3 Reasons the Jab is Important

Why is the Jab so Important in Boxing

The Importance of the Jab

Boxing isn’t all about the big wild swings and powerful punches. Learning to throw the perfect jab can make the difference between a winner and average boxer. As the saying goes, “The right hand can take you around the block but a good jab will take you around the world.”

Here are some reasons a jab is so useful and important in the boxing ring.

  • A jab creates openings for powerful combinations.

If you’ve seen boxers fight in the ring, you’ll have noticed that each boxing combination is pre-mediated by a quick jab to gauge their opponent’s position and movement. It can also help to throw opponents off. This is followed by more powerful punches. For example, many boxers lead with quick jabs to force their opponent’s guard down, before going in with a straight right.

  • A jab is proactive and asserts dominance.

Unlike counter punches, jabs are proactive. Snapping a double or triple jab at your opponent from different locations can intimidate them and weaken their stance. This tips the fight to your advantage and is known as “ring control”.

  • A jab requires minimal energy.

One of the benefits of using a left jab is that it requires little movement in stance. This is an efficient and energy-conserving way to attack your opponent. Because of this, the jab is a versatile move. You can throw one or more quick jabs from nearly any position.

With that said, here are a few great jab techniques you may find useful!

Power Jab

The power jab is an explosive lunge-like motion used to propel your body forward. You can use a power jab to stun your opponent and close the distance between the both of you. This jab gives you an opening to follow up with fiercer punches. To really pack a punch, ensure you throw your body weight behind the jab. 

Step Jab

To throw a step jab, step in with your lead foot while keeping your rear foot in place. This method allows you to get in and throw the jab, while easily backing out of the danger zone. Your lead jab and step-in motion should land at the same time.

Up Jab

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OOrJ46tN2Q

Bob Foster and Carl Froch are famous boxers who are known for their up jabs. To use the up jab, throw it from a low angle. This lets you roll your hips to generate more power in the shot. The up jab also tends to catch people off guard, giving you the opportunity to throw another punch.

Pawing Jab

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz8TN3yAh50

The legendary boxer Tommy Hearns used the pawing jab extremely well. The pawing jab is when you leave your hand out momentarily after throwing. It obscures your opponent’s line of vision and distracts them. Just be careful not to leave your jab hanging for too long as your opponent may use this opportunity to retaliate.

A great jab can define your fights and allow you to gain an upper hand.  Train your jabs and other foundational techniques to up your game in the boxing ring!

Boxing & Parkinsons

The Ring celebrated Parkinson’s Awareness Month in April, and we’re proud to say that we support everyone and anyone on their boxing journey. We welcome anyone with Parkinson’s to join us! Here are 5 reasons you should start boxing with The Ring if you have Parkinson’s.

1. Boxing Gives You a Dopamine Boost

Drops in dopamine levels can contribute to Parkinson’s Disease (shortened to PD). Many PD patients find that increasing dopamine levels helps to alleviate their symptoms, which has led to treatments such as dopamine replacement therapy. Dopamine is also responsible for boosting your mood, memory and motivation. Boxing is a great workout that can significantly increase your dopamine levels!

2. Boxing Increases Your Strength

Boxing is a full-body workout that trains various muscle groups, including your core,  chest, arms, legs and shoulders. Boxing programmes usually include elements of strength training too. This keeps your body active and prevents muscle deterioration.

3. Boxing Improves Gait, Mobility and Speed

Studies 1-5 have shown that boxing increases your mobility and speed. PD patients were found to improve their gait over time when they took up boxing. These results were not observed in other traditional forms of exercise. This should come as no surprise, as boxing often requires you to keep moving and chance your stances while throwing punches!

4. Boxing Helps Increase Endurance

Endurance training is a huge part of boxing. You will need to improve your stamina to continue this high-intensity workout for prolonged periods. Boxing will improve your cardiovascular health and endurance, which can be useful for PD patients.

5. Boxing Grows Your Confidence

Have you ever met an unconfident boxer? Boxing requires you to be fully focused and to keep improving in your physical strength and agility. Sticking to a disciplined regime and watching yourself grow stronger over time can work wonders for self esteem. Boxing is also a social activity, which means you will have a community of like-minded friends cheering you on and working on your goals together. This wholesome activity will definitely help PD patients to feel more optimistic while keeping their symptoms at bay!

Reach out to us or sign up for a trial class to get your first boxing experience at The Ring! 

*Disclaimer: The Ring is not a medically certified centre, nor are we physiotherapists. The evidence for how boxing benefits PD patients has been largely anecdotal. However, there are several studies and programmes in the U.S. and other countries that promote boxing as a beneficial activity for PD patients. The Ring is inspired by this and hopes to promote an inclusive community that encourages PD patients to box as well.
1 Frazzitta G, Maestri R, Ghilardi MF, Riboldazzi G, Perini M, Bertotti G, Boveri N, Buttini S, Lombino FL, Uccellini D, Turla M, Pezzoli G, Comi C. Intensive rehabilitation increases BDNF serum levels in parkinsonian patients: a randomized study. Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2014 Feb;28(2):163-8. doi: 10.1177/1545968313508474. Epub 2013 Nov 8. PMID: 24213955.
2 Uysal N, Kiray M, Sisman AR, Camsari UM, Gencoglu C, Baykara B, Cetinkaya C, Aksu I. Effects of voluntary and involuntary exercise on cognitive functions, and VEGF and BDNF levels in adolescent rats. Biotech Histochem. 2015 Jan;90(1):55-68. doi: 10.3109/10520295.2014.946968. Epub 2014 Sep 9. PMID: 25203492.
3 Schenkman M, Moore CG, Kohrt WM, et al. Effect of High-Intensity Treadmill Exercise on Motor Symptoms in Patients With De Novo Parkinson Disease: A Phase 2 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Neurol. 2018;75(2):219–226. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2017.3517
4 Combs SA, Diehl MD, Chrzastowski C, Didrick N, McCoin B, Mox N, Staples WH, Wayman J. Community-based group exercise for persons with Parkinson disease: a randomized controlled trial. NeuroRehabilitation. 2013;32(1):117-24. doi: 10.3233/NRE-130828. PMID: 23422464.
5 Borrero L, Miller SA, Hoffman E. The meaning of regular participation in vigorous-intensity exercise among men with Parkinson’s disease. Disabil Rehabil. 2020 Oct 25:1-7. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2020.1836042. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33103500.

5 Reasons Women Choose To Box

Top Reason Women Boxing in Singapore

For the longest time, boxing was a territory claimed by men. But times have changed. More women are choosing to box, and for a good number of reasons!

Here are 5 great reasons why women should start boxing.

1. Boxing increases self-confidence

Boxing is a great way to train up your confidence. It is incredibly demanding, and with the challenge comes great reward. Pushing your limits and seeing yourself improve over time can boost your confidence when you realise you’re capable of more than you imagined. Women boxers experience this on a whole other level. Because boxing is a male-dominated sport, women who choose to box will find an influx of confidence from breaking societal expectations and stepping outside of their own comfort zones to train. 

2. Women who box can protect themselves better

It’s always a good idea to learn some self-defence. Boxing is a sport that trains your strength, endurance, and fighting techniques. You’ll learn how to block punches, parry and get your own hits in. Women who box are more likely to be able to protect themselves when push comes to shove. You never know what may happen, and it’s always great to be prepared.

3. Training can give a great tone-up (and glow-up)

One of the main reasons women box is because it can help to knock off calories in a fun way. Long term training will get you toned muscles for a lean, healthy look. Unlike some forms of exercise, boxing puts many different muscle groups to work, helping you to get a full workout. You’ll also feel a lot stronger for whatever comes your way. Get ready for a total glow-up!

4. Boxing releases stress

Another great reason women should choose to box is because it’s simply a great way to relieve stress! Just like any other exercise, boxing releases endorphins and often gives a post-workout high. It is also therapeutic to be able to throw jabs and release any negative or pent-up energy from the day. With so many women taking up high-stress jobs in a variety of industries, boxing can be an amazing outlet to let it all out.

5. Women who box train their fighting spirit.

Boxing is a sport that builds mental discipline. Whether you’re a woman or a man, you will find that boxing instils a fighting spirit that nobody can take away. Boxing demands that you give your all during training and commit to those training consistently. In this way, women boxers build up a massive reserve of willpower. 

Boxing is also a competitive sport that pits opponents against each other. Unlike other areas of a woman’s life, women are not expected to “tone-down” during matches. Fire up your inner fighter and watch how it translates to massive willpower in other areas of life! 

Boxing’s a great well-rounded sport for mental and physical training. Challenge yourself and take the first step towards a better you with boxing! There are many reasons women have fallen in love with boxing once they tried it — and you will too!

Introduction To Sparring

Introduction to Boxing Sparring in Singapore

Sparring is an important step for any boxer to improve their technique! Every boxer goes through plenty of sparring sessions before they ever get into the ring for a real fight.

Once you’ve mastered the basic techniques of boxing, sparring is encouraged to help you put what you’ve learnt into practice. Throwing a jab at an opponent feels very different from hitting a punching bag. Evading an opponent’s punches will require greater mobility when sparring. 

At The Ring, we want to help you step up to the challenge! Here’s a beginner guide to sparring.

Drill the Basics

First, you’ll need to be well-versed in the following:

  • Throwing punches at a moving target
  • Blocking punches while moving
  • Evading punches while moving

Having a solid foundation in these areas can enable you to spar more effectively without getting seriously injured. These skills can be trained through offensive and defensive drills with a partner.


Get Ready for Sparring

You’ll also need to develop certain skills specific to sparring or fighting. Here are a couple of easy drills you can do with a partner to get ready for the ring.

1. Developing depth perception

One partner takes on the “leader” role. The other acts as the “follower”. The leading partner takes one to three steps while shifting in each direction – forward, backwards and side-to-side. This drill is about mirroring your partner by seeing and anticipating their moves – akin to dancing! Both partners can switch sides after a few rounds. There is no need to wear gloves for this drill.

2. Basic combinations

Partners ought to wear mouth guards, headgear and gloves for this drill. The two main techniques being used here is the jab and parrying the punches to get it away from the head. Practise combining these moves repeatedly with your partner. This will enable you to attack and defend more fluidly when sparring.

It’s Time to Spar!

Once you’ve built up a foundation on the above, it’s sparring time. Always remember to wear mouth guards, headgear and boxing gloves when sparring!

1. Choose the right partner

Ensure that you choose a suitable sparring partner. It is often advised that you spar with a coach as a beginner, since they will be in the best position to correct and guide you. Once you are more familiar with the basics, you may choose to spar with partners who are at a similar skill level as you.

2. Agree on the intensity and purpose

Before you begin, ensure that both partners are aligned on how the sparring session will go. If you’re both beginners, you may want to start out slow. You should also get into the ring with a goal in mind. For instance, you may be trying to train up your defence, and get your partner to focus on finding openings. Talking to your partner ahead of time can help both of you to gain more out of sparring.

3. Vary your techniques

Sparring is a great opportunity to try out different techniques. Switch it up and try different techniques you’ve drilled while boxing. If you’ve always wondered how a hook or right cross might play out, here’s your chance.

Sparring can seem intimidating when you’re just starting out. However, it’ll be the best thing you can do to improve your boxing techniques. Level up this year and challenge yourself to achieving this milestone with The Ring!

Queenie – LEVEL UP

Queenie never imagined that she would be fighting today.

As an employee in the finance industry at a custodian bank, Queenie had originally seen the sport simply as a means to train her body. And indeed, she reaped the rewards. 

“It definitely helps maintain my physique. I’m stronger than before.”

Close to 3 years into the sport, Queenie decided to take the next step and sign up for her first fight despite the fact that fighting didn’t come naturally to her.

“I pull back my punches during sparring,” she admits. “Once, Coach Syakir made me punch his face without blocking and I cried.”

However, determined to go further in her training and find a sense of fulfilment in fighting, Queenie decided to forge ahead. It helped that her partner was obsessed with the sport, and encouraged her along the way.

It wasn’t easy, though. Queenie felt her nerves even as she was stepping into the ring. During the fight, she found herself counting the number of punches she and her opponent had thrown, and worrying about all the people she would be letting down if she lost. 

“Now I realise that’s not how it works… (I need to) want it for myself more than anything else.”

Queenie reflected that she lost the fight but gained knowledge in return. Her first fight was a valuable and much needed experience. Now, Queenie plans to level up for her next fight. “Train to fight, punch to hurt,” is her new mantra. And she’s ready to give her all.

“I think boxing is a very humbling sport. Someone said the ring is fair and that whatever I put in training and whatever is in my headspace will reflect… I’ve learnt to respect the sport, if I’m going to fight then I should do what it takes.”

Queenie isn’t sure if she’ll keep fighting in the long run, but for now, she’s got her eyes fixed on the next fight. “I’ll train again and put up a good fight, delivering what I’ve learnt with no regrets,” she declares.

Sure enough, Queenie rose up to the challenge a second time and entered our fight team for The Ring Fighting Championship “ELITE AMATEUR SERIES 5”. She trained almost every single day leading up to her fight, stepped out of her usual timidness to enter the ring, and ultimately emerged victorious!

We’re proud of how far Queenie has come in her journey, transitioning from a boxer to a fighter. Stay fierce and keep levelling up!

Fads – LEVEL UP

In late 2021, Fads took a leap of faith and transitioned to full-time coaching. His only regret is that he didn’t do it sooner.

Fads joined The Ring as a member for 2 and a half years before joining as a part-time coach and then eventually becoming a full-time coach. If you want to level up your boxing prowess this year with The Ring, you’re in good company because Fads is looking to up his A-game in boxing in 2022!

“Take the leap, whether it is something in your personal, work life, or relationships… Being scared means it matters to you. Just do it now because you will never know when is the right time.”

Fads has always known that he’s happiest when helping others to solve problems. Driven by his mission, Fads aims to learn more fitness techniques and exercises to cater his training to the needs of different students this year.

“I really enjoy helping people… Seeing them everyday and being a part of their journey is something I find very rewarding as a coach in The Ring Boxing Community.”

Fads is also looking to level up his own boxing with training and guidance from his coaches. Boxing has benefitted Fads in many ways. Being physically fit – and the disciplined training he goes through to get there – has made him more confident as a person. 

“I feel a lot more capable of handling any situation. Having that confidence to walk around standing tall with my head held high for myself.”

This newfound confidence has also allowed him to put himself out there socially. Simply talking to people was something that he used to struggle with but now he’s more than happy to jump into any conversation knowing that it’s not always about being excellent at something but giving yourself some space to fail gracefully.

We’re inspired by Fads’ heart for others and can’t wait to see how he continues to #LevelUp in boxing and his personal life! The Ring community is always there to strive with him – and with you!

Pramilah – LEVEL UP

Levelling up isn’t all about the hustle. For Pramilah or better known as Premi, levelling up is about finding her own rhythm.

Always the go-getter and working in dentistry, Premi realised that she was constantly busy and in need of a break. When she burned out in the middle of last year, Premi decided to prioritise her personal well-being more.

Due to her desire to focus on herself, Premi took a month off work and travelled to Germany in the midst of the pandemic. It gave her a new perspective and helped her develop a new-found balance in her life. Going forward, Premi hoped to be more mindful of her body and how she’s feeling. Muay Thai has been pivotal in driving this shift.

“As someone who used to always live in her head, I would overthink, move very fast and constantly be doing things, but now I have learned to slow down and pay attention to how my body is feeling.”

Having suffered past trauma, Premi finds that going for Muay Thai classes helped her learn to lean into the pain and discomfort instead of fighting it. Stepping out of her comfort zone to attend classes alone has helped her to emerge as a stronger and more confident person.

In addition, Premi opted for Personal Training (PT) classes with Coach Darren, as she wanted to get back to the fundamentals. As someone who emphasises on quality, whenever Premi is feeling flustered, Coach Darren recognises it and takes a step back to slow down and go back to the basics.

To Premi, having a good foundation is essential and this has also translated into her everyday life because without a good foundation, it is very hard to achieve what you want in life.

“I fear not the man who practiced 10,000 kicks once, but the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” – Bruce Lee

We’re proud of what Premi has achieved and hope to continue to #LevelUp with her at The Ring!

5 Steps You Can Take To Level Up Your Life

Level Up with The Ring this year!

We’ve seen you, and we’ve seen others achieve what they didn’t think was possible. Challenge yourself and don’t pull your punches – we believe you’re capable of even more!

If you’ve been thinking about new year resolutions, this is the time to commit them to action.

“Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly.” – Aristotle

While we all admire boxers who seem to have it all – a fit body, tenacity and mental strength – it’s important to know that this didn’t come overnight! These boxers trained and pushed themselves to get to where they are today.

Every choice you make is a chance to get closer to your goals, or further away even. At The Ring, we want to encourage you to take active steps towards achieving your best self every day.

Here are 5 steps you can take right now to start improving your lifestyle and outlook on life!

1. Set Milestones and Goals For Yourself

It’s scientifically proven that people who set goals are more likely to perform better than those who don’t. This can be applied to your physical and training goals, or to other areas of your life! When setting goals, make sure they are as specific and measurable as possible. It is also ideal to set a timeframe for when you hope to achieve each milestone! For example, to join a boxing competition, to learn a certain number of moves, or to practise a particular technique to perfection.

2. Train Regularly, and Passionately

This goes without saying! Clocking your hours at The Ring should be set in stone. Whether you’ve had a sluggish week or a bad day, what matters is that you commit to the time you’ve set aside for yourself to train.

Training three or four times a week can do wonders in strengthening your muscles and improving your form and technique. If your schedule doesn’t allow it, committing to just once a week can make a huge difference too.

Once you come into the gym, your first priority should be yourself. Put aside whatever distractions have been bothering you and come fully focused to train!

3. Work Out at Home or in the Gym

Conditioning your body can boost your body’s performance and increase stamina! Apart from boxing at The Ring, it’s recommended that you have your own regular workout regime. Training in cardio, strength and flexibility exercises can sculpt your body and keep you in tip-top condition for boxing. Even just 10 – 15 minutes a day is enough!

4. Get Your Snooze On

It’s not all about working hard. In order to push your body, you need ample rest for your body to recover. This will also enable your muscles to grow and be strengthened for your next boxing session!

5. Take Small Steps To Change Up Your Food Intake

You don’t have to commit to a full-on diet regime. Instead, you can set a routine to reduce your intake of unhealthy foods and increase nutritious meals. For example, you may choose to refrain from eating junk food except for 1 cheat day a week, or focus on having 1 really healthy meal every day. It all depends on your lifestyle as well!

Ready to start living your best life? We’ve got your back – share your plans and goals with our coaches and other members to keep one another accountable! Let’s Level Up together at The Ring as one community!

 

Level Up With The Ring This 2022

Start the new year right with our new movement: Level Up With The Ring!

Fuel your drive with awesome stories of our members who have experienced amazing growth over their years of training with The Ring. We know how tough it can be to get motivated, and we want to inspire you while reflecting on our members’ remarkable journeys.

Level Up together with us as we highlight the growth of our members not only physically but in their mental strength as well. From the moment they stepped inside our doors, we’ve seen them leave each time more confident, resilient and disciplined.

Boxing at The Ring is about more than just physical training, it’s about striving alongside a community of supportive individuals for your happiest and healthiest self. We challenge our bodies and our minds every training session to achieve something that may have previously been unthinkable, pushing ourselves to the limit each and every time. Improving our physical strength is just the beginning, at the end of all that hard work, it’s the mental lessons that you gained along the way that will make you a stronger individual.

So get in on the action and Level Up with us this year! Here’s a sneak peek of some individuals we’ll be featuring:

Pramilah Streram

Overcoming fears and progressing in Muay Thai Technique
Featured on 10 January

Coach Fads

Taking the leap in a career change and muscle growth
Featured on 24 January

Queenie Quek

Exercised courage by stepping out of her comfort zone
Featured on 14 February

Part-Time Coach Andrew Arasu

Weight loss and emerging victorious in his 1st boxing match in Elite Amateur Series
Featured on 28 February

Natasha Osman

Battled through her injury of a torn ACL
Featured on 15 March

JT

Boosted his sense of confidence and self-esteem
Featured on 28 March

Let’s build up this community together, celebrating ourselves and one another as we strive towards our highest selves!

Kirstie Gannaway: #TRainforConfidence

She was once afraid to feel good about herself, but today, Kirstie believes that she is a strong woman who continues to train for confidence.

Life is full of ups and downs, but boxing has kept Kirstie grounded and on her feet. Never particularly interested in anything, Kirstie discovered her passion in boxing. Suddenly, she had a newfound purpose in life.

“I train to be the best version of myself – mentally and physically. When I’m stronger physically, it affects my mental health for the better.”

Boxing was an honest teacher. Whenever Kirstie wasn’t giving her best in boxing, it revealed deeper habits and negativity that were infiltrating other aspects of her life and she knew she had to get back on track. For instance, if she wasn’t eating clean or sleeping well, it showed in the ring, and reminded her to be more deliberate about keeping those good habits.

“When I would get stronger physically, it made me feel empowered and that it was possible to do certain things that I didn’t believe I could do otherwise.”

Kirstie’s devotion to boxing pushed her to face her demons and surpass what previously felt like mental and physical barriers. Persevering through these challenges boosted Kirstie’s self-confidence. 

Now, she knows that she is capable of even more and never fails to push her limits alongside the encouraging community at The Ring!

 

“I think almost every fighter will have a time in their career where they will struggle to find the right people to work with. I feel like I found that here.”

Kirstie loves that she found friends at The Ring who encourage her, want to see her at her best, and are great to work with. She feels a strong pride to be a fighter in The Ring among her fellow fighters and we hope you feel it too when you join us!

Ready to take on a new challenge? You’ll be glad you did!

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