Using Your Head To Navigate The Heavy Bag?

[FightGuyOpenMind]

For a long limbed outside boxer trying to become proficient at an inside game without clinching, do you think training their head to navigate the heavy bag would be permissible for landing body shots?

Granted the obvious worst thing that can happen is they'll be leaned forward and eat uppercuts to the face.

I'm envisioning they've got their opponent close enough to smother their reach, against the ropes, head in their chest and don't want to give them enough room to pivot but want to give themselves enough space to generate decent power to the body or even the head.

Is drilling the head to generate space a good strategy or is it risky and they should work more on keeping the fight at arm's distance at all times (jab, footwork)?

Thoughts?

 

[aries]

For a long limbed outside boxer trying to become proficient at an inside game without clinching, do you think training their head to navigate the heavy bag would be permissible for landing body shots?

Granted the obvious worst thing that can happen is they'll be leaned forward and eat uppercuts to the face.

I'm envisioning they've got their opponent close enough to smother their reach, against the ropes, head in their chest and don't want to give them enough room to pivot but want to give themselves enough space to generate decent power to the body or even the head.

Is drilling the head to generate space a good strategy or is it risky and they should work more on keeping the fight at arm's distance at all times (jab, footwork)?

Thoughts?

Head control is a vital element for an inside game. The only thing that a heavy bag doesn't let you do is achieve a safe head position which is where you would have your head on your opponent's shoulder.
If you have your head on their chest then as you mention you are still vulnerable for the uppercut. But practising using your head to get a dominant inside position is surely a good strategy.

 

[zapataxiv]

Really you should be drilling with a partner but as @aries said you don’t want to bury your head in the chest and wing away. Infighting is much more complicated. Honestly if you are looking for a good place to start you can look at sinisters channel he has an inside boxing drill and several exercises posted for working on the inside.

 

[FightGuyOpenMind]

Really you should be drilling with a partner but as @aries said you don’t want to bury your head in the chest and wing away. Infighting is much more complicated. Honestly if you are looking for a good place to start you can look at sinisters channel he has an inside boxing drill and several exercises posted for working on the inside.

This would be a supplement to sparring or drilling with a partner. Not everyone is going to want to drill in pairs at all times. The only place I've ever seen that is in classes. People are usually preparing for different levels of competition and are working on different things. I have a pro who can't work with me until after his fight on the 26th. It goes that way sometimes.

For a longer limbed fighter the distance will be too short for volume, and winging away I wouldn't recommend to them either. Their reach would likely get smothered. I agree with you on that point.

Largely I am thinking of the head as a means to maneuver, and stay in their chest so you're not at risk of being tall when inside with your feet close. Getting hit with a shot that drops you because you're too top heavy.

Sinister has some good stuff. Most of my questions are more out of curiosity, and are usually generic. They are to generate a conversation, and hear different perspectives. They aren't for personal advice. I have a coach, and ask them questions about me specifically.

I appreciate the thoughts on the matter. Thank you for the input.