Archive for September, 2009
September 22nd, 2009 | 
Author: A southpaw boxer’s best punch is arguably the straight left hand. This punch is very important. The straight punch is almost perfectly aligned with your opponent. When you throw this punch, there is a high chance your punch will hit your opponent flush. As important as this punch is, inversely, your opponent’s best punch to counter you is their straight right hand. In order to be successful with this punch, follow the tips below.
- Throw the straight left hand with speed.
- Instead of putting weight behind the punch, learn to throw the punch with explosive ferocity.
- Practice leading with the straight left instead of the jab.
- Aim to get your straight left hand as fast as your jab.
- Push off your back foot.
- When you move, keep your back feet low to the ground and take short steps.
- By keeping you back foot close to the ground, this allows you to instantly plant your foot and fire your straight.
- Rotate your hand clockwise. This raises your shoulder and protects your chin.
The straight must be thrown with speed and efficiency. Practice throwing this punch on a heavy back. Work on building your endurance. By repeatedly throwing this punch, your body will get use to it and compensate if you are wasting energy. The straight left hand is a power punch. Unlike a jab, you can’t throw this punch often without getting tired. The key to keeping this punch efficient and saving energy is to throw this punch from you foot. You must dig your rear foot before you throw this punch. After your dig, rotate your hips, swing, and follow through. After you swing your hips, throw the punch from your shoulder. Focus on keeping your body behind the punch. This is what gives it power.
Whether you are playing straight-up man-to-man defense or a zone, or a combination defense with both zone and man-to-man aspects, a good basketball defense will share many of the same qualities. Essentially, it is always 
man-to-man we play – if a zone defense is called, it just means we are playing one-on-one against whichever man happens to come into our area. Thus, man-to-man defensive skills are the base of any defensive strategy.
In fact, some youth basketball leagues insist that teams play man-to-man defense only, as they feel young basketball players need to know how to play man-to-man defense well before they can begin to play any type of zone. I’ve always agreed with this rule and the reasoning behind it. I have nothing against playing zone defense at the varsity level and above, as long as it is played properly. But you can’t play defense if you don’t know how to play man-to-man.
1. Stay Low. Defensive stance is low, with knees bent, back straight and hands up. The reason for this is simple – the lower your center of gravity, the quicker you will be able to react, to move in any direction.
2. Communicate. It is a team sport, and everyone on the team needs to play together, not as individuals. Players need to let teammates know if the teammate has a screen being set on him, so he can adjust or switch; teammates need to know if another player had been beaten, so they can pick up the loose man and hopefully stop him from scoring.
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