Defence drill
Roll and pivot
Builds a compact roll under hooks without bending at the waist or losing sight of the opponent.
By DrillGrid Admin
Purpose
Builds a compact roll under hooks without bending at the waist or losing sight of the opponent.
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.
- Partner A throws a wide left hook. Partner B rolls under the hook and, while coming up, pivots 90 degrees to the blind side of Partner A.
- Reset in stance after each clean repetition. Work for 2 Min Work / 1 Min Rest, switch roles halfway where appropriate, and stop the round if shape or control breaks down.
Coach checks
- Weight Distribution: Keep 60% of weight on the ball of the lead foot to allow the rear foot to swing freely like a compass.
- Postural Alignment: Keep the spine vertical and chin tucked; leaning during a pivot destroys balance and power for the counter.
- Speed and power remain low enough for both boxers to keep shape, sight and a clean reset.
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
- Over-moving the defence - make the smallest movement that clears the punch and preserves balance.
- Losing sight or dropping the hands during the exit - keep the opponent in view and recover the guard.
Amateur relevance
Compact visible defence, immediate positional recovery and composure under pressure help an amateur boxer avoid clean scores and retain control of the exchange.
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.