Does Shadow Boxing Always Feel Awkward?

or does it come more naturally as you practice?

For any beginner who started boxing, if you have never been able to imagine someone trying to throw some job, then more likely you will feel awkward about shadowboxing. Feeling awkward might lead to you being stiff which is going to make it hard to learning boxing. I hate to break the news to you but shadow boxing is one of the fundamentals of learning how to box.

Every boxing class I been to, there is always shadow boxing. So why not appreciate the art of it and be willing to learn.

EVERY MASTER WAS ONCE A BEGINNER

EVERY PRO WAS ONCE AN AMATEUR – ROBIN SHARMA

You can pick with any of these steps and should apply it more than once. Once is not enough to learn and hone a skill. Learning a skill can get you anywhere.

RELAX AND CREATE RHYTHM

Start bouncing and move right and left or even in circle like how I started to do it. Relax means not feeling tense, it should feel natural. Being aware of where you are in terms of your thoughts, emotional not only physical helps a lot too. If you switching from one task and going straight to shadowboxing then it’s almost impossible to relax.

Let your shoulder, hands move freely without shrugging your shoulder. Bounce around and make sure you breathe in and out naturally. Moving left or right as if you have a sparring partner in front of you.

IMAGINATION

The best time when you are focus is when you have an imagining about anything that helps you get into flow. Being in the flow is imagining without seeing what “is”. This is what get in the flow means.

Shadow boxing is really being in flow in your imagination as if someone is in front of you throwing a jab or any movement. Not everyone get this and I understand why because it has to come from non logical part of your mind.

Don’t worry about it. First few times of shadow boxing feels silly for you but everything new makes anyone feels silly and awkward. Give yourself some chance to time to loosen up. Overtime this will get better!

WARMUP

I would prefer to do other warm up before I shadow because this already prime my whole body, it pretty loosen up. Do some light warm up like jump rope, push up, simple stretches and oven jumping jacks. I prefer to do some warm up with good songs.

Songs helps me to keep focus on what I am doing. Be best to have mirrors when you shadow box so you can always look at your own movement or use your phone to record your shadow boxing.

FUN

Seriously, without looking at something as “fun” then you might not be able to enjoy doing it over and over again. Fun in shadow boxing means not laughing. Imagine someone is trying to chase you and you try to duck and move. Do you remember doing that while you were a kid playing with your friends?

Combine all of these 3 tips or apply one and figure out what works! Boxing is fun and it is about your movement more than speed or power so you can lean in into learning technique and coordination. I use to overlook shadowboxing but now I do it consistently because it really helps with movement.

All the boxers in real life or even some of your favourite Rocky movie, shadow boxing is few movement you see over and over again.