Shadow Boxing By Aladino Rodriguez And Isidoro Alice
Learn from Two Legends!
In this video renowned Cuban boxing coaches Aladino Rodriguez and Isidoro Alice detail their views on improving boxing and the critical role that shadowboxing has in terms of the development of technique and skills in boxing.
Shadow Boxing
The video starts with the duo talking about the role that pads play in the training and development of a boxer. The two share the opinion that pads are an auxiliary tool to be used somewhat sparingly. The two believe that pads are to be used at a specific time in a boxer's training, that being in camp coming close to a fight. They say that pads are important, as they allow a coach to more closely analyze a boxer’s technique and make corrections and improvements. The coaches explain that the pads are crucial for helping a boxer to develop precision. The coaches, while still talking about the importance of pad work also talk about how for pad work to be an effective training tool, they need to be held by a proper coach with the skills to use them properly.
Aladino Rodriguez then goes on to talk about how he prefers to hold pads, holding the pads as close to the target where the punch they are holding would land. They also speak on how they catch the jab (of an orthodox fighter) with their right hand, instead of their foremost left hand, as it helps show the boxer who is hitting the pads the proper distance for their jab. While they believe pads are important, they try to reserve it for a time close to a fight. This is interesting as it calls back to old school boxing, where pads were rarely if ever used.
Pads are actually a comparatively new training tool in the world of boxing, at least when compared to things like the heavy bag. Legendary boxers like Muhammad Ali never hit pads, sticking to heavy bag work, sparring and the training tool Aladino Rodriguez and Isidoro Alice go into next.
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The coaches then turn to another training technique that they find to also be very effective, shadowboxing (Sombra in Spanish). Aladino Rodriguez talks about how shadowing helps build coordination in a fighter, as the fighter is working alone without a bag, coach or sparring partner.
The coaches stress the importance of imagination and visualization while shadow boxing, keeping the image of an opponent in your mind throughout the session. This is because it will help you build the coordination and if you are skilled enough in your visualization, you will be able to get a real workout and really train your techniques.
The coaches then go on to stress the importance of working on all of your different techniques in all different aspects of the fight. This means working on your movement, counters, head movement and defense, and not just attacking like so many fighters tend to do while they are working on shadow boxing, or any drill that involves them working freely without a coach. As coach Isidoro Alice says you should always keep defense in mind, even while attacking.
Coach Alice then goes on to compare shadow boxing to a rehearsal of techniques for a match, so that the fighter can directly practice those techniques. To end off the video Coach Alice says that it is important to focus on technique during your shadow boxing.
This is because it is common for fighters to start to ignore it and just do whatever they want, forgetting to practice their technique while they are shadow boxing. Coach Alice also stresses how they don’t want speed out of an athlete, as it will tire them out fast, instead wanting the focus to completely be on the technique.
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