1. Stance (Boxing Guard/Ready Position)

• Foot Position: Begin in your standard boxing stance. For an orthodox stance, your left foot should be forward, and for a southpaw, your right foot is forward. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, with your weight on the balls of your feet to allow for mobility.
• Knees and Hips: Your knees should be slightly bent, keeping you balanced and mobile. Avoid locking your knees, as you want to be ready to move quickly. Your hips should be aligned with your body’s center of gravity to maintain fluid movement.
• Hands/Guard: Your lead hand should be up near your chin, guarding against jabs or punches from the opponent. Your rear hand should protect your chin or jaw area. Keep your elbows close to your body to protect the ribs. Your head should be slightly off-center to make it harder for your opponent to land a clean punch.

2. The Slip (Defensive Movement)

• Step 1 – Recognizing the Punch: The slip is used to avoid an incoming punch, typically a jab or cross, by moving your head to the side. Timing is crucial, as you need to recognize the punch and react swiftly.
• Step 2 – Slipping to the Side:
  • Slip to the Outside: If an opponent throws a jab or cross, you can slip to the outside (away from your lead hand). To do this, rotate your torso slightly and move your head to the outside of the punch, making sure to keep your chin tucked and your hands up for protection.
  • Slip to the Inside: Alternatively, if the punch is coming at you from your opponent’s rear hand, you can slip to the inside, toward the opponent’s lead side. This can be a riskier move, but it can give you a closer angle to land a counterpunch, especially if the opponent’s punch is wide.
• Step 3 – Keeping Your Chin Tucked: During the slip, it’s essential to keep your chin tucked to avoid exposing it. Tucking your chin into your chest helps protect it from potential counters while keeping your neck more relaxed for fluid movement.

3. The Counter (Follow-up Attack)

• Step 1 – Immediate Counterattack: After slipping an incoming punch, you want to quickly follow up with a counter. The counter should be immediate, taking advantage of the opening created by your slip.
  • After slipping to the outside, you can counter with a right cross, left hook, or a straight right hand if you’re in an orthodox stance, or a right hook if you’re in a southpaw stance.
  • After slipping to the inside, you may want to counter with a left hook (to the body or head), right cross, or even an uppercut if the opponent’s punch is wide enough to create that opening.
• Step 2 – Expose Openings: The slip not only helps you avoid the punch, but it also moves you into a position to exploit openings. After slipping to the outside, you can easily land punches at an angle that your opponent can’t defend.

4. Footwork During the Slip

• Step 1 – Subtle Movement: The slip should be a subtle, quick movement. The goal is to make the punch miss without taking a step back or too far off balance. Avoid overcommitting with your head movement.
• Step 2 – Keep Your Feet in Position: Your feet should remain under you, and you should avoid taking large steps when slipping. Ideally, you’ll shift your weight slightly to the outside or inside without losing balance, which ensures you can follow up with a counter immediately.
• Step 3 – Maintain Balance: Even though you’re moving your head to avoid the punch, you should maintain your core strength and balance to remain ready for follow-up punches or defense.

5. Defensive Positioning and Protection

• Rear Hand Guard: Keep your rear hand up near your face when slipping. This hand should be ready to defend against any counters or follow-up punches. Don’t drop your guard as you move.
• Lead Hand Position: Your lead hand should also remain up to protect against any punches that may come from your opponent. It should be prepared to counter immediately after the slip.
• Elbows Close: Keep your elbows close to your body to protect your ribs. Don’t flare them out, as this can leave openings.

6. Follow-up and Recovery

• Step 1 – Immediate Return to Guard: After slipping and countering, quickly return to your guard position. Ensure you are ready for any follow-up punches or to launch another attack.
• Step 2 – Reset Your Position: If you moved to the side to slip, make sure you return to a balanced stance after countering. This allows you to stay defensive and position yourself for the next attack.
• Step 3 – Maintain Fluidity: The slip and counter should be fluid. After slipping, don’t stand still – always follow up with a combination or reset your position.

7. Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Over-slipping: Avoid slipping too far or too dramatically. If you slip too far outside, you could lose your balance and expose yourself to other punches. The slip should be subtle, not a big movement.
• Leaving Yourself Exposed: Don’t slip and leave your head open for a counterattack. Keep your chin tucked and your hands up during the movement.
• Lack of Follow-up: One of the most common mistakes after slipping is not counterattacking. The slip creates an opportunity for you to hit your opponent, so don’t waste it by staying passive.
• Not Using Your Body: The slip should come from your body, not just your head. Rotate your torso slightly as you slip, which helps you maintain balance and makes the movement quicker.

8. Advanced Concepts

• Slip Feints: At a higher level, you can use the slip as part of a feint to bait your opponent into throwing a punch. Once they commit, you can slip and counter while they are vulnerable.
• Double Slip: A double slip involves slipping twice in a row to avoid multiple punches. This can be used to create an angle or force your opponent to reset, leaving them open for a counterattack.
• Slipping and Angling: Instead of just slipping, you can also angle your body after the slip, either moving laterally or pivoting to a new position. This makes it harder for your opponent to track you and offers more openings for counterpunches.

Summary:

The Slip is a defensive technique in boxing that helps you avoid incoming punches by moving your head to the side, either to the outside or inside of the punch. This movement should be subtle and fluid, allowing you to quickly follow up with a counterattack. Proper footwork, head movement, and timing are essential to make the slip effective, and when executed correctly, it creates excellent opportunities to strike your opponent while avoiding damage.