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OLD SCHOOL BOUNDED BOXING SCRIMMAGE DRILLS by Mark Hatmaker

 


[There are 3 versions of the below article, which is an excerpt from our upcoming volume Boxing Like the Champs Round 3.]

Version #1 below goes over 6 of the drills.

Version #2 will be released to the newsletter and go over 8 of the drills.

Version #3 will be released to The Black Box Members Only forum and will feature all 10 of the drills.

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OLD SCHOOL BOUNDED BOXING SCRIMMAGE DRILLS

 

Sparring can be a delicate balancing act. For some, they can feel hunky-dory and look good, but the jitters of the scrimmage still trims some finesse and bollixes up their skills a wee bit; while others, they go a bit too far and view sparring as an actual fight—it ain’t. For these aggressive souls, the technical dies on the training vine as the “Gotta score” mentality steps forward too far and what “We need to develop” fades into the mist.

 

Sparring is in some respects a fight, yes, but it is a controlled fight. One with specific skills to be highlighted and reinforced.

 

To help get the jittery fighter under control and to reign in the “In it to win it!” fighter I suggest using the following scrimmage forms to help build the sparring game. Think of these as bounded “fights.” Often the imposed boundaries bring the cognitive attributes of the game back to the fore with a vengeance and allow skill cultivation to manifest.

 

Once fighters of both classes—The Jittery & The “Gotta Win the Drill!” cadre, and all those in between have worked through these templates the jitters will have been calmed, the brawler has had several rounds of control urged upon him and both fighters will have honed some real time movement.

 

[All footwork, upper-body work, and defense is at play in all of these drills except where specifically prohibited.]

 

The Drills

 

One-for-For One Body-Killer

  Both fighters can only throw one blow at a time with the body being the only allowable target.

One-for-One Head-Hunting

  Some one-for-one format with the head being the target of choice.

One-for-One Body-Killer vs. Head-Hunter

  One fighter bangs to the body, the other to the head.

  Switch roles with alternating rounds.

One-for-One Full-Body

  The head and the body are allowable targets.

One-for-One Counter the Leader

  Fighter A always starts the punch initiation.

  Fighter B can only fire a shot as Fighter A’s punch is coming in.

  Switch roles with alternating rounds.

One-for-One Phone Booth

  Chalk off a 5’ square and scrimmage in this cut-off ring.


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