How to Throw a Punch the Right Way

1. Jab

This is one of the essential straight punch. It plays several roles, including setting up other punches as an offensive kick and a defensive one. It keeps your opponent on edge and is thus thrown continuously. It will also assist you to feel how far your enemy is for safety and strategic reasons. It will help you cause the other to open or be vulnerable so that you can attack. It is perfect for countering your opponent to enable you to pivot or retreat.

It is shot in a straight line emanating from the guard position. Other than using your elbow, it is the shoulders that are used to generate power. Relax the hand only to tighten it a millisecond from the impact. It is a quick move to avoid extended vulnerability.

Learn everything: Beginner’s Guide to the Jab Punch in Boxing

Video

Step 4: Different Types of Punches

The main types of punches are:1. Straight punch/Reverse punch (what was used to demonstrate the previous steps)2. Jab (quick punch off the lead hand)3. Cross (Back hand punch to the head)4. Hook punch (Coming in from the side, usually to the jaw)5. Uppercut (upward strike to the chin, sending the head backward)6. Twist punch (taught in many martial arts schools) Again, all of these use the first two knuckles to strike with.

Weapons Training Will Help You in the Long Run!

Did you know that training and working out with weapons will also improve your ability to punch correctly. Stick fighting practice, for example, can make a huge difference in your training progress. Gripping a rattan stick (also called a kali stick) and performing stick drills like hubud, sombrada, punyo sombrada, six heaven and the like will condition and strengthen your arms, forearms, wrists and hands. Most importantly, the structural integrity of your fists will improve and this means you can deliver a solid punch without risking a structural breakdown of your hands. This may sound trivial to the unschooled, but you have to remember that your fist is the load bearing component of any punch. If its weak or flimsy you’ll be in big trouble.

Punching is a Full-Body Motion

A good punch literally starts at your feet, works its way up through your hips and torso, and explodes at the end of your knuckles. Trying to make your arms do all the work is only going to make for a real weak punch. So, when throwing a punch, start with the heel of your back foot off the ground. In a fluid motion, as you throw your punch, pivot on your back leg and twist your torso into the punch. Essentially, your power should shift through your feet, into your knees and hips, up through your back and shoulders, and then out through your arms and hands. If one muscle group isn’t working with all the others, your punches are slower, softer, and less effective. Period. Link

4. Right hooks

This is a reversal of the left hook and is a bit challenging because it emanates from your rear side. It is also a bit slow but is best combined with the left and perfect for a close-range attack. The proper boxing technique is that of the left hook that is reversed. Remember not to overextend or be too slow. Protect your chin with the other hand.

The right hook is a power punch since the whole body is activated. The body rotates to transfer the power from the toes through the core to the right fist. The generated energy is released when the fist reaches the target.

Learn more: Right & Left Hook Punches for Beginners

Get your arms and shoulders right

Your upper body’s position will, again, depend on your personal preference. Karate-oriented fighters tend to keep their shoulders turned well away from their opponents, while many boxers and Thai boxers take a more squared-off approach. Once you start swinging, you’ll be able to adjust your shoulder position in real time and observe how it affects your punching power.

When you’re getting ready to throw a punch, your forearms should stay nearly vertical, with your elbows tucked into your body, not flared out like chicken wings. Squeeze your abdominal muscles tight. Your hands should stay up to guard your face. This gives you an opportunity to protect your body and face when you’re not mid-punch. Leaving a big gap between your hands and your elbows exposes a large chunk of your center mass to strikes.

How to Punch Without Injuring or Breaking Your Hands

Now its time to teach you how to punch without breaking your wrists. The simple rule of thumb is to always keep your wrists aligned with your forearm throughout the execution of your punch. This applies to both linear punches (jab, lead straights, rear cross) as well as circular punches (hooks, uppercuts and shovel hooks). If your wrist bends or collapses on impact, you will either sprain or break it. It’s that simple. Remember, a sprained or broken wrist will immediately put you out of commission in a fight.

One of the best ways to learn how to throw a punch without bending your wrists is to regularly workout on the heavy bag. The heavy bag or punching bag will provide the necessary amount of resistance to progressively strengthen and condition the bones, tendons and ligaments in your wrists. Remember to start off slowly and progressively increase the force of your punches. 

How To Punch Harder

Before diving into some training applications to enhance punching power, it should be noted that the greatest influence on improving effective mass and therefore punching harder is experience. The more an athlete is punching a target, the better they will be at enhancing effective mass [4].

However, one technique that could help to deliver a harder punch right away is the use of an ‘energy shout.’

An ‘energy shout’ made pre-impact of a strike has the potential to increase effective mass [4]. This could be why tennis players make a loud grunt whenever they strike the ball.

When training, there is evidence that being able to choose your own combinations of strikes enhances punching velocity by 6-11% and impact forces by 5-10% [5].

When hitting pads or the heavy bag, rather than going by pre-determined combinations, self-select your own and you can punch harder and faster in training which may lead to positive long-term adaptations.

Not Staying Grounded

To generate and transfer force effectively from the ground through to your hands, you need to stay on the ground when throwing a punch. This will allow you to generate the greatest effective mass.

Being Too Stiff

Just because you feel like you’re putting maximum effort into your punches does not mean they will be hard and fast. Stiffness is what will slow down your punches as shown by the double peak muscle activation phenomenon. Fast and loose is your ticket to a harder punch. It should feel almost effortless.

Throwing Wild Punches

Similar to being too stiff, throwing full-blown haymakers not only are slow and soft punches, but they leave you open to getting countered very easily.

Overreaching

Extending too far by throwing your body weight forward is only going to throw you off balance, not help you punch harder. You should be able to throw with power and return to your boxing stance immediately, or another punch. This is known as “sitting on your punch.”

Poor Distance Control

You need to know your range. Making contact with an opponent only halfway through the punch reduces punching impact force because force isn’t able to be transferred effectively to the target.

Proper Technique To Punch Hard

Let’s start with your stance. Your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder-width to provide you with a solid base to punch from. Your knees will be slightly bent. As you start to throw your punch (in this instance, the cross or rear hand punch), your back foot will pivot in the direction of your punch with your heel lifted off the floor.

Rotate hard and fast with your trunk while simultaneously dropping your bodyweight down like you are “sitting on your punch.” Turn your hips in the direction of your punch with this rotation. Keep your shoulders, arms, and hands relaxed while throwing the punch. Turn your fist over by pronating your hand while punching. You are aiming to make contact with your index and middle finger knuckles.

If you are not wearing gloves, making contact with your ring or pinky finger knuckles is likely to cause them to break. Exhale sharply when you punch to take advantage of the ‘energy shout.’

What Exercises Help You Punch Harder And Faster?

Based on the research presented, prioritizing training the lower body seems to be a logical way of improving punching power due to its greater contribution to an effective punch. Typically, these should be done in the 3 – 6 rep range as increased muscle size is not usually the desired outcome. Each exercise mentioned is in the video below.

Jump Squat

The jump squat is an epic exercise for blasting knockout power. It can be loaded in many ways to target certain parts of the force-velocity spectrum. For example, loading >80% body weight targets the quality of strength speed.

<10% body weight targets the quality of speed-strength while training at loads between 30-45% 1RM squat targets the load that maximizes power output.

Band Assisted Jump

No one talks about this exercise. It is the most effective way of training pure speed. Strong legs are great. But you need to be able to produce force very quickly. Jumping with less than bodyweight is your ticket to developing game-changing speed.

You will need to tie a band to the top of a rack. You can either hold the band or wrap it under your arms like in the video above. I prefer it this way.

Squat

For pure strength development of the legs, you can’t go past the squat. Front squat, back squat, split squat, doesn’t matter. As long as you can load it relatively heavy, you will build stronger legs that can carry over to punching power.

Landmine Rotation

My favorite trunk exercise for boxers. Do you want to improve your ability to rotate hard and fast with your trunk and hips? You need to perform the Landmine Rotation. Make sure you turn your hip and pivot your feet. Don’t stand like a stiff statue which you will often see in other videos.

Bench Press

Those who are less informed will tell you the bench press just makes you slow. Sure, if all you did was bench press heavy and never do anything at speed. But we know that the speed at which you move the barbell while benching is highly correlated with punching power. So it would be silly to not use this exercise in your quest for knockout power.

Medicine Ball Punch Throw

Easily my favorite upper body ballistic exercise for strikers. Sure, you can perform plyometric (clap) push-ups. But they don’t give you the sequencing of the punch that the medicine ball does. Keep these light. A 2-3 kg (4-6 lb) medicine ball is more than enough. Try to replicate your punch exactly.

Punch More!

Boxing experience is associated with how hard you can punch. So it goes without saying, the more time you can spend practicing your punch technique, the better you will get at punching. Resulting in a harder and faster punch.

Here is a couple of example programs that can be used and tinkered with for someone trying to punch harder. These are general in nature and are more to provide a framework for those looking for guidance.

Remember with strength & conditioning training, certain capacities that don’t get trained while doing the sport should be touched on during strength training. For example, generating very high levels of force rarely occur (depending on the martial art).

Being able to increase the maximum level of force an athlete can produce, theoretically submaximal force outputs become easier which therefore will increase work capacity or conditioning.

Trainee with little to no strength training experience

                Preparing for more intense work in the future. Developing a general strength base.

Day 1:

A1) Upper Body Extensive Med Ball Circuit

1. Chest Pass Wall Rebound x15

2. Sideways Rotary Pass x15/side

3. Front Facing Side to Side Wall Rebound x8/side

4. Slam x15

Complete once through

B1) Box Jump 4×3

C1) Back Squat 3×4 (4sec down, leaving 2-3reps left in the tank after each set)

D1) Bench Press 3×6

D2) Chinup 3xMax bodyweight strict

E1) Pallof Press 3×10/side

E2) Side Plank 3x30sec/side

Day 2:

A1) Extensive (non-maximal) Jumping Leg Circuit

1. Tuck Jump x10

2. Skater Jump x10

3. Lunge Split Jumps x10

4. Pogo Jumps x20

5. Squat Jump x10

Complete once.

B1) Landmine Rotation 3×6/side

C1) Plate Lateral Lunge 3×5/side

D1) 1-Arm DB Press 3×6

D2) Half-Kneeling Cable Row 3×8-10/side

Day 1

A1) Band Assisted Skater Rebound Jump 3×3/side

B1) Heavy Band Rotation 3×5/side

B2) Explosive Med Ball Rotational Punch Throw (see video) 3×3/side

C1) Half Squat off Pins 3×2-3

C2) Band Assisted Jump 3×5

D1) KB Swing 3×6

Day 2

A1) Bench Press 3×1+1+1 w/30sec rest between reps @93-95% 1RM

A2) Explosive Med Ball Chest Throw 3×3

A3) Bench Throw 3×4 @30% 1RM

A4) Band Assisted or Incline Clap Pushup 3×5

B1) Weighted Pullups 4×5

How do you throw a powerful straight punch?

Short answer: From the ground up. Remember that the power comes from your feet, legs, hips, core, shoulders…and then your arms. To throw a powerful straight punch, you have to use every part of your body. After establishing a strong stance, use your legs to initiate the movement, turn your hips to continue the motion and build momentum, and finally engage your core, shoulders, and arms for the follow-through. Below, find the instructions for throwing the most powerful straight punches in the safest way.

Warnings

• If you aren’t engaging in a combat sport, never punch someone unless you’re being attacked and can’t get away. The goal of learning self-defense is to protect yourself, not start an unnecessary fight.

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• If you’re practicing your punching with a heavy bag, speed bag, hand pads, or sparring match, always wear hand wraps. If you don’t, you’re more likely to break your wrist or injure your hand.^[22]

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2. Cross

Next is the cross. Keep the same foot leading–you’ll be using the other arm. You’re also getting your whole body in on this one. To throw a cross that won’t hurt your back, start from the feet again. When you throw a cross, turn your back foot so it faces the front. The motion will follow all the way up to the hip, which should also turn towards the front. As your body turns, throw your cross letting the power come through the shoulder–lightly at first. The punch should land straight ahead, again using your first two knuckles as a guide.

Practice aiming for one spot. As you improve your accuracy, add more power, and eventually add more speed. Don’t forget to bring your hand back up to your face.

Power it up!

If you’re feeling ready, try a jab-cross combo. Don’t forget to turn your hip on the cross–sooner or later, it will feel completely natural to do so.

Breathing Is Integral

Some kung fu master [probably] once said some very prophetic and beautiful stuff about how breathing and exhaling bad energy out of one’s body is just as important to fighting as any of the violent stuff. We can’t confirm it, but we feel like it’s something that someone somewhere would say. Nevertheless, the fact is, when you’re throwing a punch, proper breathing techniques are incredibly important. Not only does proper breathing improve your technique and overall style, but it also helps keep you from gassing out (duh) and getting rolled over. Link

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