Savate basics: Lessons 1-6 cover punches and first kicks (savate video course)

If you want to learn savate without any prior experience I have collected you the basic savate video course that covers punches and the easiest kicks. This is the basic level that any adult can reach no matter how sporty you are. These first parts of the savate are not very difficult or require exceptionally good conditions. When you master these first punches and kicks you can start practicing more difficult techniques but here are the basics:

Savate basics video course:

Savate lesson 1: the basic boxing stance
Savate lesson 2: the Jab (lead hand straight punch)
Savate lesson 3: the right cross (rear hand straight punch)
Savate lesson 4: the hook (punch)
Savate lesson 5: Chassé frontal (straight kick, can be done with both lead and rear foot)
Savate lesson 6: Fouetté bas (kick that can be done with both lead and rear foot)

After these 6 lessons you master the savate basics. You know the easiest punches and kicks so that you can start training. These techniques are sufficient to start physical exercise for example training with boxing bags or against the trainer who uses boxing pads where you target your punches and kicks.

Start training combos - remember the right distance

Once you can make each punch and kick one by one it's time to start making combos. One of the basic combos is the combo with straight punches: first you hit the jab and immediately after that you punch the right cross. You can modify this to 2xjab+right cross etc. Only your imagination is the limit when you train your own combos.

However there is one important thing you must remember when doing combos. It's the right distance. To make a hook you have to be very close, to make straight punches (jab and right cross) distance should be length of your hand and to make successful kicks the right distance is even longer.

I hope my video course helps you to train savate better.

Happy and sweaty savate training sessions!

Savate training: Lesson 6 - Fouetté bas (lower level fouetté kick)

We are now learning the second savate kick called fouetté. To be precise we start from the low level fouette called fouetté bas. Fouetté can be kicked to three levels: low (feet), medium (chest/stomach) and high (head). We start from the fouetté bas which is the low level fouetté kick because it's the easiest fouetté kick to learn.

All fouetté kicks to three levels are explained and presented in the video below:



Fouetté bas and median are not usually very difficult to learn but they need some training. If you start to train them you must remember two common mistakes beginners very often make:

• Don't forget to cover you face. When you concentrate on kicking it's easy to forget that you hands and gloves should stay where they are in the basic boxing stance. They should cover your face and not go around to keep your balance and open your face for potential punches or kicks.
• Keeping the balance when kicking and after kick. Getting back to balanced basic boxing stance immediately after the fouetté kick is usually the most difficult part for beginners. They get their leg up and kick pretty ok but after the kick their balance is so shaky that they are open for opponents counter attack. Please pay attention to your balance when you practice fouetté.

Savate training: Lesson 5 - Chassé frontal

Now when you should know basic boxing stance and some basic punches (jab, right cross and hook) we can learn our first kick. The first and easiest savate kick is called Chassé frontal. Chassé frontal kick can be done by both lead and rear foot. In the video below you see how chassé frontal is done.



Chassé frontal is not very difficult to learn but few common mistakes for beginners are:

• You forget to cover your face when you kick chassé frontal. Your hands and gloves should stay in the same position where they are in basic boxing stance all the time when you kick. I see too often beginners who kick pretty well but open their hands to keep their balance when kicking.
• You kick ok but you don't get immediately in balance after this kick. This leaves you open for opponents punches and kicks. Pay attention in keeping your balance controlled when you kick chassé frontal.

Savate training: Lesson 4 - The hook

After straight punches it's time to learn the hook. Hook punches can be thrown either by your lead or rear hand. A hook is usually aimed at the chin but sometimes also to your lower body. Before watching the video where Ray Medel teaches you the hook I'd like to emphasize you the importance of using the kinetic power of your whole body. The power of the hook punch should mainly come from your body and not from your hand muscles.



A hook is a powerful punch that in can be used for knockout in the boxing competitions.

Savate training: Lesson 3 - The right cross (rear hand straight)

Before the right cross you should have learned the basic boxing stance (Lesson 1.) and the Jab (Lesson 2.). If you have learned them at least on basic level, it's time to learn the right cross. The right cross is straight punch you make with your rear hand (the more powerful hand).

The right cross is similar punch as the jab but the difference is the hand. The jab is a punch you hit with your weaker hand to keep your opponent away from you. The right cross is more powerful punch you hit with your stronger hand and you usually use more power than in the jab. In the video below Ray Medel teaches you how to use the right cross:

Savate training: Lesson 2 - The Jab (Lead hand straight punch)

In my previous savate blog post I presented the basic boxing stance. Once you have learned it, you can start learning how to punch. The first punch we learn is called the jab. The jab is the most important punch in boxing and most of the boxing and savate courses start from the jab. The jab is punch where you use your lead/front side hand. If you are right hand person left is your lead/front side and for left hand people right hand is lead/front hand. So it's your weaker hand you are using for the jab.

In the video below a Mexican boxing and savate trainer Ray Medel teaches you the Jab and also reminds you about the basic boxing stance.



The tactical use of jab is usually to defend yourself and keep your opponent away from you. When you punch the jab towards you opponent's head, you force him/her to keep the distance. You should avoid the jab towards opponents body because it will leave your own head too open and there is risk that you get a punch in your face.

Savate training: Lesson 1 - Basic boxing stance

Savate training: Lesson 1 - Basic boxing stance

If you want to start training savate, the first lesson to learn is simply how to stand. Basic boxing stance means how you stand and keep your hands when training or competing in savate. The basic boxing stance refers to the position you should keep when you are not punching or kicking. The basic boxing stance in savate is in practice the same as in regular boxing so if you are familiar with boxing you know hot to stand. If you are not familiar with the basic boxing stance you can find instructions in the video below. This video is not savate but normal boxing but the basic boxing stance is the same in both sports.



Now when you have watched the video few words to summarize and clarify some points:

• In savate we don't talk about right or left hand or foot. We talk about lead/front and rear where rear is your stronger side and lead/front the other side. Simply if you are right hand person left is your lead/front side in basic boxing stance and lead/front hand is your left hand. If you are left hand person right is your lead/front hand.
• When you are not punching your hand cover your face and help you to avoid your competitor to punch you. Your gloves should not touch your face but are very close to your face.

Once you have learned how to stand you can move forward to lesson 2. where you learn the most important punch in savate and boxing. It' called the jab. Jab will be covered in my next blog post.

We will later talk about the savate clothing but these basic lessons you can learn wearing any clothes suitable for indoor sports.