In this article, I’ll review the Boxing Fundamentals Course by Luke Howard (AKA @lukehoward_mma) of Day One Martial Arts.
Luke has been my boxing coach for several years so I was excited to try out his course for beginners to see if his in-person skills for making boxing easy to understand translate well into a digital course.
Let’s get on with the review!
Table of Contents
How the course works
The first thing to know is that the Boxing Fundamentals Course comes with a workbook (ebook) and a total of 24 video lessons for live practice.
You use the workbook to read about the concepts you need to know with pages inserted for when to move to the video lessons so you can train and start to implement them.
It makes the course feel very complete as you can study the workbook for finer details in your downtime or come back to it when you feel confused.
When you’re ready to have live training, you pull up the video lessons according to your workbook to get a session with timed drills and guidance.
Let’s talk about the workbook next.
Ebook workbook overview
The guided eBook accompanying the course is a comprehensive workbook designed to complement the video modules.
It provides an in-depth look into the nuances of boxing techniques, starting with the basics of stance and progressing through detailed explanations of footwork, punches, defense mechanisms, and advanced techniques.
What’s great about the eBook is the clear and well-structured presentation, breaking down complex concepts into understandable ones with photos and graphics.
There are also plenty of pages dedicated to common mistakes that beginners make within each module, making it a great reference point to keep coming back to for fixing your form.
The bonus materials included are very well thought-out and answer plenty of beginner boxing questions like how to take care of your gloves, how to wrap your hands, and plenty more.
In summary, the eBook is a well-structured and informative guide that effectively complements the video lessons. Its detailed content and clear presentation make it a valuable resource.
The only things that I think are missing are interactive elements that you can’t get in an eBook, like quizzes or self-assessments to make sure you’re absorbing the teachings.
It could also benefit from descriptions of real-life examples of certain techniques, combinations, or errors that a beginner is likely to make.
Whether those examples are from famous pro boxing moments or what a beginner might expect to deal with in a live sparring session—though that largely goes beyond what this course intends to do; teach fundamentals.
Course modules & video lessons
The Day One Martial Arts Boxing Fundamentals Course is structured into four comprehensive modules.
Each module builds upon the last, incrementally advancing a beginner boxer’s skills in rhythm, footwork, defense, and offensive strategies.
Module 1: Boxing Basics
Module 1 of the Boxing Fundamentals Course is a deep dive into the core elements of boxing.
It begins with establishing a strong rhythmic base which is essential for timing and movement patterns.
The footwork section covers moving forwards, backward, and laterally which is going to help with your overall positioning and evasive abilities.
It introduces all six basic punches (jab, cross, lead hook, etc) ensuring a well-rounded initiation into boxing techniques. All of which are detailed in the workbook and trained in the video lessons.
The best thing about this first module is the methodical approach to introducing each element and it ensures a solid foundation—something I wish I had more of when I first started boxing.
Module 2: Footwork & Slips
Module 2 shifts the focus towards advanced footwork and the art of slipping punches. It introduces slip mechanics, slip rhythm, and basic slip counters.
There’s an emphasis on lateral movement and in-and-out-of-the-pocket strategies that start to develop proficiency.
As the workbook teachings and video lessons progress, it gets deeper into the slip counter options and is in tune with combinations as well as stance circling, circling shuffle, L-step, and Z-step.
The distinction of this module lies in its detailed exploration of slip techniques at various angles which is a pivotal part of avoiding getting hit.
Adding together the footwork with slipping techniques creates a new layer of complexity and realism for defensive boxing—that’ll help a lot whenever you decide to start sparring.
Module 3: Defense & Weaving
In Module 3, the course gets into more advanced defensive techniques, focusing on weaving and counter strategies against hooks.
It starts with the basics of defense against hooks, teaching the weave rhythm and introducing weave counter combinations.
The module focuses on not only the mechanical aspect of weaving but also integrates it with footwork, particularly circling, pivoting left and right, and lateral weaves to create angles.
The latter part of this module is particularly impressive in its combination of slips and weaves, showcasing drills that interweave slip, weave, and pivot movements—offering a lot for hungry novices to get their head around.
It’s a whole approach to defense that is essential for developing a boxer’s ability to react instinctively in various scenarios which are also covered plenty.
One thing that might have made this module even better would be to include sections on how to deal with varied punching styles and rhythms of opponents. But that might be something better placed for a sparring-specific program.
Module 4: Integrative Defense & Advanced Footwork
Module 4 represents the culmination of everything learned in the course while also integrating more defensive techniques and advanced footwork.
It begins by exploring the high guard defense, explaining its nuances, and demonstrating effective blocking techniques.
This is followed by a variety of block counter combinations, offering a solid defensive toolkit.
It introduces the concept of interchanging slips and weaves with blocks, a critical skill for adaptive defense.
The footwork section is rich, introducing the 5-cone drill for agility and coordination as well as the switch step that helps create angles to set up your combinations.
Later, the module progresses into the most complex drills so far that are layering up techniques you’ve learned with combinations in stages and plenty of opportunity to drill them in the guided videos.
You’ll also be guided into making use of your new skillset to implement into shadowboxing rounds that help to develop visualization and fluid movement.
Some extra video footage of seeing advanced techniques or combinations in real-world settings would have made this even better.
Teaching experience
I think that the teaching experience inside the Boxing Fundamentals Course is second to none, being incredibly easy to understand and apply the learnings.
Each module builds logically on the previous, from technique to technique and movement to movement, which makes it feel easier to deepen what you learn.
There are increasingly more complex techniques, but they’re seamlessly integrated into a scaffolding approach for creating the foundation that you’re looking for.
The course has a balanced approach to both offense and defense, which makes drilling sessions feel a lot more entertaining.
Most fundamentals are defensive and for good reason, but adding striking strategies to this course is a huge bonus and reflects the high quality of guidance on offer.
One of the main things that the course is missing is the ability to get feedback on your training.
Since it’s an at-home DIY course, that might not be possible for the instructor to advise every student but perhaps a community element would make it possible.
Course experience
The Day One Martial Arts Boxing Fundamentals Course is hosted on the Gumroad platform, which is a simple creator-to-consumer approach that makes it easy to buy and get access to the materials straight away.
It has a straightforward interface to open the workbook first and then access each video lesson from each module one after the other.
The focus is definitely on the learning materials itself, so you’re not wasting any time getting used to a new platform that could be confusing.
But there are some limitations with this platform. Users accessing the course on mobile devices may find the experience less seamless than on a desktop.
The Gumroad app, while functional, doesn’t offer the same level of user-friendliness and interactivity as some other e-learning platforms. This can be a drawback for learners who rely on mobile devices for being able to start training anywhere they are.
A more tailored platform would significantly enhance the learning experience, especially on the go. Features like interactive elements and a more user-friendly integrated e-learning experience would be great.
As I mentioned earlier, opportunities for feedback like a community could also be a big plus.
All that being said, the platform limitations don’t take away from the quality of the teaching from Luke Howard and what you will learn. Which, at the end of the day, is what matters most.
About Luke Howard
Luke Howard is the instructor of the Day One Martial Arts Boxing Fundamentals Course, an ex-pro MMA fighter with nine fights on his record, and now a specialist in boxing coaching.
Over the last couple of years, Luke’s fame has grown exponentially to over 200,000 followers on his Instagram account.
On his Instagram, he shares helpful boxing tips in video reels that have been seen by millions.
His background encompasses a broad spectrum of martial arts disciplines including being a black belt in Judo, and a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and now specializes in boxing proficiency and teaching others.
What sets Luke Howard apart as an instructor is his ability to distill complex techniques into accessible, easy-to-understand segments.
It’s a skill that reflects his experience and deep-rooted understanding of martial arts combined with a genuine passion for teaching others—something he has done since he was a teen in Judo.
Having worked in coaching sessions with him personally both in-person and now online, I can only commend Luke’s ability to teach boxing skills. He’s also authored articles right here on MMA Hive!
Do I recommend the course?
I highly recommend the Boxing Fundamentals Course by Luke Howard.
This course stands out for its comprehensive and well-structured approach to learning the fundamentals of boxing.
From the techniques covered in Module 1 to the advanced defensive strategies and footwork in Module 4, the course offers a thorough education that will undoubtedly help you to become a proficient boxer.
Its strengths lie in the detailed methodical approach in structured programming, building on every technique one by one. As well as Luke’s ability to break down the complex into simpler ideas to absorb.
The visual aids and helpful design elements in the workbook are excellent as are the repetitive training drills inside the video lessons—both ensure that you truly understand a concept before moving on to a more challenging one.
While the course experience could be better since there are limitations with the Gumroad platform, it doesn’t detract significantly from the quality of instruction and it’s a superbly beneficial course for anyone looking to build a solid boxing foundation.
It’s a course that offers real value and insight into the sport, making it a worthy investment for any aspiring boxer.
MMA Hive readers can save a huge 25% off the entire course by using code MMAHIVE at checkout!