A jab is a good example and since you mentioned it I will also use that and give you an example of when you might feather a jab and when instead you might not. If your opponent is retreating or moving back then you might not want to throw your jab with full power behind it. You still throw it as fast but take some of the power off of it maybe. This way you don't knock him back further out of range for something else stronger like a cross or a straight right hand which has more power and will do more damage. He does not know you are feathering that jab until after it lands; to him it looks the same and this also helps you conserve energy as well as maybe keep you from throwing your shoulder out of joint if he steps back further than you anticipated and miss him.
On the other hand if your opponent is moving in or pretty much stationary then you want to put some power on that jab. A strong jab will help disrupt his movement and ability to move in and deliver strong combinations of his own if it connects when he is attempting to close with you. Since he is moving in it basically doubles the impact much like two cars colliding head on if it makes solid contact and can maybe even stun him like what you saw the other night if you watched the UFC fights last Saturday night.
So there are times when you don't want to throw things with power so much but that does not translate into never throwing them with power at all or with the intentions of doing damage with them.
You need to clarify what you mean by soft, if you mean relaxed and loose, then yes, your arm needs to be relaxed and loose when you throw a jab or cross for speed and only tense up when it makes contact enough to stun him. Tensing your whole arm before you throw a jab or cross tends to slow it down and telegraphs the punch to your opponent. Besides, no one ever gets knocked out by a jab, so there really is no need to go full power when you you know you are going to throw a full power straight with your rear hand after the jab anyway. But if you mean you throw a limp slapping jab or cross where there is no power or tension at all even when you make contact and basically just poke him with your limp fist, then no, you shouldn't do that, you'll just end up annoying the hell out of your opponent and probably get caught by a hard counter punch from him once he realizes your jabs and crosses won't hurt him.
So if you spar with someone in your gym and they use the soft jabs and crosses on you are you taught to block them?
If not and you get used to not blocking jabs and crosses and you get to a tournament where they take their jabs and crosses serious and nail you with them if you don't block them you will be in a heap of trouble.
If you are taught to block them you are getting used to only block soft jabs and crosses and won't be able to block a real one coming in when sparring with someone from another school.
I can't think of a single reason why you would train a soft striking technique. It's useless as an attack and it's useless training to defend against and as a set up it is not the most efficient thing. I prefer to hit you with the first thing I can land. Why risk not getting the second strike in if your opponent does not fall for this trick if you can land the first one?
???? Are you kidding me??? "Soft" jabs and crosses? If you hit anyone of the fighters and instructors I know with "soft" jabs and crosses they are going to walk right through you. Just because you use power behind a jab, and especially a cross, doesn't mean you leave it hanging out there or that it is a slow punch that you can't bring back into guard.
Break everything you can,... with everything you can. If your jab is fast, the technique is good, and generates enough force, you can set up every other strike from that one shot. If your first "shots" are not effective then your opponent is not going to be deterred, and you will not change his "mind set". But if you break his nose with your jab it gives them something else to think about.
Come up in maiy Thai using fierce jabs you'll get kicked in the head if you do it more than twice. There better soft you have a good place if you trow a punch right its got less chance of doing damage as say if you trow it semi right but will leave you with a opening. That opening is ussally a good one to counter with power strikes like looping hooks,lead uppercuts, kicks an a clinch grab. Both styles are right its just you'd need to lead with your chin more for the fierce style an it would allmost allways be fake jabs an crosses an smashes.
If you have little power, you'll have little speed.
If you have little speed. Well, picture this.
In you go, jumping around, really pumped. Suddenly, you throw in your Jab (Make sure to make it light). They then eithe:
A) Block it and counter
or
B) Take it, blast one into you while your hand is pitifully extended and almost end the fight in one shot.
Spar with people and see what works.
If It doesn't work don't do it, if it does, then do it.
At my gym, I'm being taught that jabs and crosses have to be soft. That they are used to set up hooks and uppercuts. You mask your power from your opponent with or force your opponent to react certain way with jabs and crosses to catch them with a strong uppercut, hook, or roundhouse.
The problem is that I don't really believe going soft on jab and crosses is a good idea. I've realized that fierce jabs and powerful crosses more than often make opponents think about your hook and uppercut before they happen. They play from a distance with a certain element of fierce.
The other day in practice, from jab and crosses alone, my sparring partner was trembling. When I threw my first hook and uppercut, his fear knocked him off balance as he tried to avoid.
So which is right in Muay Thai or boxing?
