To roll the jab. Or not to roll the jab?

[DB Cooper]

I have been fortunate to have trained with some very good boxing trainers and I'm sure there are others here who have too.

Every one of them has taught the jab with horizontal knuckles at the punch extension. Basically to roll the knuckles over as you deliver the punch.

So it came as a shock watching training legend 'Nacho' Beristain teach the jab with vertical knuckles at the punch extension. It was on an episode of Fightworld, the new Netflix series Fightworld.

Has anyone here trained with anyone who taught the jab with vertical knuckles at the punch extension??

 

[DBerry]

I have been fortunate to have trained with some very good boxing trainers and I'm sure there are others here who have too.

Every one of them has taught the jab with horizontal knuckles at the punch extension. Basically to roll the knuckles over as you deliver the punch.

So it came as a shock watching training legend 'Nacho' Beristain teach the jab with vertical knuckles at the punch extension. It was on an episode of Fightworld, the new Netflix series Fightworld.

Has anyone here trained with anyone who taught the jab with vertical knuckles at the punch extension??

I don’t believe in ‘rolling’ the jab, I’ve always trained to let my hand end up naturally where it wants, with the elbow facing more to the ground, unless the jab is trying to get over a high guard.

 

[Davie]

I suspect the mechanics of the arm will mean it's personal to the person throwing it, take Ricky Hatton, were his elbows not partially fused and he couldn't fully straighten his arm? Probably different strokes for different folks

There's probably a technically correct way to throw it and I'd suspect that turning the knuckles over as you extend is the "technically correct" way of doing it.

But I always think of the jab as being a very versatile weapon and it probably depends what you want to get out of it.
It's probably technically correct to throw it with the knuckles turned over to get the arm properly aligned behind it to get maximum force out of it. If you were just jabbing to hit your opponent with the jab, great.

But what if you want speed, does flicking it out without turning it over happen milliseconds faster? I don't know.
What if you are just trying to occupy someones guard, distract them, throw it at an angle to budge a high guard to make an opening, throw it as a half hook/half jab type shot.
A body jab probably naturally turns the knuckles over.

Look at Archie in my profile pick, he held his left hand at his body in that cross armed defence and often flicked the jab out from there while leaning over his right leg, without looking at footage right this very second, it looks like he's going to feel awkward turning his hand over from that position.

 

[greynotsoold]

I have been fortunate to have trained with some very good boxing trainers and I'm sure there are others here who have too.

Every one of them has taught the jab with horizontal knuckles at the punch extension. Basically to roll the knuckles over as you deliver the punch.

So it came as a shock watching training legend 'Nacho' Beristain teach the jab with vertical knuckles at the punch extension. It was on an episode of Fightworld, the new Netflix series Fightworld.

Has anyone here trained with anyone who taught the jab with vertical knuckles at the punch extension??

It is easier to split a guard, to get between the gloves of an opponent, if you throw it that way. I have seen guys throwing uppercuts the same way, for the same reason.

 

[Nigelbro]

More important to have the two knuckles and the 2 metacarpals be parallel with the radius and ulna, particularly through the wrist. To prevent injury mostly but also for efficiency.
I was taught to draw 2 imaginary (or real) lines from my elbow, down the 2 forearm bones, through the wrist and up to the top of the knuckles. It gives you an idea that your lower arm is basically a uni joint with a swivel. There is a hundred ways to break it and one way to hit hard with it.
It needs to be straight and the “lines” need to stay parallel, the angle is dependent on who or what you are hitting and your strength will be reflective of what you train the most. Vertical, horizontal, diagonal won’t matter if you align those groups of bones.

 

[knockout artist]

There's different kinds of jabs, if you want to push your opponent back and establish authority, turn the knuckles over for power. If you are looking to keep distance or distract your opponent then don't as you will sacrifice speed by turning the shot over and fully extending

 

[El puma]

I started using the vertical knuckle approach with great success after reading up on Bruce Lee's Jeet Kun Do. It was right around the time that Oscar De La Hoya used it against Miguel Angel Gonzalez to snap his head back to his ass. I found it to be quicker, more powerful and being able to get my hand back quicker into a defensive posture. Again, this may vary from person to person.

 

[Johnstown]

Rolling the jab makes it easier to turn your shoulder into it...allowing you to be more angled and hence get "more reach". Plus it is a tiny bit of extra "snap" at the end of the jab.

So I say yes.