  Left uppercut, right hook, left body hook is a close-range combination. You change the direction of your punches from upward, to sideways, to low, so the opponent can't cover it all with a guard in one place. Use it when you want to put punches together with your bodies close. In an exchange where there's no room to back off and reset, it moves their guard high and low.
• Jab, cross, left body hook, right uppercut
  123b6
  The jab, cross, left body hook, right uppercut is a four-punch combination: after two shots to the head with the one-two, you hit low with a left body hook and go back to the head with a right uppercut. The height changes high, high, low, high, so you can move the opponent's guard up and down. It's an advanced form to take on once you can throw the one-two and the diagonal from the right into the left body hook without breaking down.
• One-two-one with an angled step-in
  12Angled step-in1
  The one-two-one with an angled step-in is a combination where, after the one-two, you step in at an angle to your front left at the same moment you throw the third punch, a left jab. You come off the opponent's front line as you punch, so their return is harder to land and you end up at an angle that makes your next attack easier. It only becomes this technique when the step and the jab happen exactly together.
• Right uppercut
  6
  The right uppercut drives your right fist up from below to hit the opponent's chin or face. Use it at close range, when the opponent ducks their head or locks their guard in front. Carry your fist with body rotation instead of swinging it up with your arm, and you leave a smaller opening after punching. Don't follow through with the fist. Stop it at chin height and go back to protecting your face.
• Right cross on the spot (freeze their feet)
  On the spot2
  This move is simply throwing a right cross from where you stand, without stepping in, and you're not trying to land it. Just seeing the right come is enough to stop the opponent's feet as they move forward, and that gives you more space to attack. Use it when you want to stop the momentum of an opponent coming forward and make time to move first.
• Simultaneous right cross counter (shoulder switch)
  Head off line＋2
  Simultaneous right cross counter (shoulder switch) means moving your head slightly to the left as the opponent punches and throwing a right cross by turning your right shoulder ahead of your left. The shoulder switch extends your reach and, at the same time, takes your head off the line of their attack. Because the punch itself is also your defense, use it when you and the opponent are punching at the same time.
• Left body hook, then right hook
  3b4
  Left body hook, then right hook is a combination where you hit the opponent's stomach with a left body hook and follow to the head with a right hook from the tilted position your body ends up in. An opponent who gets hit to the body drops their guard, and you go over that lowered guard with the right hook. You turn the position you're left in after the left body hook straight into the next punch, so there's no gap.
• Two-three-two (cross, left hook, cross)
  232
  The two-three-two starts with the right cross, puts a left hook in the middle, and throws the right cross again. It's an attack built around the right, switching the direction of your hip rotation quickly: right, left, right. The opponent has to guard both the right and the left at once and can't settle on which one to cover first.
• Two-stage counter (countering the counter)
  Parry12
  Two-stage counter (countering the counter) means parrying the opponent's punch, drawing their return with a short left jab, and slipping the power right cross in as they fire back. You don't stop at one counter. Defending, hitting back and timing their return all become one sequence. Use it when the opponent is also looking to counter, and turn their plan against them.
• One-two-hook, then pivot
  123Pivot
  One-two-hook, then pivot is a combination where you throw a left jab, right cross and left hook, then pivot to change the direction you're facing and get off the opponent's front. If you stay in front of them when you finish punching, you're right where their counter comes straight at you. Add footwork to the end of your attack and leave that spot at an angle.
• Liver shot (left body hook)
  3b
  The liver shot is a left body hook to the opponent's right side. The liver is on the right side of the opponent's body, where an orthodox fighter's left hook reaches easily. Go for it at close range, when the opponent's guard is gathered around their head. Learn it as one motion, including how you recenter your weight after punching.
• Solar plexus shot (left body jab)
  1b
  The solar plexus shot is a left body jab to the opponent's solar plexus. Unlike the liver shot, which comes around from the outside, it goes straight into the center of the body. When the opponent comes forward bent over, you time it to their movement and drive it in deep. It travels under the guard that protects the head, so it reaches opponents who are covered up high.
• Simultaneous left jab counter (catch)
  Catch＋1
  Simultaneous left jab counter (catch) means stepping in as the opponent throws a left jab, catching it with your right hand just as it starts, and throwing your own left jab at the same time. You don't knock their jab aside. You stop it head-on, which breaks both their forward movement and their rhythm. Use it against an opponent trying to take control with the jab.
• Simultaneous left jab counter (head off line)
  Head off line＋1
  Simultaneous left jab counter (head off line) means moving your head just off the line of the opponent's left jab while throwing your own left jab, so yours wins. You do it with your chin tucked, so even if their jab lands, it hits the front of your face instead of the point of your chin. Keep your eyes on the opponent as you punch, and you set yourself up to land first in a jab exchange.
• Simultaneous left jab counter (catch, then slip)
  CatchSlip＋1
  Simultaneous left jab counter (catch, then slip) layers two moves, catching the opponent's punch with your hand and moving your head to make it miss, then throws a left jab. You link catching, slipping and punching without breaks, as a drill for chaining defense into offense. When one defense isn't enough, it also lets you add a second layer of defense before you hit back.
• One-two, step in, right cross to the body
  12Step in2b
  One-two, step in, right cross to the body is a combination where you throw a one-two to the head, take one step forward, and go straight into a right cross to the body. The one-two to the head draws the opponent's guard up, and then you hit the open stomach straight on with the same right hand. Don't rush. Throw it while your body still has the angle from the right cross.
• Weave, then left body hook
  Weave3b
  Weave, then left body hook is a counter where you weave under the opponent's hook so it misses, then fire a left hook to the body on the same momentum. Don't stop at avoiding it. Make going low and hitting back from that low position one flow. Right after the opponent misses with a hook, their body defense tends to be thin, and that's the moment you go for.
• Short right hook to right body uppercut
  46b
  Short right hook to right body uppercut is a close-range combination where you land a short right hook to the head and then drive the same right up into the body. The first hook draws the opponent's attention and guard up to head height, and you hit the stomach it leaves open from below. Because you use the same hand twice, go to the second punch without a gap once the first lands.
• Jab setup into a right cross to the body
  12b
  The jab setup into a right cross to the body shows the left jab to draw the opponent's eyes and guard up, then drives the right cross into the opened body. You can switch it low from the same entry as a one-two to the head, so it works on opponents who only guard high. You throw it with your head kept low, which also makes it harder for the opponent's left jab to land on you.
• Bait jab, parry, then power jab
  1Parry1
  Bait jab, parry, then power jab is a combination where you use a bait jab to draw the opponent's counter left jab, send it off line with your right hand, and land the power jab the moment their balance breaks. You draw their counter with nothing but the left jab and turn that counter into your way in. Use it when the opponent is timing counters off your left jab.
• Double jab, then step in with the right cross
  11Step in2
  Double jab, then step in with the right cross is a combination where two left jabs pin the opponent's eyes and guard and stop their feet, and then you step in and drive in a right cross. For the jabs, accuracy in hitting the same spot matters more than speed. Bringing your hands back to guard right after the right and resetting the distance with your feet are all part of one flow.
• Diagonal: right cross into left body hook
  23b
  The diagonal (right cross into left body hook) is a combination where you hit the head with a right cross and, on the momentum of your hips turning back, return a left body hook to the opponent's side. Right hand high, left hand low: you use your body's diagonal to split the targets. Your hips, turned by the right, simply turn back the other way, so you can throw the next punch with little movement. It goes after the open side of an opponent who raises their guard to protect their head.
• Left uppercut and left hook from the same start
  53
  Left uppercut and left hook from the same start is a technique for throwing either the left uppercut or the left hook from the same elbow movement. If the start is the same, the opponent can't tell which one is coming until just before the fist lands. Follow the left uppercut with a left hook, and you can hit the side of the face of an opponent braced for an attack from below. It gives your left hand more options at close range.
• L-step, then one-two
  L-step12
  L-step, then one-two means quickly pulling your front foot in near your back foot at close range, then moving out to the left so your feet trace an L, and throwing a one-two from the new position. You take a spot the opponent can't easily see, such as right beside them or toward their back, before you punch. Use it as a way out of standing square and trading punches face to face.
• Level-change feint, then one-two to the head
  Level-change feint12
  Level-change feint, then one-two to the head means showing only the motion of dropping your body to pull the opponent's attention low, then throwing a one-two to the head right away. When they shift their defense down to protect the body, you go for the head they've left open. You don't actually punch to the body. The aim is to make them misjudge where to defend just by showing the drop.
• Angled step-in with a right cross to the body
  1Angled step-inPivot2b
  The angled step-in with a right cross to the body is a technique where you draw the opponent's attention to their head (up high) with a left jab while stepping your left foot in at an angle, then pivot around to their side and throw a right cross to the body. The outside of the opponent's right arm is a weakly guarded spot, so it's easier to land than punching from straight in front. It's also good practice for combining footwork with punching.
• Jab, back, jab, back, jab
  1Step back1Step back1
  Jab, back, jab, back, jab is a combination where you throw a left jab and step back, throw again and step back, then throw one last time. You use it to keep meeting an opponent who's coming forward with your left jab as you back up, so they can't close the distance easily. Holding back your power and moving without breaking your form matter more than landing.
• Set-up diagonal (light jabs, half cross, left body hook, right uppercut)
  1123b6
  The set-up diagonal is a combination where you get the opponent to raise their guard with light left jabs and a half-thrown right, then go from a left body hook into a right uppercut. The first three punches aren't for landing. You use them to prepare the power punch, the left body hook. The flow scatters their attention high, hits low, then goes for the head again, moving the opponent's guard up and down.
• One-two-hook, side step, one-two
  123Side step12
  One-two-hook, side step, one-two is a combination where a one-two-hook (jab, cross, left hook) pins the opponent in place, you move to the side with a side step, and then you drive in the power one-two. While the opponent stays facing forward and stopped, only you move and change the angle. Punching before they turn to face you lets you avoid a head-on exchange.