Focus Mitt questions

**Epicurus** · Posted On: 2/25/2011 2:39pm

So I'm getting back into striking a bit after a Judo binge, and that means working the focus mitts at home with my friends.

A few focus-mitt related questions for you more experienced strikers:

1. When holding the mitts for an orthodox striker, do you generally have their jabs and crosses both hit the right mitt, or do you have jabs hit the left mitt and crosses hit the right? I've seen this done both ways - I assume the idea with the second version is to make sure people are crossing over enough with their right hand during a cross.

2. My right elbow gets really sore after holding for a while - it feels like a tendon or something is getting sprained, and it can be pretty intense. Seems to happen when I hold for a really hard right cross or right hook, and it just keeps "accumulating" in terms of pain level. Am I holding wrong? I usually hold around shoulder level for the guy striking, and typically the mitt is slightly to the right of my right shoulder, like if you were waiting for a high-five. This has been a recurring problem. In the past, I thought it was due to not being fit enough, but despite massive improvements in muscle mass in my arms, I still have the same problem.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 2/25/2011 2:50pm

2. My right elbow gets really sore after holding for a while - it feels like a tendon or something is getting sprained, and it can be pretty intense. Seems to happen when I hold for a really hard right cross or right hook, and it just keeps "accumulating" in terms of pain level. Am I holding wrong? I usually hold around shoulder level for the guy striking, and typically the mitt is slightly to the right of my right shoulder, like if you were waiting for a high-five. This has been a recurring problem. In the past, I thought it was due to not being fit enough, but despite massive improvements in muscle mass in my arms, I still have the same problem.

Are you providing any force when your partner is punching? I learned to kind of "catch" punches with the mitts to ensure that my arm isn't getting whipped back unnaturally, and to ensure that the puncher has a solid target to hit. The amount of force you supply is related to how hard they're hitting.

**Epicurus** · Posted On: 2/25/2011 3:05pm

Yeah, I try to push back when receiving a punch. Might be that I need to push back harder.

**KiwiPhil889** · Posted On: 2/25/2011 4:35pm

Originally Posted by Epicurus

2. My right elbow gets really sore after holding for a while - it feels like a tendon or something is getting sprained, and it can be pretty intense. Seems to happen when I hold for a really hard right cross or right hook, and it just keeps "accumulating" in terms of pain level. Am I holding wrong? I usually hold around shoulder level for the guy striking, and typically the mitt is slightly to the right of my right shoulder, like if you were waiting for a high-five. This has been a recurring problem. In the past, I thought it was due to not being fit enough, but despite massive improvements in muscle mass in my arms, I still have the same problem.

Hi, not sure if i've visualised the way you're holding the mitts correctly,but it does sound like you might be holding them too wide.

Typically, i hold the pads reasonably close to my face. The mitt i have on my right hand i tend to keep facing forward and vertical and place it almost touching the right side of my face. If your partners aim is so bad they have trouble hitting the pad instead of your face then move the pad away a little. The pad i have on my left hand i tend to have vertical with its forward surface facing to MY right. I then hold the pad approximatly (sp) on the same line as the vertical centre line of my nose and resonably close to my face again. Once again, if they can't manage that kind of aim, pull it away from your face a bit (and maybe find a non-cross eyed punching partner lol).

The mitt on my right hand is for jab/cross combos, with the mitt on my left hand used for left hooks,upper cuts (obviously you nedd to change the pad angle)extensions.

As permalost already mentioned try to meet the punches to take some of that ligament pain you're gettin out.

My experience is limited compared to alot of the strikers here,but my coaches experience is pretty good and that's how he wants us to hold them for jab/cross/hook/overhand/upper cut type combos.

**Punisher** · Posted On: 2/26/2011 5:14pm

My two cents here, but we always do right to right, left to left, meaning their jab would hit your left pad, cross would hit your right.

There are several logical reasons for this. First of all it just makes things simple for the holder and hitter. Secondly their power hand is hitting and being opposed with your power hand making it eaiser for you to deal with.

As far as the pain from holding, there are things you can do to minimize it, but even when doing everything right, holding for a guy who hits hard can suck. When I'm working mitts with my partners I'm working almost as hard as they are. I've been taught to strike back into my partners punches, with an amoun of force similar to they are punching. This minimizes the whiplash type effect you seem to be describing. I've have similar things happen to me when I failed to "meet" a punch either by not paying attention or one of us made a mistake, wrenching both my shoulder and elbow on numerous ocassions. When I do it properly I still end up with sore hands and sometimes wrists.

As far as

**tao.jonez** · Posted On: 3/02/2011 10:01am

We "cross-feed" when doing mitt work, just like Punisher. We also make sure to stand in the same stance as the puncher whether left or right lead.

I'd say dial it down a little until both you and your partners are more comfortable with mitt work. Hitting AND holding mitts are learned skills, so focus on technique for a while, then increase speed and power.

Simplify by working on combos and include your power level when you start the combo - e.g. double jab, cross, hook, power cross.

High reps and a focus on head movement and footwork will improve your results from mitt work more than banging away as hard as possible with **** technique.

**TheWay** · Posted On: 3/18/2011 2:02pm

wanted to start off by saying good bits of info above so read! ^

All drills I do with striking, I usually hold my hands up as I would in the boxing guard (dukes up, focus mits on) get a good stance and give your striker a realistic target. I like to semi support my arm and elbow with my chest and hip as I would say if I was getting tired in the ring.

I like to use one mit (wearers right) for all jabs and right crosses/overhands etc, and then use the left for uppercuts and hooks.

To sum it all up in a useful technique to try: Jump into your boxing stance wearing your focus mits, put up your guard and hold your mit a bit of distance from your face to avoid any risk, and soak the strike with a good footing and balance. Unless the striker is a heavyweight and you're a lightweight you shouldn't have any issues. Post your left mit out for uppercut and hook opportunities, and if it makes it easier for you, work out numbers for your combinations (jab 1, right cross 2 etc)

Hope my tip helped, and if your hand hurts too much, go with the strike slightly to avoid too much force. Have a good train!

**tao.jonez** · Posted On: 3/18/2011 2:18pm

Originally Posted by TheWay

wanted to start off by saying good bits of info above so read! ^

All drills I do with striking, I usually hold my hands up as I would in the boxing guard (dukes up, focus mits on) get a good stance and give your striker a realistic target. I like to semi support my arm and elbow with my chest and hip as I would say if I was getting tired in the ring.

I like to use one mit (wearers right) for all jabs and right crosses/overhands etc, and then use the left for uppercuts and hooks.

To sum it all up in a useful technique to try: Jump into your boxing stance wearing your focus mits, put up your guard and hold your mit a bit of distance from your face to avoid any risk, and soak the strike with a good footing and balance. Unless the striker is a heavyweight and you're a lightweight you shouldn't have any issues. Post your left mit out for uppercut and hook opportunities, and if it makes it easier for you, work out numbers for your combinations (jab 1, right cross 2 etc)

Hope my tip helped, and if your hand hurts too much, go with the strike slightly to avoid too much force. Have a good train!

So if someone throws left hook, right hook, how do you hold for that? Rotate your hand around some strange way?

**TheWay** · Posted On: 3/18/2011 3:52pm

Originally Posted by tao.jonez

So if someone throws left hook, right hook, how do you hold for that? Rotate your hand around some strange way?

If a right hook is in the mix, moving the hand taking the jabs/crosses slightly forward and give it a twist to the side, and your hips and stance take most of the force fairly easily.

left hooks I take with my left mit from guard slightly out and twisted in the direction of the incoming hook.

I personally only use mits for specific combinations and specific strikes on an accuracy level, if I want to start throwing random bolos I get on the heavy bag. If a specific combo is established between the two peoples involved, it's very easily to adjust the mits for hooks as the striker would need to come from the side to evade the defenders guard in the first place.

**MMAMickey** · Posted On: 3/18/2011 7:54pm

The common way is the 'cross feeding' that people are referring to (right cross hits your right hand, left hits your left). However, if the pad holder and hitter are more advanced you can occasionally get more specific results out of jabs and crosses going to the right mitt, and left hooks going to the left. It's more a matter of preference than anything, but it allows you to work your basic 1,2,3 combo faster and with more accuracy.

That being said, it requires more skill from the pad holder to catch two punches in quick succession on the same pad and is not for noobs. Everything else in that style is the same as with 'normal' pad holding.