How to Master Your 6 Signature Punches With Litesport

In that first minute of every class, your Litesport trainer walks you through boxing form basics, including what punch to throw to each number they call out throughout class. From jabs to crosses to uppercuts, there are six signature Liteboxer punches and an infinite number of boxing combinations to challenge your power, strength, and precision. 

Read on as we dive into our six signature punches and how you can master your form in our Trainer Classes.

Start With Your Boxing Stance

Before you start throwing punches you need to master your boxing stance; every pivot, extension, and rotation comes from this foundation. Having a strong stance is what allows you to land a good punch over and over again while improving your efficiency and strength over time. 

How to get in your boxing stance:

1. Start by facing the shield, feet shoulder-width apart. 
2. Take a big step back with your dominant foot, about 90 degrees. Your front toes should line up with the heel of your back foot and you should have a slight turnout in that rear foot.
3. Stagger your stance at about hip-width distance so you’re always balanced and your weight is distributed evenly. 
4. Keep that back heel elevated and your weight in your toes as you maintain a slight bend in your knees. 
5. Bring your hands up by your cheekbones and tuck your chin slightly down, keeping your elbows pinched into your rib cage in your guard position.
6. Push off the ball of your foot to move while in your boxer’s stance. Keep a bounce to your body, ready to pivot, slip, or throw a punch at any moment.

Get comfortable with this position because you want to return to your boxing stance after every hit. This ensures you’re ready for the next punch combo.  

Orthodox vs. Southpaw

If you’re right-handed (an Orthodox boxer) you’ll start with your left foot forward and your right foot back. 

If you’re left-handed (Southpaw boxer) you’ll start with your right foot forward and your left foot back. This stance positions your dominant hand farther back from the shield so you can line up a punch with maximal power. 

The default stance in Litesport is Orthodox so make sure to switch this in your settings if you’re Southpaw! 

What Are the Six Signature Punches?

These are the six signature Litesport punches; each one corresponds to a target on your Litesport shield:

1. Lead Jab
2. Rear Cross
3. Jab to the body
4. Cross to the body
5. Lead uppercut
6. Rear Uppercut

All odd-numbered punches come from your front arm or the arm closest to the shield. All even-numbered punches come from your back arm or the arm farthest from the shield. 

For Orthodox boxers, that’s your left arm for odd-numbered punches and your right arm for even-numbered punches. For Southpaw, it’s the opposite.

How to Throw Each Punch

LED runway lights originate from the shield’s center and travel towards one of the six targets. When the lights reach the center of the target, that’s your cue to deliver one of these six punches.

Think of your Liteshield as your sparring partner. The top three targets are swings to the head while the bottom three are body shots. But no matter where you’re punching, you’ll know you’ve made an accurate hit when the lights turn green.

Here’s how you can follow the light with proper form for each punch:

Lead Jab

To throw a lead jab or a jab to the head, fully extend your front arm (left for Orthodox and right for Southpaw) to punch the shield. Pick up your back heel and twist from your hips to generate more power. As you punch, turn your knuckles down to face the ground and keep your back hand up at your chin in guard position. After making impact with the shield, snap back to your boxer stance. 

Rear Cross

In your rear cross or cross to the head, your front arm remains in guard position while your back hand finds full extension. As you extend your back arm towards the shield, rotate your back hip forward and pivot on that back foot. This helps generate more power for your punch. Make sure to keep your chin tucked in towards your front arm as you keep your eyes up and on the shield.

Jab to the body

Just like the lead jab you’re going to keep your back arm nice and tight in the guard while your front arm finds full extension, rotating those knuckles down. Only instead of a jab to the head, you’re delivering a jab to the body. This means you need to bend your knees into a squat position, engaging your quads and glutes to deliver a punch to the body versus the head.

Cross to the body

Just like your jab to the body, bring your legs into a slight squat position changing the level of your punch. Pivot off that back hip and foot to drive your back arm towards the shield, landing a punch into the gut of your opponent. 

Lead uppercut

Lights at the bottom of the shield will indicate when it’s time to uppercut. Shift your weight into your front foot and bend into a slight squat as you drive your front arm up to punch the lower uppercut shield. Keep your back arm nice and tight in your guard position. The movement comes from your hips so rotate your hips up and towards the platform as you punch. 

Rear Uppercut

This is the same punch as your lead uppercut, only on the opposite side. For the rear uppercut, pivot on your back heel as you drive your back arm upward to hit the lower uppercut shield. Keep your elbows pinched into your rib cage as you punch and then reset to your boxer stance.

Tips for Throwing a Good Punch

Here are the boxing form basics you’ll never stop hearing your trainers call out. Keep these in mind as you practice and listen for more cues from your trainers throughout each class: 

• Fully extend your arm: Your power lies in the extension. If you bend your arm when you throw a jab or a cross you’re not delivering the full capacity of your power.
• Rotate on the cross: As you’re throwing twos and fours make sure to rotate your wrist 180 degrees as you strike the shield. 
• Bend your knees: As you throw your threes, fours, and uppercuts bend into your knees to deliver the punch.
• Relax your shoulders: It’s only your arms that need to be up at your chin in your boxer’s stance, not those shoulders.
• Step into your punch: To deliver more power with your non-dominant hand punches, try stepping forward with your front foot as you extend your arm. This helps increase the momentum you generate for your punch. 
• Keep your core tight: Engage your core as you rotate into every punch. This will help you deliver more explosive power while absorbing the shock of your impact. 

How to Practice Your Boxing Combinations

When boxing with Litesport we keep the fists flying by throwing punches as a part of combinations. This means that when your trainer calls out “one, two” you’re throwing a one and a two punch back to back. As the difficulty level of the class increases, so does the complexity, length, and speed of these boxing combinations. 

Over time, you’ll start getting used to the pattern of different boxing combos but it can take practice, especially if you’re new to boxing. Here are the best classes to help you drill down on your boxing combinations and perfect the six signature punches:  

Chris’s 15-minute Hip Hop First Time Beginner Workout

For fighters stepping into the ring and hitting the shield for the very first time, we recommend starting with Chris’s 15-minute Hip Hop First Time Beginner workout. 

In this entry-level class, Chris breaks everything down nice and slow and talks through how to follow the runway lights and where to throw every punch. This class incorporates the perfect amount of boxing form basics and strength training, including a breakdown of the six signature punches.

15 min Mixtape FOCUS: 3 Punch Combos with Anthony

After Chris’s introductory class you can move on to our FOCUS class series, classes dedicated to improving your boxing technique and sharpening your form. In this FOCUS class, you’ll be perfecting the art of the three-punch combo. 

Three-punch combos are all about staying on beat while delivering power and speed with every head and body shot. You’ll practice changing levels as you throw both offensive and defensive combinations. 

10 Minute Express FOCUS: 4 Punch Combo with Max

Next up you can master that four-punch combo in this 10-minute Express FOCUS class with Max. You’ll practice following the light and punching the light as you perfect every four-punch combo that Max throws your way. 

Each one will start slow at first with a reset between each round. After you’ve aced the combo, you’ll go nonstop until every punch in the sequence feels like second nature.  

Beginner Punch Tracks

With Punch Tracks, our team of DJs and programmers choreograph punches to the beat so you can find your flow with the latest charting music. 

Each Punch Track has a unique punch combination and three different levels of difficulty, allowing you to choose the right level for your own pace. With a beginner-level Punch Track, you can focus more on your form and less on what comes next, allowing you to better master those six signature punches. 

Need more help with your boxing form? Join our Facebook community and upload a video of you boxing to the group. Our instructors will help break down your form and offer pro tips and suggestions so you can get the most from your workout.