Boxing
Belly Pad Rear Body Cross
The belly pad rear body cross is a straight punch from your rear hand to a partner-held body pad. It trains coordinated leg drive, hip rotation, and upper-body pushing at body-shot height.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 45 sec
How to do it
- Take a staggered boxing stance facing the holder, with your dominant side back and your hands at your cheeks.
- Lower your body toward the target height by bending your knees.
- Turn your rear hip toward the pad, pivoting on the ball of your rear foot.
- Drive your rear fist straight into the designated padded target at belly height.
- Retract your fist along the same path to your cheek.
- Return to your starting stance and height.
Form cues
- Keep your wrist straight.
- Keep your lead hand home.
- Tuck your chin slightly.
- Exhale sharply on contact.
Common mistakes
- Winding up the punchLaunch from your guard rather than pulling your fist backward before striking.
- Reaching for the padReset closer between repetitions so you can make contact without leaning beyond your front foot.
- Flaring the elbowKeep your elbow behind your fist instead of swinging it outward.
Safety
Hard or poorly aligned contact can strain your wrist, elbow, or shoulder. Excessive force or a missed target can injure the holder despite the padding.
- Work with an experienced holder who has secured the belly pad and confirmed readiness before each set.
- Check that your hand wraps and training gloves fit securely before striking.
- Agree on the target and light starting power; increase force only with the holder's consent.
- Stop the set if either person feels pain or can no longer maintain position.
If you have hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder, or back pain, use pain-free noncontact practice or seek advice from a physiotherapist before impact work.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Belly Pad
- Boxing Training Gloves
- Hand Wraps
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 8–12 reps
- Rest
- 45 sec
Count each punch followed by a complete return to guard as one rep; prioritize controlled technique over power.