Article: If you’re a shorter boxer, or happen to find yourself up against an opponent who towers over you, make bobbing and weaving a key part of your game plan. The technique makes an ideal defense against taller opponents because you’ll already be in a better position to dip underneath their attacks. Making them chase you by forcing them to reach with their punches will also wear them out faster, giving you a twofold advantage. After a successful bob and weave defense against a taller opponent, initiate your counterattack while you’re still in range, before your opponent has a chance to retract their punching arm. One of the greatest assets of a good mobile defense is that it delivers you to safety away from your opponent’s attacks while leaving your hands free to respond with counter punches of your own. Weaving outside a jab or straight will set you up to throw a hook in return. Similarly, once you’ve ducked their punch, your opponent’s midsection will be wide open for a punishing body shot.  Out-angling your opponent is all about situating yourself where they’re vulnerable to your attacks, but theirs can’t reach you. Knowing when and how to weave can help you accomplish this.  If you're using a bob and weave defense to set up counter punches, make sure your movement does not telegraph your attacks. For example, twisting to put yourself in a better position to throw a counter hook after evading can signal to your opponent that a punch is coming. Practice setting up counter punches by bobbing and weaving when you’re working out on the pads or heavy bag. Infuriate the competition by never holding still. You’ll get less battered than if you constantly absorb punches with your guard, and you’ll always be ready to throw a counter punch. When your opponent discovers they can’t land a shot on you, they’ll become frustrated and start making costly mistakes that you can then capitalize on.  A good general rule for bobbing and weaving is that you should increase your head movement whenever you're within striking distance. However, that doesn't mean your movement should stop when when you're out of range, as it's likely that either you or your opponent will close the gap suddenly. Keep in mind that the more you move, the faster you’ll tire out. Wait until you’re within punching range to bob and weave. It’s an excellent way to make yourself hard to hit, but it can be exhausting if you overdo it. Before it was a common saying, it was an effective boxing defense. Even if you can’t dodge an incoming hook or cross entirely, you can “roll” with the attack and minimize the amount of damage it does. For instance, if you see a right hooking coming and can’t get out of the way in time, bob down and weave to your right so that you’re moving in the direction of the punch and the shot glances off the top of your head.  Learning to roll in the direction of a punch can be tricky, as you’ll be most likely be used to slipping punches to the outside. Be sure to train slipping in both directions and develop a sense of when an attack can be slipped and when it has to be absorbed. By modifying your evasive maneuvers and learning how to roll, you’ll spare yourself a lot of punishment in the later rounds of the fight.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Counter a taller opponent. Position yourself for counter punches. Dazzle your opponent with superior movement. Roll with the punches.