Here is an article written by one of our Coaches Jonny Callendar – back in 2012 – every bit as relevant now as it was then.
“I lose count of the amount of times during the course of a week that I get asked ‘how to skip like a boxer’. So here goes………
Essentially, I get the feeling that what the people who enquire about a ‘boxers skip’ are referring to is simply single-bounce or speed skipping. That is, to jump the rope just the once for every single turn of the rope as opposed to a double bounce skip (where you bounce twice). However, there are familiar and albeit slight steps and movements that turn single bounce forward skipping into what is widely recognised as skipping ‘like a boxer’ or ‘the boxers skip’.
Once you’ve got the hang of skipping in a single bounce, the ‘boxers skip’ is performed as a basic forward skip with subtle changes.
Skipping with feet kept close to one another, you are going to shift your body weight ever-so-slightly from one leg to the other by bending one knee just a little bit and toe-tapping with the opposite leg simultaneously for two beats/bounces. Your basic rhythm should therefore be: Left Left, Right Right, Left Left, Right Right etc., as you move your body weight from left to right leg.
Remember, skipping whilst training for sports such as boxing is done to improve balance, rhythm and timing as well as maintaining stamina and fitness. Therefore a ‘boxers skip’ needs to be carried out whilst moving in relaxed and rhythmic steps, displaying lightness of foot and command of ones movements.
Remember, skipping whilst training for sports such as boxing is done to improve balance, rhythm and timing as well as maintaining stamina and fitness. Therefore a ‘boxers skip’ needs to be carried out whilst moving in relaxed and rhythmic steps, displaying lightness of foot and command of ones movements.
Now, the well known faces of modern boxing, such as Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao can be seen on youtube carrying out this skip. They also throw in side-swings, cross-overs, continuous cross-overs, double and triple unders. As your skipping develops and you are able to pull off more and more rope manoeuvres, you too will be able to do this. However, use this basic single bounce ‘boxers skip’ as a basis to build from.”
