Joe Corley Teaches the Jab at Atlanta Extreme Warrior

In his continuing series on the correct way to throw the Basic Punches, Master Instructor and 9th Degree Black Belt Hall of Famer Joe Corley goes through the step by step explanation of the Jab. This series covers the Jab, Cross, Hook, Uppercut, Uppercut. At Atlanta Extreme Warrior and Joe Corley Karate, these exact punches are used in the American Karate, Tae Kwon Do and Kickboxing, in the PKA & Muay Thai Kickboxing, Warrior X-Fit Kickboxing and Krav Maga.

Hi, it’s Joe Corley and today we’re going to start our series on the hand technique. This first one is just going to be on the jab.

If you can take a look down at my feet, we’re in fighting stance obviously. The angle of my feet, the angle of my upper body are the same. My back heel is going to be off the floor and then my hands are going to be like this. Just remember, when you raise your hands, you’re just going to raise them so that when you raise your hands, your arms stay right in here or on your rib cage.

Your hands will be around the height of your chin, your jaw. And your hands are going to be basically out in front of each one of your shoulders. So they won’t be in like this. They will be at this position.

So, your jab coming from your shoulder is going to go straight out and it’s simply going to roll over.

Now to make your good fist, just remember to roll your hand in nice and tight. Make sure it’s flat and straight and strong here. And as you throw the jab, this one goes straight out like that.

The mass of that strike is primarily my arm and shoulder. There’s no rotation that’s going with that. I’m just throwing the jab straight out. It’s a basic jab.

We do have a power jab that you’ll learn later where your body will rotate a little bit but right now we’re just going straight.

Again, notice the position of the other hand. The other hand stays right next to this. It’s about, not quite, one fist distance from your other jaw. So when you jab, make sure you’re not dropping one hand while you’re throwing one out. Your opponent will look for that and then counter with a hook into your face. So make sure you keep this hand straight up as you throw the jab.

It’s going to go together with your cross and your hook and your upper cut and, on the next session, we’ll go through the cross.

So, practice that jab as a straight in move.