The Fighting Art of Boxing is based on Five Principles ... ... Footwork ... Balance ... Centeredness ... Timing ... and Power ...Footwork, Balance, Centeredness, and Timing build upon one another. They must be learned in order, beginning with footwork. It is a "Bottom-Up" process. This is how a fighter develops Power. ... Footwork: The importance of a fighter's footwork cannot be underestimated or overemphasized. Proper footwork is essential to balance, timing, movement, power, and defense. Poor footwork results in a lack of balance, a lack of power, awkward movement, and bad defense. A good stance is impossible without proper footwork. Read more at the Footwork Page. Next comes Balance. ...Balance. Without proper balance, the fighter cannot move gracefully, punch properly, or avoid getting hit. He is at the mercy of his opponent. Your body uses 300 muscles to balance itself even when you are standing perfectly still, but as with each of The Principles, there is more to balance than just being balanced physically. The fighter must have a balanced training regimen, a balanced diet, and balance in his life. Read more at the Balance page. Next comes Centeredness. ...Centeredness is the most difficult of the five principles to understand. The best way to understand Centeredness is to think of your heart as the center of everything. Your heart is what’s really doing the fighting anyway, but that doesn’t mean that boxing is mindless. Boxing is a mental game as much as it is a physical one. It's about training your mind to be as strong as your body. Everything, especially power, flows from your heart. Your stance and form are centered in your heart. Staying centered means never reaching or leaning too far out of position, not crouching too low or standing too tall. Keep your form close to your heart. Stay centered. It keeps your mind focused. Read more at the Centeredness page. Next in line is Timing. ... Timing is as important to the fighter as it is to a musician, or a dancer. For the fighter, good timing does not come naturally or easily. It develops slowly over time. It determines not only when to move and when to punch, but how the fighter’s muscles move in sequence to deliver power to a punch. A punch that is delivered without smooth synchronized muscle timing is weak and powerless. Trainers refer to it as Kinetic-Linking, how muscles move in sequence to transfer energy and power from the feet up through the legs, torso, shoulder, and arms to the fist, but the key to Kinetic-Linking is Timing. The key to developing good timing is in repetition. See more at the Timing page. Next comes Power. ... Punching Power is wholly dependent upon a fighter's footwork, balance, centeredness, and timing, in that order. Punching is a bottom-up process, and begins with proper footwork. The power of a punch is determined by the extent to which the soles of the fighter's shoes grip the mat. The more the fighter's feet are set, the more power there will be in the punch, but there is a lot in between. See more at the Power page.