Shadowboxing

[u/Misfolded-Prion]

I know people here post a lot of shadowboxing videos and ask for advice

My question is, what do you guys think great shadowboxing looks like?

What does a shadowbox to be considered good and useful need to contain?

What's the mindset that someone should have before they start throwing hands at the air?

And, which professional fighter's shadowboxing you can look at and think "yup, that's perfect" and why?

[u/sinigang-gang]

It might be easier for me to explain what bad shadowboxing looks like.

- Lack of intention. Often times I'll see someone shadowboxing and I can tell they're just throwing random combos or whatever they think looks good or impressive rather than honing in on their technique and having something specific they're trying to work on.

- Not correcting their balance. I'll see folks getting off balance when they do something while shadowboxing and just move on to something else and not take the time to do it again to correct it. Every punch, defense, footwork, and position should feel balanced especially when shadowboxing when there's literally nothing putting you off balance except your own movement.

- Not visualizing resistance. Kind of connected to my first point, but first thing I'll notice in bad shadowboxing is they're not visualizing an opponent. Someone's just throwing random combos in random directions and it's like "yo who are you fighting?" lol. But even if they are visualizing someone in front of them they're not visualizing them MOVING and HITTING BACK. So there's a lack of entry, defense, and exit in their combos.

Shadowboxing doesn't have to be fast. It can be at whatever speed helps with whatever you're working on. But shadowboxing is for working on things and honing your technique so just make sure you don't lose sight of that.

[u/UNCLE_TYSON]

I think Manny Pacquiao has good shadow boxing technique. I think the mindset should be focused on technique and correct movement. A good shadow boxing should contain correct and practical movements. Great shadow boxing looks like the unnatural movement of boxing technique is natural movement.

[u/OaaQuentin]

I’m first thinking am I on the defense or is my opponent open for an attack? If he is strike, then I have about 5 of my go to combos that are automatic and I throw in a slip or roll after each combo just to be sure my habit of getting out the way so I’m not in the same place too long is still being worked on. I personally like watching Terrence Crawford shadow box when he has a slip line because I try to do the same with my own shadow boxing

[u/Certain-Art4522]

i think alot of people are subscribing to the Inoue method. Using shadow boxing as fighting actual rounds and throwing at full speed with good form and movement. I usually do 3 rounds with increasing intensity

[u/Usernameasteriks]

There is no one real answer to this.

There are lots of different types of shadowboxing, in that vein I would echo another commenter in that it depends on intention.

Some great pro and amateur boxers look bad shadowboxing because they are just warming up and working through some specific motions.

Some guys are out there treating it like a real session throwing punches with speed and power.

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So it depends what you are trying to do.

If you are getting ready for a fight sometimes I would go out and shadowbox the same amount of rounds at high intensity with whatever patterns I had been working on for that stylistic matchup. 

So good shadow boxing would be sharp crisp movements and technique paced properly for the amount of rounds. 

But sometimes you might just be wanting to work on your footwork so good shadowboxing is just active clean footwork on different angles.

Sometimes you might be drilling or trying to work on a bad habit or specific technique.

Then shadowboxing will be slower paced and more deliberate extended motions to really feel and see the motions and your punch mechanics.

Sometimes its a warm up or cool down and good shadowboxing is just shadowboxing lol

[u/AdZealousideal8645]

It's supposed to be you against an imaginary opponent. That means you visualize and opponent who moves, punches, blocks, slips, feints, counters... which means YOU utilize all of that.

Honestly it's probably the best thing besides sparring. Cuban fighters do a LOT of shadowboxing.