Today, I felt like I wanted to try something new, something a bit physical. I’ve always been a fan of boxing, especially Mike Tyson. So, I thought, why not try to learn his signature jab, the one he learned from Teddy Atlas? Let’s give this a shot!
First, I looked up a bunch of videos online. I watched how Tyson throws that jab – short, quick, like a piston. It looked simple enough, but I knew it wouldn’t be easy to master.
I started by trying to mimic the stance. Feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, kinda bouncy. It felt a bit awkward at first, I’m not gonna lie, like a baby deer on ice. I kept adjusting, trying to find that balance, that feeling of being ready to spring. I moved and shuffled for about ten minutes.
Next, the jab itself. I threw some punches in the air, trying to get that snap, that power. My arm felt kinda clumsy, not at all like Tyson’s. I must’ve thrown a hundred jabs, each one feeling a bit off. The motion was tough for me because I felt slow. I needed to work on it.
- Stand tall: stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your lead foot pointing slightly outward.
- Bend your knees: you should be in a slight crouch, with your weight evenly distributed between both feet.
- Keep your hands up: your lead hand should be in front of your face, with your elbow tucked in. Your rear hand should be close to your chin.
- Throw the jab: the jab is a quick, straight punch that’s thrown from your lead hand. As you throw the jab, your shoulder should rotate slightly forward, and your fist should extend out in front of you.
- Snap your wrist: as your fist makes contact, snap your wrist down slightly to add power to the punch.
- Bring your hand back: after throwing the jab, quickly bring your hand back to the starting position, ready to throw another punch or defend yourself.
I decided to focus on the footwork. After all, Tyson’s power came from his legs. I practiced moving forward, backward, side to side, all while trying to keep that bouncy, ready stance. This part actually started to feel kind of fun, like dancing but with more potential for hurting myself. I felt like I was picking up the speed after the footwork. I moved and punched for around fifteen minutes until I got tired.
Then I put it all together. Footwork, stance, the jab. I pictured myself in a ring, facing an opponent. I moved, I jabbed, I imagined dodging punches, I started to sweat. Man, it was tough! But also really satisfying. The motion felt better, faster, and stronger.
The end result?
Well, I’m definitely no Mike Tyson. Not even close. But I learned something new, I pushed myself, and I had a blast. I felt the burn in my shoulders, my legs, my entire body. Plus, I got to pretend to be a boxing legend for an afternoon. Can’t beat that!
I’ll keep practicing, I think I am getting better at it. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll have a jab that’s at least a little bit intimidating. Until then, I’ll just keep watching those videos, keep moving, and keep throwing those punches.
Maybe next time I will try another boxer, I don’t know, I’m tired today.
