Boxing Lingo 101: Your Guide to Litesport Terminology
There are a lot of boxing-specific terms flying around in a Litesport workout. What’s a jab vs. a cross? Are you Orthodox or Southpaw? And what does it mean when your Trainer calls out double time?
We’re here to break down all of the boxing lingo you need to know in your very own Litesport boxing dictionary:
Accurate hit:
When you hit one of Litesport's punching targets in perfect time with the beat. You’ll know you’ve made an accurate hit when one of the target lights on your Liteshield turns green.
Boxing:
A highly specialized fist-fighting combat sport. It involves only punches, no kicks, take-downs, or use of knees, elbows, or shins to defeat your opponent. But it’s about more than just punching. Boxing requires speed, agility, strength, endurance, and mental toughness to be successful. Learn more about boxing and its benefits here.
Boxing bag or heavy bag:
A free-standing or hanging bag that often has a fabric exterior and sand interior. There are a ton of options to use for boxing training including hanging bags, wrecking balls, body opponent bags (BOB), uppercut bags, maize bags, teardrop bags, and more. Great for landing punches, building strength, and practicing form but their bulky nature often makes them better suited for a boxing gym than a home workout. Learn about different types of boxing equipment here.
Boxing combinations (combos):
A sequence of punches in a row. You can practice boxing combinations by shadowboxing or on your Litesport to test your speed and endurance.
Boxing gloves:
Protective pads you wear over your hands while boxing. Even if you plan on starting with shadowboxing, gloves are a must-have piece of boxing equipment. They give extra weight to your punch and help you channel your inner fighter. Plus, if you’re hitting a target like our Liteshield it helps protect your knuckles and wrists from the impact.
Boxing rhythm:
When you get “into the flow” of your boxing combos and start falling into a pattern where movement happens naturally without thinking about it. This is what your Trainers mean when they say “get in your rhythm”. They want you to start feeling the music and moving to the beat because getting lost in your boxer’s rhythm is one of the best feelings you can get!
Boxer’s stance or guard position:
Your “default” boxing position; the position you “reset” to after every punch. Every pivot, extension, and rotation starts from this foundation. Snapping back to your boxer’s stance after each punch ensures you keep your “guard” up (or your fists to your chin) the entire time. Plus, it gets you ready to move with speed, power, and precision. Get step-by-step instructions on how to get into your boxer’s stance in our blog here.
Boxing wraps:
Hand wraps that help protect your wrists and knuckles from the impact of your punch, without adding too much extra bulk. These are most often worn in addition to gloves. Even with wraps on, your hands should still fit in properly-sized gloves, it will just feel a bit more snug.
Challenges Hub:
The “Challenges” tab on the bottom navigation bar of your Litesport app. This is where you find all your Challenges, including both Community Challenges and one-on-one Litesport Matches.
Community Challenges:
Your chance to join other fighters in the Litesport community in completing a set of workouts before time runs out. In our Weekly Round Community Challenge, for example, you must complete a preset playlist of Punch Tracks before the end of the week. These and other Community Challenges change up your workout routine, creating an extra sense of excitement and competition. Learn more about Community Challenges here.
Cross to the body:
A punch to the body that involves a slight squat position and the full extension of your right arm for Orthodox or left arm for Southpaw. Your front fist remains in the guard position. Learn how to throw a cross to the body here. In a Litesport Trainer class, this is what your Trainers want you to do when they call out the number four.
Double-end bag:
A basketball-sized ball attached to both the ground and the ceiling. It bounces back at you, giving you the feeling of boxing with an opponent. This movement helps simulate a real fight, offering the chance to practice both attacking and defending against a moving target, without needing a partner. Learn more about different types of boxing equipment here.
Double time:
The action of moving twice as fast as you were before. When you hear your Trainer call out double time this means it’s time to pick up the pace and throw some quick punches!
Duck:
Defensive move in boxing where you bend your knees into a squat position to avoid your opponent’s incoming jabs and crosses.
Fighter:
A Litesporter who’s not afraid to give everything they’ve got in the ring and rise to the top of the Leaderboard.
FOCUS class:
Classes dedicated to improving your boxing technique and sharpening your form. Whether it’s speed, power punches, strength, or boxing combinations, these specialized classes dedicate time to helping you grow your boxing skills with Litesport. Learn more about FOCUS classes here.
Footwork:
The quick movement of your legs and feet both offensively and defensively. You’re never static in boxing; there should always be a bounce to your body so you’re ready to move at any moment. After all, you never want to be a sitting duck for your opponent (even if your opponent is Litesport!).
Force rating:
The measurement from one to five of how hard you’re punching your Liteshield. Your force rating factors into the scoring for your Litesport workout.
Haymaker:
The punch you throw when you’re giving it all you’ve got—and you’re hoping to knock out your opponent in the process.
Heel-toe alignment:
You might hear your Trainers call out “make sure you’re in that heel-toe alignment!” This is a call to check your boxer’s stance by keeping your front toes lined up with the heel of your back foot. Here are step-by-step instructions on getting into your boxer’s stance.
Jab to the body:
A punch to the body that involves a slight squat position and the full extension of your left arm for Orthodox or right arm for Southpaw. Your back fist remains in the guard position. Learn how to throw a jab to the body here. In a Litesport Trainer class, this is what your Trainers want you to do when they call out the number three.
Leaderboard:
A scoreboard that features the usernames and scores of the top fighters for each Punch Track, Sparring Session, and Trainer Class workout. Punch Tracks will even have separate Leaderboards for easy, medium, and hard so no matter what difficulty you choose to play, you can compete for the top spot.
Lead or front hand:
If you ever hear the term “lead hand” or “lead arm” this refers to the fist that’s farthest forward in your boxer’s stance. This would be your left fist for Orthodox and right fist for Southpaw.
Lead hook:
A punch that involves bending your left arm for Orthodox or right arm for Southpaw into a 90-degree angle and driving your fist into your opponent’s cheek. Unlike the jab or cross, you’re not extending your arm and driving forward, you’re coming at your opponent from the side, creating an almost half-circle motion. This punch is not used on Litesport.
Lead jab:
A punch to the head that involves the full extension of your left arm for Orthodox or right arm for Southpaw while keeping your back fist in guard position. Learn how to throw a lead jab here. In a Litesport Trainer class, this is what your Trainers want you to do when they call out the number one.
Lead uppercut:
A punch using your left arm for Orthodox or right arm for Southpaw that drives upward as if you’re striking your opponent’s chin. On Litesport, you’ll deliver this punch to the uppercut pad below the Liteshield. Learn how to throw a lead uppercut here. In a Litesport Trainer class, this is what your Trainers want you to do when they call out the number five.
Light training:
A type of boxing training that involves reacting as quickly as possible to a light flashing. It’s a newer trend in boxing training, but it’s incredibly effective for generating faster reflexes. With Litesport's Rhythm Technology, beat-driven light training is built right into the experience.
Litesport:
An immersive, competitive experience that combines cutting-edge hardware, game dynamics, hit music, and expert training into one high-intensity workout. The result is an experience that mimics the physicality, rhythm, and emotion of sparring in a ring with a partner all from the comfort and convenience of your own home.
Litesport Matches:
Compete head-to-head with a family member or friend to compete for the highest score in any Punch Track, Trainer Class, or Sparring Session workout. Learn more about Litesport Matches.
Litesport Membership:
Unlimited access to premium content dropping daily in the app, including Punch Tracks programmed to an ever-growing library of the latest charting music and classes led by best-in-class Trainers. With 600+ workouts, there’s something for everyone. Give premium a try with a 7-day free trial.
Liteshield:
The force-detecting LED light pad at the center of your Litesport workout. It’s an innovative blend of hardware and software, with six targets, force sensors, and over 200 LED lights to detect and track your every move. The LED runway lights originate from the shield's center and tell you where and when to punch. The lights indicate in real-time whether you’ve thrown an accurate hit or not via the green and red light indicators.
Orthodox:
The name for a right-handed boxer. If you’re right-hand dominant, you’ll keep your left foot forward and right foot back in your boxer’s stance.
Pad or focus mitt training:
Training with a partner who wears mitts and changes position every few seconds, simulating different attacks to trigger your response. Litesport offers Mitt Drill workouts with our best-in-class Trainers, designed to mimic this experience. Learn more here.
Performance Dashboard/Trends:
Workout results stored in your profile in the Litesport app. For every hit, our force sensors are tracking your accuracy, punch streak, and force—a combination of how well you can keep up and how much power you pack in your punch. You’ll also find other helpful stats such as calories burned, activities completed, total punches, and total active time across a 7-, 30-, or 90-day period. Learn more about how we calculate your score here.
Punch Tracks:
One-song workouts that challenge you to choreograph your punches to the beat of the music. Litesport works with the best labels and artists in the game through our partnership with Universal Music Group. Each Punch Track has a unique hit combination and three different levels of difficulty, allowing you to choose the right level for you. Learn more about Punch Tracks.
Reaction ball:
A ball the size of a tennis ball with knobs protruding from the surface. These round knobs make the movement of reaction balls unpredictable. Athletes from a variety of sports, including boxing, use these balls to train their reaction time and hand-eye coordination.
Reaction training:
Boxing training that helps improve how quickly and effectively you respond to the movement of your opponent. Techniques include mitt training, reaction balls, reflex balls, and light training tools like Litesport. Learn more about how to improve your reaction time.
Rear or back hand:
If you ever hear the term “rear hand” or “rear arm” this refers to the fist that’s farthest from the Liteshield or from your opponent. This would be your right fist for Orthodox and left fist for Southpaw.
Rear cross:
A punch to the head that involves the full extension of your right arm for Orthodox or left arm for Southpaw while keeping your front fist in guard position. Learn how to throw a rear cross here. In a Litesport Trainer class, this is what your Trainers want you to do when they call out the number two.
Rear hook:
A punch that involves bending your right arm for Orthodox or left arm for Southpaw into a 90-degree angle and driving your fist into your opponent’s cheek. Unlike the jab or cross, you’re not extending your arm and driving forward. Instead, you’re coming at your opponent from the side, creating an almost half-circle motion. This punch is not used on Litesport.
Rear uppercut:
A punch using your right arm for Orthodox or left arm for Southpaw that drives upward as if you’re striking your opponent’s chin. On Litesport, you’ll deliver this punch to the uppercut shield below the Liteshield. Learn how to throw a rear uppercut here. In a Litesport Trainer class, this is what your Trainers want you to do when they call out the number six.
Reflex ball:
A soft ball connected to an elastic cord that is then attached by a strap around your head. Like the double-end bag or reaction ball, you have to pay close attention to the ball’s movement so you can react effectively and avoid getting whacked in the face. Yes, this is as comical as it sounds, but it is an effective way to build quicker reflexes and better hand-eye coordination.
Rhythm technology:
Litesport's beat-synced punching experience that combines lights, music, and programming to create an immersive and effective at-home workout.
Roll (also called “bobbing and weaving”):
Defensive move in boxing that involves a slight weight transfer from one foot to another. Start by getting into a duck position then transfer your weight between your right and left foot to avoid incoming punches.
Round:
The term used for a section of your Litesport workout that usually lasts as long as a song. In Sparring Sessions, for example, each song you’re boxing to represents one round. So a 4-song Sparring Session has four total rounds.
Runway lights:
The LED lights that originate from the Liteshield’s center and travel towards one of the six targets. When the lights reach the center of the target, that’s your cue to punch. You want to follow the light, track the light, and punch the light as it hits one of the targets. This is one of the factors indicative of the difficulty of your Litesport workout, with a more advanced class having a faster runway light speed.
Shadowboxing:
Throwing punches in the air without the use of any equipment. Learn more about how you can shadowbox at home.
Slip:
Defensive move in boxing that involves slight movements of your shoulder and head so that your opponent’s punches “slip” past you without impact.
Slow sparring:
A boxing training method that involves sparring in slow motion. It might look and feel silly to simulate a fight in slow motion, but it helps improve your reflexes in a real fight by giving you a better understanding of how the body moves, what each movement means, and how to respond accordingly.
Southpaw:
The name for a left-handed boxer. If you’re left-hand dominant, you’ll keep your right foot forward and left foot back in your boxer’s stance. The default stance in your Litesport app is Orthodox so make sure to switch this in your settings if you’re Southpaw!
Sparring:
A less intense version of a fight between two boxers, primarily used for training in the boxing gym.
Sparring Sessions:
A type of Litesport workout where your Trainer is the DJ, walking you through different punch combinations before you spar on your own to the beat of the music. Learn more about Sparring Sessions here.
Speed bag:
A boxing bag that hangs from the wall in a teardrop shape. It quickly bounces back with every punch, making it a great tool for training speed and hand-eye coordination. Learn more about different types of boxing equipment here.
Streak:
When you get in the flow of your Litesport workout and nail multiple accurate hits in a row. The longer you’re able to maintain a streak, the better your score for a workout. Check your profile in the Litesport app to keep track of your daily and weekly streak totals.
Strength Training:
Litesport workouts where our Trainers help you take time away from the ring to focus on building full-body power and strength. In Strength workouts, our certified trainers guide you through tried-and-true strength training exercises, incorporating real dumbbells and weights. Learn more about Strength classes here.
Trainer Classes:
Workouts led by one of our world-class Trainers. These classes involve rounds of boxing on Litesport interspersed with cardio and strength training exercises. Trainers also incorporate active recovery warm-up and cool-down stretches, ensuring you get a full workout from start to finish. Learn more about Trainer Classes here.
Virtual reality (VR):
The use of computer technology to create a simulated environment that feels like the real deal. With a head-mounted display, you can step into almost any experience as if you’re really there. With Litesport VR—now available for download in the Meta Quest store—you can enter a virtual boxing ring for a full sensory workout without ever leaving your living room. Learn more about Litesport VR here.
Water bag:
A type of heavy bag that’s usually hung from the ceiling and, as the name implies, is filled with water instead of sand. Usually requiring minimal maintenance and coming in a wide variety of sizes and options, they're a great piece of boxing equipment. However, their price tag, installation, and risk of water leakage might not make them the best for your home. Learn more about different types of boxing equipment here.
Now that you know all about Litesport-specific boxing lingo, you’re ready to step into the ring for the ultimate at-home boxing workout. Learn more about a Litesport Membership and get started with a 7-day free trial.