Shadow boxing is often looked at as just a warm up before the actual boxing workout. How very untrue this is! Shadow boxing no doubt serves to warm and prep the body for the upcoming workout.More importantly though, shadow boxing helps you to groove the skills you have been taught by your boxing coach in your boxing training workouts. It also serves as a tool to hone your own unique fighting style. If you think it's just throwing punches to break a sweat, you're going about it the wrong way.

When you're shadow boxing, It is best to shadow box in front of a mirror where you can monitor your technique that has been taught to you. I often say... the mirror doesn't lie. Once you know what to look for, it's impossible to have bad technique in front of the mirror! Unless of course you just don't care or aren't really focusing and putting your all into it. It's a very important time to groove the skills your trainer has been teaching you. Skill retention is a lot better when you shadow box in front of the mirror grooving good skill.

If you really focus on what you're doing while shadow boxing, progression is heightened. Your trainer won't have to keep barking at you to keep your hands up or throw that hook right when your working the bags. He will be very pleased to see your fast progression due to your commitment of solid technique when shadow boxing. Boxers can so all they want that they have been putting in the extra work shadow boxing, good technique will be the telling sign and truth to the coach that the fighter has indeed been putting in the work.

Great boxers will often tell you when they shadow box they envision different situations that can occur in the ring at any time. They envision having an opponent in front of them punching back and moving. From offensive combos, to defensive tactics, all is covered. They're constantly focusing and role playing while they are shadow boxing. That is why some boxing coaches call shadow boxing shadow sparring. It looks like the fighter is boxing an invisible opponent.

Look at an experienced fighters body language and eyes when doing this. It shows they are in a different world. Indeed they are, a world where they see themselves dominating. You wonder why these fighters get so good? Because they see themselves doing it first. The mind can't tell the difference from something it is experiencing or imagining. That's why this secret is so important to apply. Your boxing performance will improve very quickly when you practice shadow boxing in this manner.

Now think about that the next time you shadow box or shadow spar.