Combining Head Movement with the Pivot
The pivot is almost seen as an advanced skill in boxing but the reality is it shouldn’t be viewed as such – it should be something you are using regularly and incorporating into your training and sparring.
In this video we demonstrate adding the pivot to a movement of the head, whether that is a slip or a roll, if you have made your opponent miss their punch, you can either come back with a punch or pivot to the side to change the angle of your attack. This means your opponent has to reset to throw their punches at you but you have already pivoted into position to start your attack, which gives you the advantage.
A common drill you can use for this is a simple 1, 2 and roll then pivot – jab, cross, roll and pivot. You can see this drill in the video below. Fighters who come to mind who were especially good at pivoting after a head movement are Floyd Mayweather Jr and Guillermo Rigondeaux.
Head movement and footwork are two essential skills you should be practising at every workout, your footwork is your first line of defence and good head movement will get you out of trouble for those times the action is in the pocket or the ring has been cut off. By using this drill you are getting the best of both worlds, practising your head movement and practising your footwork. Boxing Pivots aren’t just great for attacking your opponent from a different angle, they are also great when used as a part of your defence because it forces your opponent to have to reset when instigating their next attack, if they are constantly having to reset because you are moving and pivoting, it upsets their rhythm by not allowing them to plant their feet or get their combos flowing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPlMi8hfFA8