Watch: Doubling the Jab, Then Following With the Cross

The jab is the first punch anyone learns, and the double jab is usually the second thing a coach adds to it. The Shadow Boxing App is a boxing workout app that calls out punches and combos while you shadow box or hit the bag, so you don’t have to come up with them yourself. This short clip shows a round where most of the callouts build on the double jab: 1-1, then 1-1-2, then a few longer combos that start the same way.

Why double the jab at all? One jab gets your opponent’s attention. The second one, thrown while the first is still coming back, catches them while they’re busy reacting to it. It also covers distance: you can step in behind the second jab without eating a counter. Once that lands, the cross is already loaded and the 1-1-2 almost throws itself. If you want a refresher on the mechanics of each punch, the how to throw every basic punch article covers it, and the beginner combos piece goes through why the 1-1-2 is worth so many reps.

The thing to watch for in your own shadow boxing is the second jab. Most people slow down or shorten it, and it becomes a tap instead of a punch. Keep it as sharp as the first one and bring the hand all the way back before the cross goes. The app is free to try, so download it, pick a round, and see how many double jabs you can keep crisp before your shoulder starts complaining.