How can I be good at shadow boxing but suck in an actual match? My opponents sometimes are lower belts.?

Or their technique doesn%26#039;t seem as good as mine when shadowboxing tbut they still do better when we spar! How can this be?|||Because shadows don%26#039;t move or hit back.





As others have said, it%26#039;s all about speed and timing.





James|||shadow boxing is practice, just get more practice in live situations. like find soembody to beat up on ahaha Report Abuse
|||Your reaction time! You might punch fast but do you block fast too?|||Because sparring has a LOT to do with measuring distance and timing.





In shadow boxing, you don%26#039;t work distance and timing -- you work form for footwork and strikes. Consequently, as helpful as shadow boxing can be, it doesn%26#039;t prepare you for sparring.





The other thing is, in shadow boxing, you don%26#039;t practice defense. You may practice blocks or covering up, but without the timing down, its useless. While you don%26#039;t practice timing for strikes either, strikes are a bit more obvious -- in terms of what you do with them. Without the sparring experience, you won%26#039;t have any idea of how to %26#039;plug in%26#039; the defensive techniques that you know.





Long story short, there%26#039;s no substitute for sparring. Drills, in which your opponent resists your technique, are pretty helpful too.|||You are being intimadated.... When you come up to the opponent again be strong and agressive as you would with the shadow... Put the intimidation on you side.... Good luck Grant M in Pa|||I would guess it%26#039;s because it%26#039;s alot harder to have a perfect form when someone%26#039;s throwing back at you. Heck I might look alright shadow boxing, but if someone punches me back I%26#039;ll curl up in a ball and cry.