"On a different note, given my instructors' affinity for elaborate combos, I was wondering if there were certain foundational combos you could recommend for shadowboxing. Meat and potatoes. My inner sergeant has a healthy skepticism as to the combat effectiveness for a lot of what they're putting out. I've seen sites listing some (like here: but I was curious as to your input."

"Keep giving 'em hell, James,"

Samuel Finlay

Okay Sam, your coach is not impressing me. He must have a martial arts or physical training background.

Here is the first combo I always drill into a fighter. I will do one Meat and Potatoes combo for you a week. If I don’t remember, please remind me.

4-Punches: 1,1,2,1

1: Throw a blind jab [at his eyes] as you step in on your heel.

1: Throw a power jab at his chin as you slide in on the ball of the foot.

2: Pin the chin with a straight right.

1: Step off to your right with a sneaky jab to the nose.

The purpose of the 1,1,2,1 combo is to learn that ever so important skill of staying conscious while in the ring with someone who can fucking hit!

Now, for the link review:

Okay, I really like Johnny’s expert boxing site. Be certain to read the article on slow sparring. He tackles it more comprehensively than I did. Look, the problem with such a site is that it is a one subject site and the author is forced to keep putting out content, so eventually he will get pretty exotic. The problem is who interprets this. Look for his basic stuff and avoid the fancy. I did a clinic recently in which I explained that I know of 25 versions of the jab, but not of a pro who consistently uses more than 4 versions effectively. Boxing is so nuanced that the menu is too vast to fully arm up—unless you are the coach.

I’ll throw out another meat and potatoes combo next week, the other basic combo that you need.

I the mean time just practice your 1,1,2,1—the save your ass from scary knuckleheads must have combo.