Inside work drill
Guard splitter
Develops short, visible scoring shots at close range while protecting balance and exit options.
By DrillGrid Admin
Purpose
Develops short, visible scoring shots at close range while protecting balance and exit options.
Setup
- Pair two boxers as A and B with gloves
- Begin at the distance required by the sequence, agree cooperative technical contact, and let Boxer A feed or present targets while Boxer B performs the action
- Keep the floor clear and match speed to the less experienced boxer
Run it
- Set Boxer A as the feeder or target holder and Boxer B as the working boxer; begin at a controlled technical pace.
- Phase 1: Partner A throws 1-2-1 on the gloves. Phase 2: Partner A immediately uppercuts through the middle followed by a hook around the guard.
- Reset in stance after each clean repetition. Work for 2 min round / 1 min rest, switch roles halfway where appropriate, and stop the round if shape or control breaks down.
Coach checks
- Maintain high-guard integrity during the 'reset' phase to avoid counter-strikes.
- Small, explosive weight shifts or pivots are required to change the line of fire between phases.
- Contact and head position stay controlled: no leaning, shoving, holding or blind turns.
Scale it
- Easier: rehearse one action at a time at half speed with a predictable feed.
- Harder: make the feed semi-random, then require a clean exit or defensive recovery after scoring.
Common faults
- Turning the drill into wrestling - use brief legal frames and release control immediately.
- Making wide punches at close range - shorten the arc and keep the opposite hand protecting.
Amateur relevance
Clean short punches, balanced body scoring and a clear exit make close-range work easier for judges to see without creating untidy holding exchanges.
Use it
Use this in the main technical block for two or three short rounds after the movement warm-up. It suits advanced boxers when the feed, speed and contact are scaled to experience.