Tennis Ball Boxing Drill | Partner Defense Training
The #TennisBallWallDrill is one of Coach PJ’s favorite partner boxing drills to improve your reaction and focus. To master the motto, “hit and don't get hit,” you have to sharpen your defensive skills… head movement, footwork, and blocking.
All you need is a friend (that doesn't throw hard... haha), a wall, and a tennis ball! Give it a shot and let us know how it goes in the comments.
P.S. Don't miss out on the epic #CobraKai + #MortalCombat moment at 02:55 seconds!!!
THE DRILL
For this exercise, Partner 1 will be against a wall and Partner 2 will be throwing the tennis balls.
Have Partner 1 stand in front of a wall, and make sure their back foot is just against the wall. The goal of this boxing partner drill is to simulate being up against the ropes with nowhere to move. The wall serves as a rebound surface so that Partner 2 can quickly grab the tennis balls.
Let’s get started!
◦ Partner 1 starts in a fighting stance with their legs about shoulder-width apart
◦ Partner 2 slowly starts tossing the tennis ball on both sides of Partner 1 (not aiming directly at Partner 2, but rather at the edges of their body)
◦ Partner 1 should move slightly away from the ball using their upper body in a slip movement
◦ Once comfortable, Partner 2 can increase their tossing speed and mix in throws above Partner 1’s head so that Partner 1 can practice their roll
This tennis ball drill for boxing effectively trains defense, head movement, and footwork. Start slow and continue this drill for a minute. Once you’ve established a rhythm, add more time. The goal would be to practice this drill for 3-minute rounds, twice a week. This will maximize its benefits.
The best boxing drills incorporate both offense and defense training, so if you are the person dodging the ball (Partner 1 in the above drill), consider throwing a punch after each slip or roll.
Here are some sample combinations to practice throwing while dodging the tennis ball:
◦ Jab - Cross - Lead Hook
◦ Lead Hook - Rear Hook - Rear Uppercut
◦ Jab - Jab - Cross - Rear Hook
Boxing footwork drills and boxing coordination drills are all about repetition, so practice this drill over and over to see results. Switch off and on with your friend or family member to help them start training too!
HOW CAN I WORK ON BOXING FOOTWORK?
The best way to train boxing footwork without equipment is to always incorporate foot movement into boxing techniques and training. Even if you are working out on a punching bag, circle around the bag and practice shuffling in different directions to train your footwork. You can practice agility workouts and footwork drills in addition to your punching bag training.
HOW DO BOXERS IMPROVE COORDINATION?
Training coordination is best done with an object that can test your speed. The tennis ball drill described above is a fantastic way to improve your coordination, but consider tying a tennis ball to a string and taping it to your ceiling. Start slowly, punching the tennis ball and slipping to the side if it comes back towards your face. As you get more comfortable, increase the power of your punches, but be ready! The tennis ball will start rebounding faster towards your face or in a circle around you, so stay light on your feet and be ready to move.
HOW DO BOXERS IMPROVE REFLEXES?
Both of the tennis ball drills referenced above are fantastic ways to improve your reflexes. Another drill using a tennis ball that you can practice is to simply throw and catch the ball using a wall as a rebound point. Alternatively, you can throw the tennis ball hard against the wall and practice dodging its rebound.
Training your boxing coordination and skills doesn’t require specialized equipment. With nothing more than a partner, a tennis ball, and a wall, you can elevate your boxing footwork training today. For new workouts or drills, visit FightCamp’s workout library and KZfaq videos to take your training up a level today.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE FIGHTCAMP APP:
▸ fightcamp.app.link/MRQpBJF81kb
GET MORE FIGHTCAMP
▸ Explore & Shop at FightCamp: joinfightcamp.com/?...
▸ Subscribe: / @fightcamp
FREE DOWNLOAD | FIGHTCAMP TRAINING JOURNAL
▸ Track your workouts like a champion by downloading the FightCamp Training Journal for free: joinfightcamp.com/journal/
JOIN THE TRIBE
▸ Instagram | @FightCamp / fightcamp
▸ Facebook | / fightcamp
▸ Facebook Community | / 542530602799015
MusicBed Sync ID: MB014WPYA1LX9FX
Chapters:
0:10 - Introduction
0:20 - What You Need
0:44 - Instructions
1:17 - Prescription
1:11 - Try it with the Trainers
2:55 - Cobra Kai or Mortal Kombat?
3:22 - End Card