With the highly anticipated McGregor vs. Diaz fight coming on March 5th, it’s as good a time as any to highlight how boxing and MMA go hand in hand. As any UFC fighter or boxer knows, balance and not getting knocked to the ground are central to winning any fight. Center of gravity is the number one thing to remember when keeping your balance, which is typically felt in the hips. Bend your knees a little, as a lower center of gravity is advantageous.
To get working on your balance and reactivity, hop on your StrongBoard and work on defensive skills. Have a partner throw punches, such as jabs, hooks, uppercuts, and crosses, so you can practice dodging and weaving punches while on an unstable surface. See how quickly you can regain balance after each punch. Hooks are the most challenging, as it requires ducking into a low squat position while maintaining balance. Practicing avoiding punches on an unstable surface will make it much easier to keep your balance while in the ring.
For offensive skill work, all you need is yourself and a little motivation to get better. Working on punches and combinations on the StrongBoard will help you keep balance while striking, which is where a lot of boxers and UFC fighters get caught off balance, making themselves vulnerable to counterpunches, like Jose Aldo did before he got knocked out by Conor McGregor. Limiting your vulnerability will keep you in the fight. Check out this video for further instruction on StrongBoard:
Also, see the mistake Jose Aldo made here: