Foundations - Guard, Footwork, Jab, Cross

Mobilisation (5 minutes)

• Neck rolls: 10 each direction, slow and controlled
• Shoulder circles: 10 forward, 10 back
• Arm swings across chest: 10 alternating
• Hip circles: 10 each direction, hands on hips
• Thoracic rotation: stand with feet shoulder-width, arms out, twist left and right x 10 each side
• Ankle circles: 10 each foot

Warm-Up Drills (10 minutes)

Footwork patterns with cones (5 mins)

Set 4 cones in a square, 2 metres apart. Members move around the square using step-and-slide only. Lead foot steps first, rear foot follows. No crossing feet. 1 minute clockwise, 1 minute anti-clockwise. Then add direction changes on the whistle.

Mirror work (5 mins)

Face the mirrors. Coach demonstrates stance: feet shoulder-width, lead foot forward, back foot angled 45 degrees, weight slightly on the back foot. Hands up, chin down, elbows tucked. Members hold the position for 30 seconds, then step-and-slide forward 4 steps, back 4 steps, left 4, right 4. Repeat x 3.

Main Session (35 minutes)

Stance and Guard - Mirror Drill (5 mins)

Coach talks through each checkpoint while members self-correct in the mirror:

1. Feet shoulder-width apart, staggered
2. Knees slightly bent, weight 60/40 on back foot
3. Lead hand at eyebrow height, rear hand at cheekbone
4. Chin tucked behind lead shoulder
5. Elbows in, protecting the ribs

Common mistake: wide elbows, chin up, flat feet. Walk round and correct individually.

Jab Mechanics - Shadow Work (5 mins)

Demonstrate the jab in slow motion. Key cues:

• Push off the back foot
• Extend lead hand straight, rotate fist at the end
• Snap it back to guard immediately - the hand returns faster than it goes out
• Shoulder comes up to protect the chin on extension

Members throw 10 single jabs in the mirror. Coach watches and corrects. Then 10 more with a small step forward on each jab.

Cross Mechanics - Shadow Work (5 mins)

Demonstrate the cross. Key cues:

• Drive from the back foot, pivot on the ball of the foot
• Hip and shoulder rotate together - full body turn
• Rear hand travels straight, not looping
• Lead hand stays up protecting the chin
• Return to guard with rear hand, do not drop it

Members throw 10 crosses. Then combine: jab-cross x 10. Focus on returning to guard between each combination.

Pad Work - Jab Only (5 mins)

Pair up. One holds pads, one works. Pad holder presents lead pad at head height, slightly forward. Worker throws single jabs. After 1 minute, swap. Then repeat with jab-jab (double jab).

Coaching points for pad holders: keep pads steady, give slight resistance on impact, do not swing pads at the puncher.

Pad Work - Jab-Cross (5 mins)

Same pairs. Pad holder presents lead pad then rear pad in sequence. Worker throws jab-cross. 2-minute rounds, swap.

Common mistake: dropping the lead hand after the jab. Coach should call out "guard hand!" repeatedly during this drill.

Heavy Bag Work (10 mins)

3 x 2-minute rounds on the heavy bag. 30 seconds rest between rounds.

• Round 1: single jabs only. Focus on snapping the jab back, not pushing the bag.
• Round 2: jab-cross. Focus on rotating the hips on the cross.
• Round 3: freestyle jab and cross combinations. Let them experiment with timing and rhythm.

Coach circulates during bag work, correcting stance drift (most beginners gradually turn square to the bag).

Conditioning Finish (7 minutes)

• 30 seconds fast jabs on the bag (light but fast), 15 seconds rest x 4
• 20 press-ups (from knees if needed)
• 30-second plank
• 20 squat jumps

Cool Down and Reflection (3 minutes)

Light shoulder stretch, chest stretch against the wall, quad stretch, hamstring stretch - 15 seconds each.

Ask the group: "What felt awkward today? That is normal. Your stance will feel more natural after 3-4 sessions."

Preview: next session builds on this with hooks and movement combinations.

Coaching Notes

• This session is about building habits, not perfection. Correct one thing at a time.
• Beginners tire fast. Watch for dropping hands as fatigue sets in - that is the most important correction.
• If someone is clearly athletic and picking it up quickly, give them the double jab-cross to work on during bag rounds.
• If someone is struggling with coordination, simplify: just jab for the whole session is fine. Do not rush to the cross.
• Watch for people leaning forward when they punch. Weight stays centred or slightly back.
• Pair experienced members with newer ones during pad work if numbers allow - it builds community and the experienced member reinforces their own fundamentals by watching.