Dan and Si Coaching Cutting angles

So we have been working a lot on those classic highlight reel punches where you step off while throwing a power shot, enabling you to land yours and avoid theirs.

Main Points of Cutting Angles
1. be circling slightly from the start
2. Lean your weight into the centre of the circle /toward opponent/ weight on same side as punch your setting up. Ie stepping right = setting up left hand = centre of circle is to the left  = weight on left foot. Use whatever's easiest for you to remember.
3.  Slightly narrow your stance / tight rope walker to enable an easy step through when you throw your punch.
4.  imagine you are stepping around a sliding tube door (punch) , it's fine to make contact with it's sides and even use them to aid a tight step around.

Cutting Angles on the back foot points

• The main thing is to keep your life simple, choose one angle/direction and doggedly stick to it. That way there's no internal conflict or confusion in the heat of an exchange as to which direction to exit. 
• Also it's important to give yourself and feet enough space to work with. This means keeping your opponent at bay by using your flicks (jab/looping jab combos).  Once you've got these going you will start to better identify the range you need to be in to execute the cutting angle power shots and you will soon be able to throw them as lead shots (without the use of flicks prior to them). Your first priority should be taking control of the speed (slow it down) and getting your range. 

Basic back foot strategy 

• Circle to make your life easier. 
•  If your opponent is forceful, counter his circle (make him chase you) to take a his initial dominance away.  
• get you flicks going to slow fight and find your range as these are nice non committal punches that are easy to escape off. 
• Once happy with range don't be frugal with your cutting power shots. They are a great tool as your opponent has to reset and start his entry from scratch each time you throw one and cut because you are in a different position. 

Cutting Angles on the front foot points

• Again the main thing is to keep your life simple, choose one angle/direction and doggedly stick to it. That way there's no internal conflict or confusion in the heat of an exchange as to which direction to exit. 
• It's important to not give your opponent enough space to think and/or move his feet. This means you should put a slight spiral on your circle so you gradually close the distance meaning your opponent will find it harder to find clean lines to escape and thus get flustered.

Basic front foot strategy 

• Square stance, this makes opponents circling harder
• MMA/ peak a boo guard.  shoulders up, chin down, fists forward, below eye level. Makes a strong but compact target.
• Pressure but Respect Jab/Range. close distance but remain 12 inches from end of opponents jab, allows you to plan entries safely and irritate opponent
• Start lining up left and right straights, by turning shoulders and bumping them towards opponent. Constant changing will upset and fluster him.
• Slip (twice max) faster than your line-ups before combo if needed.
• Throw when you start to see shots you'd happily eat a jab to land.

• Spiral in to closer the distance and apply pressure
• Change direction of your spiral often to speed pace up and keep opponent on his toes (literally), this makes his planning and execution of his exit/cut more difficult.
• just before you enter, increase the pressure by slipping up to 2 times max, a moving target is hard to hit OR flick as both are threatening which will encourage opponent to retreat to guard rather than look for counters.
• throw a solid combination and exit on the same side as the initial circle/spiral direction for safest cut .