Youth Defence and Confidence

Mobilisation (5 minutes)

Active and moving:

• Jog on the spot: 30 seconds
• High knees: 30 seconds
• Star jumps: 30 seconds
• Arm circles: 15 seconds forward, 15 seconds back
• Hip circles: 10 each direction
• Squat to stand: 10 reps
• Neck rolls: 5 each direction (slow, controlled)

Warm-Up Drills (8 minutes)

Defensive shadow boxing (4 mins)

2 x 1.5-minute rounds. Coach calls out defensive movements:
- "Slip!" - everyone slips to the right
- "Slip left!" - everyone slips to the left
- "Block!" - everyone raises the guard tight
- "Bob!" - everyone dips under an imaginary punch

Mix with jab and cross calls to keep it flowing. Defence and offence, alternating.

Partner reaction drill (4 mins)

Pairs. Partner A holds a glove above their own head and drops it. Partner B must catch the glove before it hits the floor. 30 seconds each, swap. Repeat.

Then: A holds a glove out to the side and drops it. B catches. This trains reaction speed and hand-eye coordination.

"Defence is about reactions. The faster your reactions, the easier defence becomes."

Main Session (38 minutes)

Block 1: Slip the Punch (10 mins)

Demonstration (2 mins)

Coach demonstrates the slip. The head moves 4-6 inches to one side. The knees bend slightly. The eyes stay on the opponent. The body does not lean.

Key cue for juniors: "Pretend there is a string attached to your head. Someone pulls the string to the side. Your head goes. The rest of your body stays."

Partner slow-motion slip drill (8 mins)

Pairs. Partner A throws a very slow jab toward B's face, stopping 6 inches short. Partner B slips to the outside of the jab.

Rules: A goes slowly and predictably. B must watch the punch and slip. No flinching, no closing eyes.

3-minute rounds, swap. Run twice. Then add the slip to the other side: A throws a slow cross, B slips to the outside.

"The instinct is to flinch or turn away. Fight that instinct. Keep your eyes open. Watch the punch. Move your head just enough for it to miss."

Celebrate every clean slip loudly. "Great slip! You watched it the whole way. That is exactly right."

For juniors who keep flinching: slow the partner's punch down even further. Some may need the punch to travel at 10% speed before they can keep their eyes open. That is fine. Build gradually.

Block 2: Bob and Weave Under Rope (8 mins)

String a rope (or resistance band) across the gym at shoulder height.

Phase 1: Weave through (4 mins)
Line up. Each junior weaves under the rope from one end to the other, moving in boxing stance. The head goes under the rope in a U-shape. Keep hands in guard throughout.

Run through twice slowly, then twice at moderate speed.

Phase 2: Weave and punch (4 mins)
Same rope. This time, after weaving under, throw a hook on the way up. Weave under, lead hook. Weave the other way, rear hook.

"Defence is never just defence. You defend, then you attack. The weave puts you in position to throw. That is why it is powerful."

Block 3: Catch and Block on Pads (10 mins)

Pairs. Pad holder throws slow punches at the worker. Worker does not punch back. They only defend.

Drill 1: Catch the jab (4 mins)
Pad holder throws a slow jab (with the pad, not a fist). Worker catches it with the rear hand (open palm against the pad). 2-minute rounds, swap.

Drill 2: Block the hook (3 mins)
Pad holder swings a slow hook (holding the pad). Worker raises the arm on the side of the hook to block it (elbow up, forearm protecting the head). The pad lands on the forearm, not the head. 2-minute rounds, swap.

Drill 3: Mix (3 mins)
Pad holder alternates between jab and hook. Worker must read which one is coming and use the correct defence. Catch the jab, block the hook.

"This is where it gets real. You do not know what is coming. You have to read it and react. If you catch when you should have blocked, the hook gets through."

Block 4: Standing Your Ground Drill (10 mins)

This is the confidence-building section.

The drill: Partner A throws slow, controlled punches (using pads on their hands for safety). Partner B stands still and defends. Slips, catches, blocks. B does not step back. B does not flinch. B stands their ground.

3-minute rounds, swap. Run 3 rounds.

Why this matters:
"The natural instinct when someone swings at you is to back up or turn away. In boxing, that is the worst thing you can do. If you back up, they follow. If you turn away, you cannot see what is coming. Stand your ground. Defend. Stay in front of them."

After each round, ask: "Who managed to stand their ground without backing up? Who flinched less than last time?" Celebrate improvement. The goal is not perfection. It is progress.

For the most nervous juniors, reduce the intensity further. The partner throws one slow punch, pauses, lets the junior reset, throws another. One at a time until confidence builds.

Conditioning Finish (7 minutes)

Defensive conditioning relay:

Split into 2-3 teams. Each person does:
- 5 slip-lefts, 5 slip-rights (shadow)
- 10 fast jabs on the bag
- 5 bobs (full bob and weave)
- Sprint to the wall and back
- Tag the next person

First team to finish wins. Losing teams hold a plank for 20 seconds.

Then: 20 sit-ups and 30-second plank to finish.

Cool Down and Reflection (3 minutes)

• Neck stretch: 10 seconds each side
• Shoulder stretch: 10 seconds each
• Touch toes: 10 seconds

"Defence is scary at first because punches are coming at you. But every time you slip a punch, every time you block a hook, you prove to yourself that you can handle it. That confidence carries into sparring and into everything else. You are braver today than you were an hour ago."

Coaching Notes

• This session is specifically designed to build the defensive confidence that juniors need before they progress to sparring. Do not rush juniors into sparring without this foundation.
• The standing-your-ground drill is the key moment. Some juniors will instinctively retreat or close their eyes. Do not criticise this. It is a natural response. Praise every small improvement: "You flinched less that time. Well done."
• Pair nervous juniors with the calmest, most controlled partners available. The partner's temperament matters more than their skill level.
• The rope weave drill is excellent for group engagement because everyone can see each other's technique. It naturally creates peer encouragement.
• For juniors who are genuinely terrified of incoming punches (not just nervous but genuinely scared), do not force the standing-ground drill. Let them practise on the slip bag or the heavy bag instead. The confidence will come with time.
• This session should be run before the first time a junior spars. Ideally, 2-3 defensive sessions before any contact. Building the foundation slowly produces better and braver sparring partners.
• Parents who observe this session should see a well-structured, encouraging environment. Defence sessions showcase coaching quality because the emphasis is on care, not aggression.