Fundamentals
Don't close your eyes or turn away
Keep watching
When a punch comes, you may close your eyes or turn your face away without meaning to. Then you can't see the next punch, and both your defense and your counter come late. Feeling scared is natural, so don't try to get rid of it. Instead of letting it shut your eyes, point it toward reading the opponent's movement and avoiding the punch.
| Type | Fundamentals |
|---|---|
| Guard | Written for orthodox (left foot forward) |
Don't close your eyes or turn away: how to do it
- In your guard, look so the whole of the opponent is in your view.
- When a punch comes, keep your eyelids open and follow the fist.
- Without turning your face away, move your head slightly to make it miss or take it on your guard.
- After defending, keep your eyes on the opponent and react to what they do next.
Don't close your eyes or turn away: key points
- Close your eyes or turn your face away and, in that instant, you lose sight of the next punch.
- You don't have to get rid of the fear. Predict where the punch is coming from and turn the fear into a movement to avoid it.
- You can build your ability to keep watching little by little by practicing avoiding light objects.
Don't close your eyes or turn away: common mistakes
- You close your eyes the moment a punch comes. Then you can't react to the second or third punch that follows.
- You turn your face to the side to get away. Then the opponent leaves your view, your guard breaks down too, and you're easier to hit.
Don't close your eyes or turn away: how to practice
- Have someone toss ping-pong balls at you lightly, and avoid them with small head movements while keeping your eyes open.
- In shadowboxing, imagine the opponent's punch coming and slip or block while keeping your eyes forward.
- When you hit the heavy bag, keep your eyes forward too, and check that your gaze doesn't drop as you finish.
Related techniques
Left and right are written for orthodox (left foot forward). If you're southpaw, swap left and right as you read. How to read the notation
This is Japanese-style boxing: techniques as taught at a boxing gym in Japan. American or Mexican coaches may teach some of them differently.