I had a great coach in Bulgaria who was insistent that I learn the fundamentals of boxing the right way. We spent entire sessions doing slow, deliberate jabs and crosses while I looked at the mirror and he gave me feedback.
“Focus on the mind-body connection,” he would always remind me. “Focus on the technique—free your mind from distractions.”
We did this for a week! It was boring, but now I see his point.
My current Muay Thai coach loves teaching different combinations and introducing new moves. But what I’ve noticed is that he rarely gives me proper feedback on my technique. I still feel like my roundhouse kick doesn’t have that snap. My switch kick still feels slow. When I bring this up, he brushes off my concerns and moves on to the next combo.
So naturally, I left that coach and moved on to a new one.
My old boxing coach in Bulgaria kept coming to mind after that experience. Back then, I didn’t fully understand what he meant on a deeper level—but now I do.
The fundamentals are all you need to be a great boxer or Muay Thai fighter.
It’s simple, but not easy. You have to ignore the flashy stuff—fancy combinations—and focus on doing the basics a thousand times. It’s hard because it’s boring. It’s hard because it demands full attention. It’s hard because it takes endless repetition.
But that’s the path. Master the fundamentals.