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Biomechanic definition was influenced by
Introduction to Sports Biomechanics
Roger Bartlett
5 Phases of Athletic Skills and Biomechanical Principles learned from Canada's NCCP Theory courses.
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Consult your physician before starting any exercise program. Boxing is a contact sport. The information given here is for educational instruction. Participant assumes all risks in practical application.
(c) 2009 All text, images and content copyright Chadrick Wigle
Checklists for Boxing Skill Development
A Skill Checklist will be an invaluable tool to almost any coach’s curriculum. A checklist will help in every area of development, from skill introduction to evaluation and correction. Almost every boxing trainer teaches in a fashion that is unique to them. Boxing is so fascinating to watch because styles make fights. A boxer’s style is dependant on factors such as their height, weight, build, courage and of course their coach/training environment. By no means should every boxer be taught the same style. I am although a strong believer of consistency. That means every athlete who walks into the gym receives the same fundamental lesson, guaranteeing a strong introduction to balance, movement, range and basic punching. This will form a solid foundation for this aspiring boxer to begin construction of their own style.
Below is a brief lesson on basic biomechanics and how these principles can be used to create skill checklists to most efficiently teach your style to the boxers in your gym.
Biomechanics
Sport biomechanics are the scientific studies of various forces on sports performers. This science considers the human neuromuscularskeletal system, the behavior of sports implements, footwear and surfaces where these affect performance and/or injury.
Most athletic skills can be broken into five phases.
5 Phases of a Skill
1. Position - set yourself in position with a solid base, ready to execute the skill
2. Windup – the back swing that will power the movement
3. Initial Movement – begin to execute the skill
4. Critical Instant – this is the point of impact or miss; the point of no return
5. Follow Through – continue through the motion in the direction of the intended force
Boxing is a sport with complex movements. I’ve found the best way to example the five phases are to look at a simplified skill from another sport (the underhand volleyball serve). First there will be a general lesson then how to implement sport specifically for boxing.
Skill-Underhand Volley Ball Serve
1. Position – behind the serving line in the back corner of the court, place your left foot one step ahead of your right foot. Hold the ball in your left hand. Knees slightly bent.
2. Windup – draw your right arm back, hinging at your shoulder
3. Initial Movement – hinged at the shoulder, swing your right arm towards the ball in the direction you intend the ball to go
4. Critical Instant – the point where you connect with the ball. There’s nothing more you can do. It’s going to go where ever the force is that you placed on it. Do not stop after the critical instant. This will produce a chaotic result.
5. Follow Through – continue through with the swing in the direction you intend the ball.
Sometimes the steps are in order but out of rhythm. In baseball, for example, the batter’s Position and Windup are almost simultaneous, pausing until the pitch is delivered. The swing (Initial Movement) will begin. The Critical Instant is either where the ball has connection with the bat or the bat misses the ball. And the Follow Through is to continue the swing.
If the end result is different than the intention then you, as the coach, will have to figure out at which phase the breakdown occurred. Are their feet in position? Did they have a shallow windup or did they cut the motion short, stunting the delivery?
Biomechanical Principles
Understanding body movements and stability will assist with skill analysis and communication, conveying a clear message to your athletes. Here are some key concepts when teaching, observing, evaluating and correcting skills.
Stability is greatest when the center of gravity is low and in line with a larger base of support. For example, when I stand tall with my feet close together I have a greater chance of being knocked over than if I were sitting lower, knees bent and feet slightly wider than my shoulders. The further I lean my body outside my base and away from the line of gravity, the more likely I am to fall over. With feet together I am similar to an upside down triangle, top heavy, because my shoulders are wider than my feet (base). With my feet slightly wider than my shoulders I am now solid, big on the bottom, small on top, like a pyramid.
Strength* is determined by the amount of joints used. When I use all the joints possible, my body works most efficiently to produce maximum strength.
Speed* is fastest when all the joints are used in order from largest to smallest.
(*Power equals Strength times Speed (P=FxS). Power is produced when all the possible joints are used in order. Which ball will be thrown furthest? A) Elbow extension, shoulder, hip, toe, and wrist or B) hip, shoulder, elbow, toe, and wrist? Answer B has all the muscles being used and the joints are in order of largest to smallest. The same is true for boxing. Power will be lessened if the arm is fully extended before the rotation of the hips)
Momentum increases as the range of motion increases. When I hit a ball with a bat, the ball will go farther when I use a full swing as opposed to a swing with half the wind up.
Movement will occur in the opposite direction of the applied force when the force is applied to a stable surface. Gravity is a constant force pulling us to the earth’s center. If I am standing still on the wood floor of a basketball court that means the floor is giving an equal amount of force against my gravitational pull. When I have poor stability and trip, gravity pulls my body down as far as it will go. When I jump up and my feet leave the floor, I have propelled myself with more force than what gravity is pulling on me. To jump up, I push down against the floor.
Rotation occurs when force is applied to a lever or series of levers around a central axis. The spine is a common axis point where the shoulders act as levers. When a right handed pitcher or boxer throws a ball or a straight right punch, the emphasis isn’t on pushing the ball or the punch. The concentration is on pulling the left shoulder back around the spine, which acts as a fulcrum, and the right shoulder will ‘teeter totter’ forward. Also note that the longer a lever is and/or the farther the lever reaches from the rotational axis the greater a decrease to the rotational force. A great example is when a figure skater is spinning. The speed of the spin is controlled by extending the arms to slow down or bringing the arms in close to the body to increase the speed of the spin around the rotational axis, which is in line with gravity.
Checklist
Here’s a quick checklist you can use to evaluate a skill using the 5 Phases of a Sport Skill and reinforced by the Biomechanical Principles.
__ Is the boxer in Position (balanced with weight inside base of support; in range to execute skill)?
__ Is there a Wind Up (loading energy by bending knees, hips, etc; elbows close to body to decrease rotational resistance; potential for full range of motion ex. narrow shoulders)?
__ Is the Initial Movement executed and timed properly (generated by torque from windup; movement by pushing in the opposite direction into the ground ex. forward motion by pushing back foot into ground)?
__ What is the result (Critical Instant)? Was the skill accomplished and executed properly? If the answer is ‘No’, then at what stage was there a break down (ex. offensively, did the punch land; defensively, did the punch miss?)
__ (Follow Through) Was the skill performed past the point of no return and ready to transition into next skill (was the hand turned over on a landed punch; was a missed skilled turned into a set up for the next skill)?
Example CHECKLIST for JAB
Note that the Position and Wind Up are simultaneous in many boxing skills. If the wind up was separate it would cause a telegraph and warn the opponent of the boxer’s intention.
Position & Wind Up:
__ Is the base slightly larger than shoulder width apart?
__ Range: Is the boxer one step away from the intended target?
__ Is the back heel off the ground, with weight on the toe, loaded and prepared to push off the ground to initiate forward movement?
__ Are the knees slightly bent?
__ Are the hips centered over the base?
__ Are the elbows close to the body?
__ Is the lead elbow at 90 degrees, loaded for execution?
__ Are the shoulders narrow, allowing full reach for the jab and full range of motion set up for the straight power?
__ Are the hands up?
__ Is the head down?
Initial Movement
__ Stepping with front foot generated by push off from back foot
__ Extension of elbow and shoulder of lead arm
NOTES: push off from back leg and not simply dropping weight into front foot step
: power position elbow and hand should stay in place and not fly away when jab is thrown
Critical Instant
__ Near simultaneous connection of lead foot to ground (for stability) then punch to target
Follow Through
__ Is the punch turned over at connection?
__ Is the weight centered even after connection?
NOTE: stability will be compromised when the boxer’s head goes past the front foot, outside the base of support. Keep the nose behind the toe.
The above is an example checklist for a single skill. A combination checklist can be created by building the setup of the next skill off the follow through from the last skill. Ex. “1-2-3” combination the Follow Through for the jab will be the Set Up for the straight power. Then the Follow Through for the straight power will be the Set Up for the hook, etc, etc.
For a more in depth explanation of biomechanical principles and concepts check out www.ExercisePhysiologists.com.
