Every person who is interested in martial arts asks himself this question over time. Indeed, the force of a blow plays an important role in battles and is trained as a separate element.
Impact force is developed due to two factors: body weight and speed. The result is mass multiplied by speed. Thus, a thin person with little weight (if he has high speed punch), can punch as hard as a heavy bodybuilder. Of course, the correct striking technique, which involves putting the maximum of your weight into the strike, plays a huge role in mixing these two factors.
Basic exercises
— Classic exercise is considered “shadow boxing” with weights. You will need two dumbbells. Select them by weight so that you have enough for at least a few minutes. This exercise for developing the speed of strikes was invented more than a hundred years ago. During such training, try to work in a working rhythm, practicing familiar combinations of strikes. If after the exercise you try punches without dumbbells in your hands, you will clearly feel the speed and ease with which your fists will fly out.
- When punching, the triceps are mainly involved, deltoids, latissimus muscles back, pectoralis major and forearms. To develop the strength of these groups perfect exercise are push-ups. Such training will pump up the muscles you need, which together with speed will give you very good results. Push-ups on fists are considered to be the most effective.
— Throws with the ball. Regular is best for you tennis ball. Stand with your side to the wall, and your feet shoulder-width apart. You need to throw with the hand farthest from the wall, try to put in as much force as possible, after the rebound, catch the ball and continue throwing. The main thing is to do this maximum speed without slowing down. You will make your strikes fast and dexterous.
— There is another option with throwing the ball. But the equipment used here is a little different; it’s a heavy, large ball that boxers use in their training. It can also be replaced with a basketball one. You should stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise the ball above your head and throw it on the floor in front of you, catching it on the rebound. This is good for increasing the sharpness, speed and endurance of the muscles you need. This exercise can be done 15-20 times.
— Sometimes in the gym you can see people doing a rather strange exercise. They place the barbell vertically and begin to push it away from themselves with their hand. But for people involved in martial arts, and especially boxing, this is one of the main exercises. Such pushes of the bar perfectly develop your explosive force. The blow becomes sharp and powerful. You can do such pushes 20-25 times on each hand.
Knowing how to protect yourself on the street is a very important skill. The ability to deliver a knockout blow is necessary not only professional boxers, but also to the ordinary person. In this case, a lot depends on physical preparation. There are different ways how to increase impact power. Activated during the attack various groups muscles, so you need to know how to properly prepare them all.
How to increase your punching power
The degree of damage is influenced by the following types of muscles:
Large pectoralis;
Triceps brachialis;
Wide dorsal;
Deltoid;
Muscles of the forearm.
How to make your arm muscles stronger
You can strengthen them by doing regular push-ups. If a trainee can do this 100 times, the impact force will be 2 times greater. The load on a certain muscle group depends on the position in which the hands are placed.
Exercise options:
First option: regular push-ups, hands at shoulder level. Performed slowly, at a rate of 20 presses per minute.
Second option: hands are placed together at the level of the stomach, the body is directed forward.
Third option: place your hands wider than shoulder width and perform presses.
How to increase your kicking power
Since the weight of the leg exceeds the weight of the arm, it is capable of causing more serious damage to the enemy. However, for this it is not enough to work out a clear technique, physical training must be appropriate. The question arises: “How to increase the power of a kick?” To do this you need to train separately. Following the trajectory of the attack allows you to make the damage as effective as possible, since the blow is delivered along the shortest path, taking into account the laws of physics.
There are different exercises, capable of making a kick attack powerful:
1. Leg raises. The exercise is very difficult, but effective. Strengthens the muscles of the thighs and abdomen. To perform it, you need to stand at a distance of 60 cm from the chair, then smoothly execute the trajectory of the impact and fix the leg in the final position for 2-4 seconds (the more, the better). After this, lower your foot onto the back of the chair. Perform 2-3 approaches.
2. Practice with simulators. Performing leg presses helps increase muscle endurance and strength. You can also do squats.
How to increase your punching and kicking speed
Working out in the gym increases strength. However, the built-up muscles have more weight, therefore, according to the laws of physics, the speed of the strike is lost. To prevent this, it is necessary to simultaneously develop the ability of the muscles to inflict damage not only powerfully, but also as quickly as possible. To develop your arms, you should perform the following exercises:
1. Speed push-ups. To do this, you need to perform presses as quickly as possible.
2. You can speed up the attack with your hands by performing claps from a lying position. It is necessary to do push-ups and bottom position push off the floor with your hands so that you can clap in front of you.
3. Initial pose: lying on your fists, hands at the level of the solar plexus. Do presses as quickly as possible and many times.
There are other exercises to increase your kicking speed:
1. Jumping. You need to squat and jump as high as possible from the bottom position.
2. Kicking with weights (0.5-3kg). Over a certain period of time in the fight (3-5 minutes), maintaining a tempo, you should constantly kick at certain levels. For beginners, the rhythm could be, for example, 1 beat every 3 seconds. It is important to follow it, then not only the speed of the strike will increase, but also endurance and strength.
3. Jumping on an obstacle. You need to sit down a little and jump onto some surface. Do this until your legs get tired. This exercise effectively develops impact speed.
Punching quickly and powerfully is a basic skill needed to become a good boxer. Mastering such a strike begins with improving physical fitness and learning to perform a strike in such a way that the source of force is not only the arm, but the whole body. By learning how to properly aim and hit within striking distance, you can give your punches more speed, and by using training techniques that help you instantly increase muscle mass, you can build strength. If you're ready to take your punching skill to the next level, then move on to step one.
Steps
Working on your physical fitness
- When practicing punching, pay attention to your hips. Rotate them quickly and forcefully towards the target, as if you were about to strike it with your hips rather than with your fist. This will help you develop the strength needed to be strong and quick strike.
- While spinning, you should not have to lean forward or try to reach the target. If you have to reach towards the target in order to hit it, you will lose power.
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Throw your hand forward. Your shoulders should be free until you are ready to strike. When ready, throw your arm forward to easily reach the person you are hitting. While your hand isn't moving, keep it relaxed and then make a fist to throw a heavy punch.
- When making a fist, clench all four fingers except the thumb and wrap them last. Check that thumb bent behind, otherwise he will be hit by you.
- Pre-bandaging your hand will allow you to avoid injury and make the blow more powerful.
- Don't plan your punch before throwing a punch, or your opponent will figure out your plan before you even try to punch. This is called "wiring" and results in lost matches.
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Make contact and exhale. Once you have made contact with the target, exhale. It will likely take some practice to be able to time your breathing so that you exhale with each beat, but getting into the correct breathing rhythm is well worth the effort. Inhale before the blow and exhale as it lands, putting every ounce of your energy into the blow.
- After landing a strike, jump back to your starting position to prepare for the next strike.
- Remember to tuck your chin in so you are ready for a counterpunch if one comes.
Increased speed and strength
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When throwing a fist, consider the distance. You should only throw a punch if you are at the ideal distance to deliver it with maximum force. This means being close enough to hit without deflecting or leaning forward. You should be able to deliver the punch with your arm extended, but not too extended.
- If you have to lean forward to make a shot, a lot of the power in your shot will be lost.
- Practice on the punching bag until you understand how far away you need to be from the target when hitting. This distance depends on the length of your arm and your range of motion.
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Move your whole body. The importance of using your entire body, not just your arm, to throw a punch cannot be overstated. Even if you can move your arm quickly, without rotating your entire body, your punch will be less powerful when moving just your arm.
- Using your leg muscles will allow you to generate power and speed when hitting. The leg muscles are the largest and strong muscles bodies, and they must stand behind every punch.
- Remember that during the impact you cannot lift your feet off the floor, as this will throw you off balance and take away some of your strength. Keep your feet quick, but keep them close to the floor.
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Hit from different angles. In combat, you won't hit the same way every time. Learn to determine which type of strike will be most powerful in each specific situation. To improve your fighting prowess, work on mastering your strikes from the following basic angles:
Choose the right moment. Since distance is very important when you want to punch with the most force, it is important to understand that not every punch will be the hardest. If you are slightly outside the optimal distance, the shot will be slightly weaker due to the fact that you will be trying to get into the correct position for more powerful blow. Good point to deliver the strongest blow occurs when the following conditions are met:
- If your opponent is in the process of striking, as he will be less focused on what you are doing.
- If he let his guard down. You can create this situation by throwing irregular strikes or attacking from unexpected angles.
- If he is stunned by a previous blow. To prepare for a powerful right cross, try starting with a quick jab.
Training to Improve Your Punch
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Practice hitting slowly. The hardest hits aren't really the fastest. Your arm may be moving faster than the rest of your body, so waiting for your body to catch up with your arm slows down the strike. Even though the power punch is generally slow, there will be times when you have just the right amount of time to land a slow but extremely powerful punch. It's worth practicing punching at a slow speed so you can feel the force that comes from giving your body time to become the support of your fist.
- When training, try hitting twice as slow. Force yourself to slow down and concentrate on using your leg muscles and core to maximize the power of your punch.
- When you hit at full speed, don't forget where the power to hit comes from. While you won't be punching at half the normal speed in the ring, you can still focus on using your legs and core to generate as much power as possible.
EXPERT ADVICE
Krav Maga instructor
Asher Smiley is the owner and head instructor of Krav Maga Revolution in Petaluma, California. Studied at different countries from the best Krav Maga instructors. In 2017, he completed training at the International Federation of KAPAP Combat Krav Maga International, which consisted of a 7-day seminar on tactics and an 8-day course for CKMI instructors.
Krav Maga instructor
To learn correct position, avoid training with resistance bands. When you use an expander, you are not technically able to do right shot fist. This is how you build muscle, but that's a slightly different story. You are not hitting as accurately as you might think.
Train on a pneumatic bag. Speed is just as important as strength - if you are too slow, your opponent will have time to throw many more punches. Train with a punching bag and pay attention to how fast your arms move. Maintain proper training form and remember to move your thumb away from the knuckles during impact.
Do strength training. A little strength training - great way support the body at its best in better shape, but it alone will not make you a stronger or faster boxer. You need to train your punching muscles, hitting rather than lifting weights. Therefore, a great idea would be the mode strength training, which strengthens your legs and core to deliver maximum power punches.
Do cardio exercises. The best types of cardio you need to get what you need good boxer forms are swimming and jumping rope. When you need to take a break from regular exercise, consider these types of exercise as an alternative. Running, cycling, and other types of cardio are beneficial, but they don't provide the strength gains that specifically help your body perform hard in the boxing ring.
Take the correct stance. For good hit With a fist, the placement of the feet and legs is of great importance, since such a blow requires the work of the whole body. Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart so you can easily pivot toward your target and throw your weight behind the punch.
Keep your eyes on the target. Your concentration should not leave your target. Never close your eyes or look away; In order to aim correctly and execute a blow with power and accuracy, maintain concentration. Tuck your chin in slightly so that it is protected by the striking hand during the strike.
Generate power through your hips and core. As you kick, rotate your hips and body toward the target. Try to position yourself so that the rotation is as complete as possible, even if you are very close to the target. Your punch will be stronger if you can turn completely instead of just shifting slightly. When throwing a punch, you should really feel the weight of your body.
In order for a blow to become more powerful, you need to understand how its force is generated:
- technique, impact trajectory;
- speed;
- body weight.
Setting up equipment
It is the technique of striking that primarily affects their strength. If you want to succeed in this, then you need to contact a trainer who can explain to you what trajectory your arm or leg should follow, when you should tense or relax your fist as much as possible, and how the body should behave at the moment of impact. Let's look at some points further.
Feet
- Should be slightly wider than shoulder width.
- The heel rises first.
- When hitting, the foot must be turned in the direction of the hand movement.
- On impact right hand the left foot is in place, and the heel of the right is raised and vice versa.
- Your knees should be slightly bent and your body weight should be shifted forward.
- Rotate your hips towards your opponent at the same time as you strike.
- Full body movement upon impact, with a close throw of the arm, is more effective.
- Never reach forward, sharply turn your torso.
- When swinging, do not move your arm back, as this can easily expose you.
- The fist must be clenched as tightly as possible upon impact.
- Exhale with each stroke.
All of the above requirements must be met simultaneously.
The technique can be improved throughout your life, from which the blows will become stronger. Pay attention to this component as the main one.
Developing strength, speed and explosiveness
Kicking the ball
Find some free space to do this exercise. Try to find a heavy ball that boxers use in training. If you don't have one, use a basketball one.
Starting position: feet shoulder-width apart, body straight. Raise the ball high above your head. Hit the ball hard on the floor and catch it after it bounces. Repeat the exercise at least 15 times.
If you live in an apartment, then it is better to refuse this exercise, otherwise you might break your neighbors’ ceiling.
Jump Squats
Starting position: stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides. Squat down until your knees are level with your hips. Jump up as much as possible while raising your arms. Repeat jumping until you run out of strength (for better effect you can pick up dumbbells).
As for the upper body, the triceps, back muscles and shoulders play a big role for a powerful blow.
Pull-ups
When doing pull-ups, you should keep your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. If desired, you can hang weights on your belt. Try to do as many pull-ups as possible.
Push-ups
Try to keep your hands as close to each other as possible. Don't arch your back, keep it straight. Push-ups develop the triceps, back and chest muscles. The bench press works on the same principle. To strengthen your hand, try doing push-ups with your fists.
Reverse push-ups
Find a bench, stand with your back to it, lean on your palms, squatting slightly. Start lowering and rising on your hands. Perform three sets of twenty times.
Raising the kettlebell forward
Place your legs at your sides. Take the kettlebell with one hand and hold it between your legs with your arm straight. Bend your legs slightly at the knees. Sharply jerk the kettlebell forward to a level of 90 degrees relative to the body. At the highest point, your back should be straight. Repeat for up to eight kettlebell raises with one arm. Then switch hands. You should feel tension in your muscles.
Jerk
The exercise is similar to the previous one, with the only difference being that the weight is now raised above your head. After 8-12 repetitions, change hands.
Snatch and jerk
Place the weight between your legs. Place your hand on it, pushing your hips back. Pull upward sharply, positioning your arm so as to throw the weight over your shoulders. Now use a push to lift it above your head. Return to starting position. Do ten lifts of the weight with one hand.
Lifting a kettlebell up from a seated position
Place the weight over your shoulder in a squatting position. Left hand put it forward, this will help you maintain your balance. Lift the weight up. Wait a second, then do a second lift. Change hand. Make sure to keep your calves and buttocks tight.
Lifting a kettlebell from a lying position
Lie on your back, take a kettlebell in one hand and lift it. The hand should always be in a vertical position. From this position you need to try to rise. First bend one leg, then the other. You can help with your free hand. Do the exercise about ten times.
Two kettlebell push
Place two weights on your shoulders. Inhale, then jerk both weights above your head. Slowly lower them. The abs should be tense during exercises.
Other options for developing impact force
- Use regularly hand expander. Buy the hardest implement and work alternately with both hands. Be sure to squeeze the expander sharply, applying all your strength. The exercise helps develop the interdigital muscles and forearms. As a result, the fist will become stronger and more powerful.
- Every day, jump rope with your hips high. Try to reach with your knees chest.
- Exercises with a sledgehammer are no less effective. Take a tool (it’s best to do this near the garage) and start hitting unnecessary tires. During the exercise, exactly those muscles that are involved in striking are activated.
- Ask your partner to help you. It is necessary to work on your “paws”. Hit as if the target was a few centimeters further than the paw. Try to penetrate the projectile as if through it. This exercise will help you not lose speed and hit your opponent harder.
- The most effective blows are the ones you least expect. You need to hit unexpectedly so that the enemy does not have time to react. The “shadow boxing” exercise will help you develop speed and sharpness. Perform the exercise daily for at least ten minutes. Additionally, you can add 1-2 kg dumbbells to your hands.
- You can use a rubber band or cut straight pieces from a car tire. Tie one end of the material to a wall or something that is securely fastened. Take the other end in your hand and strike, resisting the back pressure of the rubber band.
- To develop an explosive strike, you can do push-ups on your fists and palms off the floor. Three approaches of ten times are enough.
- To increase your speed, try jumping. Start with one hit and gradually increase. So, it should be possible to deliver 3-4 blows before your feet touch the floor.
All of these exercises help develop punching power, make the muscles and tendons of the arms stronger, and also more resilient. If you do them regularly, the results will be noticeable within a week.
A strong blow is necessary, but it should only be used for defense. Always be aware of the consequences that may arise.
The Importance of Hitting Accuracy
No matter how strong your blows are, if they are delivered to protected areas, they will be of little use. It is important to hit vulnerable spots. From an anatomical point of view, knockout is a critical load on the cerebellum. An impulse from the central nervous system shuts down the body. A direct impact on this center of the brain is carried out by a blow to:
- jaw;
- temple;
- the back of the head.
In addition to the head, there are other vulnerable spots, the impact of which can demoralize an opponent. A powerful attack on such zones interrupts the normal functioning of the body, depriving the enemy of consciousness and capacity:
- liver– “depot” of blood and blows to this area cause spasm, suffocation and loss of consciousness;
- solar plexus - a large bundle of nerves, an accurate hit guarantees a temporary cessation of breathing and makes it impossible to act;
- under the heart: powerful penetrating impact with a fist or foot leads to tachycardia, blockage of the respiratory center, and sometimes cardiac arrest;
- lower abdomen and groin- no comments.
The knockout threshold is individual for each person, but it is known that even a blow with a force of 150 kg can knock out an opponent if it is delivered precisely and suddenly. And for the lower part of the jaw, 15 kg is enough! In classical boxing they teach you to hit the following vulnerable areas on the human body:
In boxing, fights are most often won through technique and intelligence, rather than through brute force and power. However, some boxers are so physically strong that it doesn't matter what their opponent's game plan is. Ultimately, power makes all the difference.
With the kind of power some boxers possess, the gap between technical science and good old-fashioned punching is closing in the ring. We have seen this more than once. The killing power of a blow is an amazing thing. It provides incredibly exciting fights where the spirit of knockout is literally in the air. Casual fans come to boxing to see thunder and lightning, not technical finesse.
However, not everyone has such a blow. Some boxers are simply not blessed with this unique attribute. While knockout power is largely a physical gift, punching power can't be trained, at least a little.
Want to turn your hands into heavy artillery? Here are some exercises to help you with this.
1. Medicine ball throwing
Medicine balls have long been used in boxing to increase punching power, and there are at least two ways to throw them.
First. You can lie on your back and grab a very heavy medicine ball. Taking the ball in both hands, try to throw it as high as possible, pushing it away from your chest. Catch the ball with both hands and repeat.
Second. Take a medium-heavy ball and take fighting stance. With one hand, grasp the ball in your palm and push it forward as hard as possible. You can throw the ball against a wall or have a partner throw it back at you. Throw as if you were throwing a punch.
Both methods train the explosive power of your arms. It is important to throw the medicine ball with the greatest explosion. Do these exercises regularly and you will probably notice an increase in your punching power in the near future.
2. Plyometric push-ups
Plyometric training, also known as “jump training,” is an exercise that forces the muscles to exert maximum force in short bursts. The goal is not only to increase power, but also speed.
Plyometric push-ups are one of the most underrated exercises that can help increase your punching power. Start by getting into a standard push-up position. Lower yourself down as normal, but as you extend your arms, explode so that your arms come off the floor. This exercise trains the strength of the arms, shoulders and chest - all those parts of the body that are responsible for a strong blow.
You can also vary the exercise slightly by clapping your hands in the air or clapping your chest. Be sure to keep your torso and legs straight while doing this. If you don’t have enough strength yet, you can do these push-ups with your knees touching the floor.
This does wonders for your explosiveness, which then shows up in the ring.
3. Work on a heavy bag
One of the most important tools in the gym for increasing punching power is the heavy bag. On this apparatus you can practice applying your most strong blows on an inanimate target.
Work approximately according to the following schedule: 3 minutes of work, 1 minute of rest. Divide the work into cycles of 10-15 seconds. For 10-15 seconds, try to hit as hard as possible, hitting the bag with a series of crosses, hooks and uppercuts. Then 10-15 seconds active recreation, involving light jabs and footwork.
Make sure you pay close attention to technique, as proper technique will ensure that you hit with optimal power.
A legendary boxer who spent a lot of time working on the heavy bag was Roberto Duran, known by the nickname "Stone Fists".
4. Shadowboxing
Believe it or not, shadow boxing is one of the... best exercises to train your punching power as it will ensure that you focus on technique and proper execution of punches, completely forgetting about punching power.
One of the biggest pitfalls in boxing training is that boxers blindly focus on increasing their punching power rather than learning the technique behind it. Shadow boxing helps train correct technique, which in turn helps to train striking power.
Make shadowboxing an important part of your training. Ideally, you should dedicate 3-5 rounds to this each time. Stand in front of a mirror and shadow box, paying close attention to your technique and how you throw your punches. It will be best if a coach or friend monitors you and makes adjustments if necessary.
As you become more technically savvy, your punching power also increases. In addition, shadowboxing develops defense, head movements and footwork.
