Pawing jab (shown, not landed)

Pawing jab (shown, not landed): step by step

1. From your guard, stay relaxed and extend your left arm in front of the opponent's face.
2. Show them the extended fist and watch which way their guard moves.
3. Check the distance to the opponent at the end of your extended arm.
4. Pull the left back and set yourself to throw the power punch.

Pawing jab (shown, not landed): key points

• Don't look for power. Narrow its role to three things: extending your arm, showing it to the opponent and setting your own position.
• Draw the opponent's guard and attention to one side and open a path for the power punch.
• Use the length of your arm when it's extended to check your current range.

Pawing jab (shown, not landed): common mistakes

• Tensing up because you end up trying to land it. Your shoulder tightens and the power punch that follows comes late.
• Only showing it, with no next punch ready. The opponent stops fearing this jab and stops moving their guard.

Pawing jab (shown, not landed): how to practice

• In shadowboxing, relax and extend your left arm, and check that the moment you pull it back you're set to throw the right cross.
• On the heavy bag, keep the pawing jab to a light touch on the bag, then hit hard with the power punch, and repeat that pairing.

Related techniques

• Pawing jab, then step in with the real one-two
  1Step in12
• Decoy jab (missed on purpose) into the real one-two
  Decoy12
• Jab, read the reaction, then one-two
  1Read12
• One-two-hook (light, light, full)
  123
• One-two-one (the third jab is the power punch)
  121
• Know your range
  Your range