Japanese-Style Boxing Glossary
Short definitions of the punch, defense, footwork and range terms used on this site.
Stance Punches Defense Footwork Range
Stance
- Orthodox
- A stance with your left foot and left hand forward and your right hand beside your chin. Keeping the right hand back makes it easier to throw strong punches with your weight behind them, and the lead left hand measures distance. Everything on this site is written for this stance.Keep your left hand up, Apply pressure with your right hand position
- Southpaw
- A stance with your right foot and right hand forward, the mirror image of orthodox. This site is written for orthodox, so if you're southpaw, swap every left and right as you read.
Punches
- Left jab
- A fast, straight punch thrown with your lead left hand. It measures distance, moves the opponent's guard and opens a path for the next punch, so it starts most attacks.Pawing jab (shown, not landed), Double jab, Jab, back, jab, back, jab, Lean forward into a power jab
- Right cross
- A punch thrown with your rear right hand, turning from the back foot through the hips and shoulders and driving straight through. It's easy to put your weight behind it, so it's often the power punch, for example to finish a one-two.One-two (jab, cross), Right cross on the spot (freeze their feet), Give the right hand time to load, Step back to draw them in, then right cross
- Left hook
- A punch thrown with your left hand in an arc from the side, with the elbow kept bent. Don't swing it with the arm alone. Let the arm ride your body's rotation and it hits hard. It does its best work at close range.One-two-hook (jab, cross, left hook), Step back and place a left hook, Slip, then left hook
- Right hook
- A punch thrown with your right hand in an arc from the side. Because it's the rear hand, you turn your body more and get more weight behind it. It's also often used as a follow-up over the top to the head, once a left to the body has brought the opponent's guard down.Left body hook, then right hook, Short right hook to right body uppercut, Left uppercut, right hook, left body hook, Throw the hook with your shoulder (open the door)
- Left uppercut
- A punch driven upward from below with your left hand. Don't swing it wide. Keep the elbow angle fixed and take the shortest path. After throwing it, don't stay leaning on your front foot. Bring your weight back to the middle between your feet.Left uppercut to the head, Left uppercut and left hook from the same start, Left uppercut, recenter, right cross, Drive the uppercut in a straight line
- Right uppercut
- A punch driven upward from below with your right hand, led by your body's rotation. Don't swing it with the arm. Place it, and stop it where you won't have to raise your guard again. It goes straight up through the gap in the opponent's guard, so you use it at close range.Right uppercut, Right cross into right uppercut, Right uppercut into left body hook, Jab, cross, left body hook, right uppercut
- Left body jab
- Bend your knees to lower your head, then extend your left hand straight into the opponent's body. The basic version goes in along the center line to the solar plexus. Pair it with the jab to the head to mix it up high and low.Solar plexus shot (left body jab), Mix it up high and low
- Right cross to the body
- Drop your knees deep to get low, then drive your right hand straight into the opponent's body. It gets through more easily after a left jab has drawn their attention to their head. Because your head is low, their jab is also less likely to land.Jab setup into a right cross to the body, Angled step-in with a right cross to the body, One-two, step in, right cross to the body
- Left body hook
- A punch that comes around from the side with your left hand into the opponent's ribs. Coming around from the outside, it lands on the liver on their right side. It's often used in a diagonal, turning your body the other way as you bring the right cross back.Liver shot (left body hook), Diagonal: right cross into left body hook, Slip, then left body hook, Weave, then left body hook
- Right body uppercut
- A punch driven up on a vertical path into the opponent's body with your right hand. Don't swing it with the arm. Place it, and stop it where you can get straight back to guard. At close range it also starts the link into a left hook.Short right body uppercut, Right body uppercut, then left hook, Short right hook to right body uppercut
- One-two
- The most basic combination: a left jab into a right cross. Send the right cross down the line the jab created and it gets there by the shortest path. If you mean both punches to land, the opponent can't ignore either one.One-two (jab, cross), One-two on the spot (finding your range), Make both the jab and the cross a threat, One-two with a deep step-in
- Setup punch
- A punch thrown lightly to move the opponent's guard or attention rather than to hurt them. A pawing jab is one example. Follow with the power punch where the guard has shifted or the feet have stopped.Pawing jab (shown, not landed), One-two-one (the third jab is the power punch), One-two-hook (light, light, full), Soft one-two-hook (change the rhythm)
- Power punch
- The punch in a combination that you actually mean to land and hurt with. The basic flow is to move the opponent's guard or feet with setup punches or decoys, then put the power punch into the opening.One-two-one (the third jab is the power punch), Decoy jab (missed on purpose) into the real one-two, Pawing jab, then step in with the real one-two, Set-up diagonal (light jabs, half cross, left body hook, right uppercut)
- Decoy punch
- A punch thrown on purpose from where it can't reach the opponent. Even though it doesn't land, they move their guard or stop their feet. Watch that reaction or habit, then throw the power punch.Decoy jab (missed on purpose) into the real one-two, Decoy one-two, then left jab, Decoy jab, jab, retreating jab, one-two
- Feint
- A fake punch or fake movement that makes the opponent react. Attack somewhere other than where they've covered up, or punch the moment they react, so they get their defense wrong.Level-change feint, then one-two to the head, Soft one-two-hook (change the rhythm), Pawing jab (shown, not landed)
- Level-change feint
- A feint where you bend your knees and drop your body as if you're going to the body. When their attention and guard go down, punch to the head right away.Level-change feint, then one-two to the head, Mix it up high and low
- Counter
- A punch thrown back in time with the opponent's punch. They take it while still moving forward, so it lands harder. Rather than waiting for them to punch, show an opening on purpose to draw the punch, and the counter is easier to time.Bait the counter, don't wait for it, Slip, then right cross, Block, then right cross (vs. their one-two), Two-stage counter (countering the counter)
- Simultaneous counter
- Throwing your own punch at the same moment the opponent's punch comes out. You punch while catching it with your hand, parrying it or moving your head off line, which breaks their forward movement and rhythm.Simultaneous left jab counter (catch), Simultaneous left jab counter (head off line), Simultaneous right cross counter (shoulder switch), Simultaneous left jab counter (while parrying)
- Diagonal
- A way of linking punches along the diagonal lines of your body, switching sides and levels, such as a right cross into a left body hook. You turn your body the other way as you bring the right hand back, so that rotation goes straight into the next punch.Diagonal: right cross into left body hook, Set-up diagonal (light jabs, half cross, left body hook, right uppercut)
Defense
- Block
- A defense where you take the punch on your arms. Set your gloves beside your temples and take the punch on the hard part of the forearm. Leave a little space between your arms and body so your arms absorb the impact, and you can punch back without losing your distance.Block (high guard), Block, then right cross (vs. their one-two), Block and fire back
- Parry
- A defense where you tap the opponent's punch lightly with your palm, knocking it inward so its path goes past your face. The movement is small, so you can go from the parry straight into a counter. If you push too far and your hand leaves your face, you get hit there.Parry, Parry, then one-two, Parry, then left jab, Simultaneous left jab counter (while parrying)
- Catch
- A defense where you stop the opponent's punch head-on by pressing against it with your palm. Where a parry redirects the punch, a catch stops it and cuts off their forward movement and rhythm. Decide where you'll take it and which way you'll press before it arrives.Catch (stopping the punch with your palm), Simultaneous left jab counter (catch), Simultaneous left jab counter (catch, then slip)
- Slip
- A defense where you move your head slightly to the side so a straight punch just misses. Both hands stay free, so you can counter right away. If you sink too low or twist too much, you're slow to come back.Slip, Slip, then right cross, Double slip, Slip, then step back
- Duck
- A defense where you bend your knees and drop your body straight down to go under a punch coming from the side, such as a hook. If you bend forward at the hips or back, your weight tips forward and you can't throw the next punch.Duck
- Weave
- A defense where you drop your body while moving to the side, going under a curved punch such as a hook. You can use the momentum of going under, so it links easily into a body punch or a hook back.Weave (bob and weave), Weave, then left body hook
- Head off line
- Moving your head slightly outside the path of the punch while keeping your chin tucked. You use it in a simultaneous counter, when you punch as you defend against the opponent's punch. Keep your eyes on the opponent.Head off line (in simultaneous exchanges), Simultaneous left jab counter (head off line), Simultaneous right cross counter (shoulder switch)
Footwork
- Step in
- Footwork where you move forward off your front foot to close the distance. Changing how deep you step lets you get closer than the opponent expects. If you step in too far and your body lunges forward, you can't throw the next punch.One-two with a deep step-in, Pawing jab, then step in with the real one-two, Double jab, then step in with the right cross, One-two, step in, right cross to the body
- Double step
- Footwork where you close the distance in two steps instead of one big jump. Your feet spend more time on the ground, so there's less time when your body is in the air and unprotected. It also makes it easier to react to a sudden counter.Double step, One-two with a double-step entry
- Step back
- Footwork where you move backward to take yourself out of range. Don't keep backing up. Use it to set up a position where their attack misses and you can punch back as they step in.Step back, Double step back, Step back, then one-two, Step back to draw them in, then right cross
- Side step
- Footwork where you move straight to the side to change where you stand and where your head is. Use it on defense, such as shifting sideways after a slip or a step back, or making an angle on the ropes. When you go in to attack, step in at a forward angle instead.Side step, Step back, show your guard, then move sideways, One-two-hook, side step, one-two
- Angled step-in (attacking footwork)
- Footwork where you step forward at an angle, not straight to the side, to close the distance when you attack. It gets you closer while taking you off the opponent's front. Step in with the left jab, and pivot slightly on the way in to reset your stance.Angled step-in, One-two-one with an angled step-in, Angled step-in with a right cross to the body
- Pivot
- Footwork where you turn on your pivot foot to change the direction your body faces. Done at the end of an attack, it takes you off the opponent's front. You stay in a stance you can punch from, and they're the one who has to turn to face you again.Pivot, One-two and pivot, One-two-hook, then pivot
- L-step
- Footwork at close range where you draw your front foot back to your rear foot, then move out to the side, tracing an L. You use it to get off the opponent's front and get to their side or behind them.L-step, L-step, then one-two
- Recenter
- Bringing your weight back to the middle between your front and back feet after you punch or move. The faster you get back there, the sooner you can throw the next punch. If your body stays lunged forward, you can't punch next and you get countered.Recenter your weight after punching, Left uppercut, recenter, right cross, Liver shot (left body hook)
- Exit
- Getting out of range of the opponent's return punches instead of staying where you are when you finish punching. If you always get out with a step back, a slip, or an angle off a pivot, their return punch hits nothing.Exit after punching, Punch and move, One-two-one and step straight back, One-two, slip out to the side
Range
- Your range
- The distance at which your punches reach with only your body's rotation, without stepping in. Knowing it keeps you from lunging in for nothing. Measure it at the start of the round with a one-two on the spot. If it doesn't reach, step in just half a step.Know your range, One-two on the spot (finding your range), Measure their range as well as yours, One-two (jab, cross)
- Close range
- A distance so close your bodies touch. A straight punch can't extend and gets jammed, so switch to hooks and uppercuts that use your body's twist. When you're pressed together, don't push with your arms. Push the ground with your legs to unbalance the opponent.Choose your punches by range, Don't turn the fist over at close range, On the inside, push with your legs, not your arms, Keep breathing at close range
- Mid range
- The distance between close range and long range, where a small step in brings your punches into reach. Straight punches are the main weapons. Their punches reach you too, so combine them with defense such as punching and moving and keeping your head moving.Choose your punches by range, Measure their range as well as yours, Keep your head moving, Punch and move