The Basics of Focus Mitt Drills

Every great boxing or fighting moves was born from focus mitts. You’d think that it was in the ring or while training with a heavy bag. Yeah, some might come from a real match in the ring but most were bred from focus mitts.

All of the greatest fighters became what they are by training with mitts. They trained with mitts with their coaches figured out what was going wrong, did it all over again.

Here I’ve talked about in detail all of the best and the basics of focus mitt drills. This will help you to figure out a routine to develop your punching techniques, footwork, power, and speed.

8 Count Drill – For Beginners

This is the very fundamental focus mitt drill. It’ll teach ya what you can and cannot do in a ring to not be pinned down in one place or one go. This’ll also help you to get a grasp of the control in a ring.

1^st Move

To begin with it all, you’ll throw a jab with your left hand toward the left hand of your opponent or trainer.

2^nd Move

Here, you’ll be throwing a cross. It’ll be quite the opposite of the last move. You’ll throw a punch with your right hand towards the right hand of your opponent.

3^rd Move

It’s hook time. It’s the favorite shot of most boxers. It’ll be kinda the repeat of the jab since you’ll be using your left hand again.

4^th Move

Throw a right cross again just like the 2^nd move.

5^th Move

Now, the mitt holder will move from defense to offense. This time around he’ll throw a lead hook and you’ll have to dodge it by bowing down. That’s not the end. Now, you’ll be throwing a cross.

6^th Move

Right after you’re done with the cross, throw a lead hook to get back in the offense. This’ll also give you the control of the rhythm.

7^th Move

Now, the pad holder will once again get into the offensive mode. He’ll be throwing a rear hook. Which you’ll dodge by slipping i.e. moving your head to the other side so that his punch slips. Then you’ll throw a lead hook.

8^th Move

Now, finish this round of drill with a cross.

1-2-1-2

This one is also one of the basic drills in boxing. In fact, when you’ll join a boxing gym, this is what you’ll begin with.

This’ll give you a proper understanding of how you should be extending your arms while you’re throwing straight rights and lefts. Another beneficial side effect of this drill is that it’ll improve your timing, rhythm, and consistency.

Besides, you’ll have to be doing this forever. Since this drill is used for warm-ups in boxing gyms. Now, let’s walk you through it.

1^st Move

At first, you’ll throw continuous and consecutive straight rights and lefts. Remember, your rights should be hitting the right pad of the pad holder. Same for the straight lefts, it should be hitting the left pad of the trainer or opponent.

2^nd Move

With the 1-2-1-2 going on uninterrupted, all of a sudden, the trainer or the pad holder will throw a hook. It’ll be the trainee’s job to defend and counter the hook.

Combo Call Out

This one is a bit of an advanced drill i.e. it’s not for you if you’re a beginner.

It’s one of the most intense focus mitts drills where you move will be varying all throughout the drill. The combo calls out is the kind of drill which will simulate things almost like you’re in a real match in a ring.

1^st Move

The pad holder or the trainer will call out for different moves to guide you through it. The moves that you’ll generally be doing are the same ones as used in the previous drills. Um talking about hooks, jabs, crosses.

Usually, the pad holder calls out the different number to communicate with the trainee. For example, 1 means jab, 2 means cross, and 3 means hook.

2^nd Move

Next, the trainer will change the order of the moves every now and then. This is so that you practice to adjust yourself with the rhythm. 

3^rd Move

After every round or combo, your trainer will most likely throw a punch at you. Your job will be to defend that punch and throw a counter.

4^th Move

Last but not least, you should be throwing in some punches whenever you get the chance.

Target Practice

This is the type of drill that focuses on your intuition of distance, timing and judging the opportunity of a perfect shot. It’ll impact your speed and accuracy. All of these makes this drill the best focus mitts drill.

 1^st Move

The pad holder or the trainer won’t be calling out combos or saying anything. Nor will there be pre-designated moves that you’ll have to do.

Just hit the pad whenever you think you can make a perfect shot.

2^nd Move

The pad will keep on moving. So, you’ll have to be hitting a moving target just like you’ll have to be doing in a real match.

3^rd Move

The mitt holder will also throw in punches at times. This’ll also train you to get defensive.

Counter Drill

It’s what you’re thinking it is. During this drill, you’ll be under constant attack by the mitt holder. You’ll also throw in some punches when you can. This’ll help you extend your attention surprisingly, a lot.

1^st Move

This drill begins with attacks from your partner. If your a partner is throwing punches from the left, you’ll have to stop it with a punch from your left hand. And when from right, stop it with your right hand.

2^nd Move

Now, after a while, you’ll start to throw in some punches too.

You can even add in a few uppercuts and kicks to make thing a bit more intense.

Conclusion

Remember, the secret to a good mitt work is the efficiency of the mitt holder. The mitt holder is like your dance partner, the better he is the more effective everything will be. The more experienced he is the better he will be in moving the mitts to the right spot. Thus, moving your body in the right angles and developing your rhythm.

The basics of focus mitts drill have all been discussed above. So, if you’re new to this or you’re looking for some new drill they’ve already been discussed above.