How To Escape The Pocket Safely With Teddy Atlas
In boxing, we are always talking about defense, but defense is a vast subject, and to understand it, we must learn that no one method can keep us safe from everything.
The most effective defense we can have, for example, is distance management which is a simple way that denies our opponent from even reaching us but does not involve any type of blocking technique to deal with the attack.
Defense is not made only of techniques; it is a way of thinking. Every aspect of boxing requires a different type of defense. For example, we can use blocks and parries against punches in the open, but if the opponent is rushing forward, I’ll have to move my feet to an angle so he can’t get me or clinch him to stop him from going any further.
So we understand that our defense is constantly changing, and we must fit the correct defenses for the current situation. But one type of defense seems to be lacking in many boxers today, and this is the ability to open the range without making ourselves vulnerable to our opponent’s attack.
Moving out of range can be very dangerous as we are open to attacks as we move out of the close distance, and even if we keep our hands up, our opponent has time to throw a barrage of punches where he can find the opening and off-balance us.
To become successful at moving fluently inside the different ranges, we must find a way to keep ourselves safe against all the possible attacks that can come our way on the way out.
In the following video, Teddy Atlas will show us exactly how to move away from the pocket without taking any risks.
Who Is Teddy Atlas?
Teddy Atlas is a pro boxing coach known as one of the figures that have been around the sport forever. Teddy has trained countless world champions, and he teaches the sweet science like no other. It is not a coincidence that he became a great teacher as he learned to coach under the great Cus D’Amato, considered one of the most brilliant minds boxing has ever seen.
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Exit The Pocket The Right Way
In this video, Teddy will explain how we can move our feet correctly to land our punches and stay safe. If we are too close and we are moving out, there is no reason why my opponent cannot land his punches as we are moving away.
If we must go out and open the distance after we entered the pocket, we must do it correctly, and to do it correctly; we must get low as we move out, this is the only way I can be safe exiting the pocket as all the strikes will move over me.
Remember moving out means we go back and out of the punching range. We don’t want to stay in place, moving only our head or moving sideways; we want to go straight back using a long back step while slightly squatting. Never stay high while moving as everything will hit you, and you won’t react.
Having that tool in our arsenal is essential, as it can save us in many situations where we are forced to enter the pocket, but we want to work from the outside; using this method, we can move out reliably every time in a safe manner.
Teddy also reminds us that we always want to move our head inside the pocket after the last punch as we never know what’s coming next as he counters. So we can combine the two, and after throwing a combination, move our head and move out simultaneously.
The last rule we want to keep in mind when moving out is that we move just enough to come back with another attack; if we move too far back, we will stop our sequence and reset our cycle of attacking.
Learn More From Teddy Atlas
Suppose this breakdown taught you something helpful in your journey as a fighter; consider checking out Teddy’s full DVD - “The Peekaboo Style Of Boxing - By Teddy Atlas” available exclusively on Dynamic Striking.