Japanese-Style Boxing Setup-and-Power Techniques

Techniques that mix light setup punches with the power punch. The light-colored chips are the punches thrown lightly. 20 techniques

• 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.
• 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.
• 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-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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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, 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.
• 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 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Give the right hand time to load
  Load the right
  The right cross gets heavier when you throw it after loading your weight onto your back foot. To do that, don't rush it out on a quick "tap." Make a short pause: "tap, and." Even if it comes a little later, put getting your weight behind it first. Revisit this when the right in your one-two feels light, or when you have a habit of rushing the right.
• Change the tempo
  Change pace
  If you keep throwing punches with the same power and the same speed, the opponent gets used to the rhythm and adjusts. Mixing fast and slow, hard and soft resets that. Also keep in mind that the harder the punch, the less it works when you repeat it. This is for people whose combinations get monotonous and easy for the opponent to read.
• Throw the middle punches at 70%
  Keep your base
  Throwing the middle at 70% means not going all out on the punches in the middle of a combination. In a one-two-hook (jab, cross, left hook), you throw the right cross in the middle to set up your position for landing the final hook. Throw everything at full power and the opponent reads your rhythm while your stamina runs out.