Distance and range control is one of the most important elements of fighting.

You need to get the right distance on the punching bag and this will also translate getting right distance on your opponent.

Most beginners have a difficult time judging distance of where they should be in order to land straight shots such as jabs and crosses or angled shots such as hooks and uppercuts.

Video Breakdown

Full Extension on Straight Punches (Jabs and Crosses)

First thing you want to avoid is crowding the punching bag. This is where you are too close to the bag yet you are still trying to land a jab or a cross.

You need to get full extension on your jabs and crosses. And because you are not getting full extension, you are losing power and speed. If you are this close, you might as well throw a hook or an uppercut.

You need be at the end of the jab hitting the bag and you need to be fully extended on the cross.

For the two straight punches (jab and cross) here's how you find the perfect distance.

Throw the jab and hold it out there. Then inch our way until your first touches the bag. That is your distance you need to be to throw and land the jab without any footwork or body lean.

To find a distance for the cross do the same thing. Throw the cross with perfect body rotation and torque and hold it there. Inch yourself closer to the bag until the fist touches the bag. You are now in perfect distance to land a power cross.

For the cross you can be further from the punching bag because you will still hit the bag due to the body rotation and torque.

If you can land a jab that means you can also land the cross.

Once you go the distance down, begin to drill your jab and the cross.

Make sure you notice how far you need to be from the bag to land each of these strikes. You need to instill this into your muscle memory. You should be able to know exactly how close you have to be in order to land.

Now of course there is another important element to consider here, which is your footwork. But that's for another time.

Getting Closer for the Uppercuts and Hooks

For the lead hook and the rear uppercut you need to be closer to the bag.

There are variations of the lead hook and rear uppercut where you could be a further away from the bag and still land both strikes.

But those are variations of both strikes. In this post we are focused primarily on the fundamental lead hook and rear uppercut. Also footwork isn't covered in this scenario.

To find the range for both of these strikes, step closer into the clinch range. To find out where that is, use the same method as for the jab and the cross.

Throw the lead hook and then hold it out there. Then inch your way closer intil your fist touches the bag, you are now within range to throw the lead hook.

Same for the rear uppercut.

If you can land the lead hook, you are in range to land the rear uppercut.

Begin drilling these two strikes from this distance.

Drilling Two Different Ranges

Take these four strikes and break them down into two different ranges.

You have two straight shots range: jab and cross. And in-close range: hooks and uppercuts.

Begin to drill them while moving around the punching bag. Moving in and out. As soon as you enter into one of these striking ranges execute individual strikes or combinations. Start training your mind to recognize how close you have to be in order to land.

You can drill this with jabs and crosses then with hooks and uppercuts. Separating the two ranges. Or you can drill them all at the same time in the same drill.

Start slow to get the distance down and then you can speed up.

You need to get very good at distance control and knowing exactly how far you need to be in order to land your strikes.

Learn the Essential Four Punches

Getting this distance down is just one of many important aspects of using your strikes and landing them on target. Next you need to know how to throw each of these punches correctly.

In the very first course I put together "Fundamental Four", we'll go into depth on how to execute each of the four fundamental punches: the jab, cross, lead hook and rear uppercut.