Combination Building - 1-2-3-4

Mobilisation (5 minutes)

• Neck rolls: 8 each direction
• Shoulder dislocates with resistance band (or towel): 10 reps, slow
• Hip circles: 10 each direction
• Thoracic rotation with arms extended: 10 each side
• Wrist circles: 10 each direction each hand
• Light squat to loosen hips: 10 reps

Warm-Up Drills (10 minutes)

Shadow boxing with number calls (5 mins)

Members shadow box freestyle. Coach calls out numbers:
- "1" = jab
- "2" = cross
- "1-2" = jab-cross

Change tempo. Call fast sequences, then slow single shots. This warms up the movement patterns they already know.

Mirror hook practice (5 mins)

Demonstrate the lead hook. Key cues:
- Elbow comes up to shoulder height, arm at 90 degrees
- Pivot on the lead foot, turn the hip
- Fist stays vertical or palm-down (not scooping)
- Power comes from the hip rotation, not the arm

10 slow lead hooks in the mirror. Then 10 rear hooks. Then 1-2-3 (jab-cross-lead hook) x 5.

Main Session (35 minutes)

Pad Work Block 1 - Building the Combination (15 mins)

Pairs. Pad holder feeds, worker responds. Build the combination one punch at a time:

Round 1 (2 mins each): 1-2 (jab-cross). Familiar ground. Focus on clean return to guard after the cross.

Round 2 (2 mins each): 1-2-3 (add lead hook). The hook follows the cross immediately. Do not reset stance between cross and hook. Common mistake: pausing after the cross. The hook should flow from the hip rotation.

Round 3 (2 mins each): 1-2-3-4 (add rear hook). After the lead hook, the body is already turned - use that rotation to throw the rear hook. Two hooks back-to-back should feel like a windscreen wiper.

Coaching cues between rounds:
- "Punch through the target, not to it"
- "Guard hand is always at your cheekbone when the other hand works"
- "Hooks are short and tight, not wide and looping"

Pad Work Block 2 - Speed and Timing (10 mins)

Same pairs, swap roles if not already done.

Round 4 (2 mins): Full 1-2-3-4, but pad holder varies the timing of the feed. Sometimes immediate, sometimes with a 1-second pause. Worker must wait for the feed, not anticipate.

Round 5 (2 mins): Pad holder calls the combination. Sometimes "1-2", sometimes "1-2-3", sometimes full "1-2-3-4". Worker must listen and respond to what is called, not default to the full combo every time.

Round 6 (2 mins): Freestyle. Pad holder feeds any combination of 1-4. Worker must react. This round should feel harder mentally than physically.

Heavy Bag Rounds (10 mins)

3 x 2-minute rounds. 30 seconds rest between.

• Round 1: 1-2-3-4 on the bag. One combination, reset stance, repeat. Focus on form, not speed.
• Round 2: Double up. Throw 1-2-3-4, then immediately 1-2-3-4 again without resetting. Build flow.
• Round 3: 1-2-3-4 then move. Throw the combination, step to the left, throw again. Step right, throw again. Add footwork to exit after the combination.

Conditioning Finish (7 minutes)

Tabata-style on the bag: 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest x 8 rounds.

• Rounds 1-2: straight punches only (1-2)
• Rounds 3-4: hooks only (3-4)
• Rounds 5-6: full 1-2-3-4
• Rounds 7-8: anything goes, maximum output

Cool Down and Reflection (3 minutes)

Shoulder stretch across chest (15 seconds each side), tricep stretch overhead, chest opener against the wall, hip flexor stretch.

Key takeaway: "The combination should feel like one movement, not four separate punches. That will come with repetition."

Next session preview: defensive work or body shot development.

Coaching Notes

• The lead hook is where most people struggle. If someone cannot get the pivot right, have them practise the hip movement without punching first. Just pivot. Then add the arm.
• Watch for rear hooks that loop wide. The rear hook should be tight - elbow at shoulder height, short arc. If it is swinging like a baseball bat, stop and correct.
• Members who are picking it up: add a slip after the 4 ("1-2-3-4-slip"). This introduces the idea of exiting after a combination.
• Members who are struggling: let them stay on 1-2-3 for the whole session. Adding the fourth punch when the third is not right just builds bad habits.
• Pad holders matter in this session. Spend 2 minutes at the start demonstrating proper pad position for hooks (pad angled inward, not flat).