Coordination and Reaction Drills

Mobilisation (5 minutes)

• Neck rolls: 8 each direction
• Shoulder circles: 10 forward, 10 back
• Wrist circles: 10 each direction each hand (important for catching drills)
• Hip circles: 10 each direction
• Thoracic rotation: 10 each side
• Ankle circles: 10 each foot
• 10 star jumps to raise the heart rate slightly

Warm-Up Drills (10 minutes)

Tennis ball solo warm-up (5 mins)

Each member gets a tennis ball.

• Throw the ball from one hand to the other, 20 times. Easy start.
• Throw the ball up with right hand, catch with left. Then reverse. 10 each.
• Throw the ball under one leg and catch it. 5 each leg.
• Bounce the ball off the floor and catch it in boxing stance. 10 with lead hand, 10 with rear hand.

Partner catch warm-up (5 mins)

Pairs, facing each other at 2 metres distance. One ball between them.

• Throw and catch, chest passes. 20 reps.
• Throw to alternate sides. The catcher must move laterally to catch. 10 each side.
• Thrower says "left" or "right" as they throw - catcher must catch with the named hand. 10 each.

Main Session (35 minutes)

Station 1: Wall Ball Reaction (8 mins)

Stand 2 metres from the wall. Throw the tennis ball at the wall and catch the rebound.

• 2 mins: throw with right, catch with right
• 2 mins: throw with left, catch with left
• 2 mins: throw with right, catch with left (and vice versa)
• 2 mins: throw hard and close to catch it faster. Speed up the tempo.

Coaching point: stay in boxing stance. Do not stand flat-footed. The catching motion should mimic a jab extension and retraction.

Station 2: Partner Reaction Throws (8 mins)

Pairs. Partner A holds two tennis balls behind their back. Partner B stands in boxing stance, hands up.

Drill: Partner A drops one ball (left or right hand). Partner B catches it before the second bounce. 10 drops, then swap.

Progression 1: Partner A throws the ball underhand at Partner B's chest. B must catch it. If B misses, 5 press-ups.

Progression 2: Partner A throws two balls at once (one from each hand). B catches one, lets the other bounce. Focus on choosing quickly which one to go for.

Progression 3: Partner A holds pads. Feeds a jab pad. After B throws the jab, A immediately drops a tennis ball. B must catch it with the non-punching hand. This trains the guard hand to stay active.

Station 3: Slip Bag Reaction (8 mins)

Line up at the slip bags (or hang tennis balls on strings from a pull-up bar at head height).

• 2 mins: bag swings, member slips left and right. Do not lean back - bend at the knees and waist.
• 2 mins: slip the bag, throw a jab after every slip. Slip right, jab. Slip left, jab.
• 2 mins: slip the bag, throw 1-2 after every slip. The combination must come immediately after the slip, not after resetting.
• 2 mins: freestyle. Slip and counter with any combination.

Coaching point: the slip should be small. 6 inches of head movement is enough. Members who duck low or lean far back are over-committing.

Station 4: Double End Bag Accuracy (8 mins)

Individual work at the double end bag.

• 2 mins: single jabs only. Wait for the bag to return, time the jab to catch it clean.
• 2 mins: jab-cross. Let the bag settle, then fire the 1-2.
• 2 mins: catch-and-counter. Let the bag come toward you, slip it, counter with a jab. This simulates reading an incoming punch and responding.
• 2 mins: freestyle. Work the bag with any combinations, focusing on timing rather than power.

Competitive Finish Drill (3 mins)

The whole group. Partners face each other. Each pair has one tennis ball. Both hands behind their backs.

Coach shouts "GO!" - the person holding the ball drops it. The other person catches it before the second bounce. Score: 1 point per catch. First to 5 wins.

Losers do 10 burpees. Winners do 5.

Conditioning Finish (7 minutes)

Boxing-reaction circuit. 30 seconds on, 15 seconds rest. 6 exercises:

1. Fast jabs on the heavy bag (speed, not power)
2. Tennis ball wall bounces (as fast as possible)
3. Double end bag (constant contact, keep it moving)
4. Squat jumps
5. Fast feet on the spot (Ali shuffle)
6. Press-ups

One round through all six.

Cool Down and Reflection (3 minutes)

Shoulder stretch, wrist stretch (palm up, pull fingers back gently), neck stretch (ear to shoulder), hip flexor stretch.

"Coordination is not talent. It is a skill you build. Every boxer who looks smooth and sharp trained their reactions - nobody was born catching tennis balls in boxing stance."

Coaching Notes

• This session is a great change of pace. Members who have been drilling combinations for weeks will appreciate the variety.
• Youth members love this session. The competitive elements keep engagement high. Lean into that with energy and encouragement.
• For beginners who struggle with catching: slow everything down. Bigger throws, more time to react. Success builds confidence.
• For advanced members: increase speed, add more complex sequences (throw ball, slip, catch, punch, catch again).
• If you do not have enough tennis balls, use rolled-up socks or small soft items. The drill works the same.
• The double end bag station separates those who rely on power from those who have timing. Use it as a diagnostic tool - members who struggle here usually have poor timing in sparring too.