Boxing
Focus Mitt Body-Jab-Cross
The Focus Mitt Body-Jab-Cross pairs a lead-hand punch to a low target with a rear-hand punch at head height. It trains punching coordination, level changes, and whole-body rotation.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 45 sec
How to do it
- Face the mitt holder in a staggered boxing stance, with your lead foot forward and gloves beside your cheeks.
- Lower yourself toward the body-height mitt by bending your knees.
- Punch the low mitt straight ahead with your lead hand.
- Pull your lead glove back to your cheek.
- Rise to your normal stance height.
- Punch the head-height mitt with your rear hand, pivoting on the ball of your rear foot.
- Return your rear glove to your cheek.
Form cues
- Keep your chin tucked.
- Keep wrists straight on impact.
- Exhale briefly with each punch.
- Keep your rear glove home during the jab.
Common mistakes
- Folding forward at the waistKeep your torso upright as you lower for the body jab.
- Throwing the cross with only your armTurn your hips and shoulders together to drive the rear-hand punch.
- Reaching beyond your stanceReset closer to the holder if reaching the mitt pulls your weight beyond your front foot.
Safety
Off-center contact or excessive power can strain your wrist, elbow, or shoulder. Poor timing or misplaced targets can cause an accidental punch to the holder.
- Use secure hand wraps and properly fitted boxing gloves.
- Work with an experienced mitt holder who keeps targets clear of their face and presents a firm striking surface.
- Agree on the sequence and intensity before starting; begin with light contact.
- Stop the set when fatigue makes your punches miss their targets.
If punching or lowering your stance causes hand, wrist, shoulder, knee, or back pain, use a pain-free noncontact version and seek advice from a physiotherapist.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Boxing Training Gloves
- Focus Mitts
- Hand Wraps
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 6–10 reps
- Rest
- 45 sec
Count one body jab followed by one head-height cross as one repetition.