How To Punch Harder
Although boxing punches use the arms and hands to deliver a solid shot to a punching bag or opponent there are many other muscle groups and body parts which will help athletes increase the power and effectiveness of their boxing punches.
Let's start at the lower half of the body with the legs. The legs, thighs, hips, and glutes are all important muscles groups when athletes are developing rotational power. Just as a baseball player would not stand square to the pitcher when batting, a boxer does not stand square to their opponent when delivering boxing punches. Instead, both baseball players and boxers turn their body. This is done slightly out of protection for the athletes but this starting position is also crucial for athletes to unleash the great rotational power contained within them,
As a boxer begins to throw boxing punches like hooks, upper cuts, and crosses they must maintain a good defensive position by keeping their opposite hand close to their body for protection. This tight body positioning also allows the athlete to get a good rotation with their hips and use the tightly compacted body to help create momentum and inertia to deliver a powerful punch. When athletes are throwing boxing punches like jabs they will not use rotational movements as this punch is more of a set up for other more powerful punches.
How To Punch Harder: Using The Lower Body
When learning how to punch harder athletes must learn how to properly use their lower body to generate greater force, and rotational power to deliver a quick, strong punch. Athletes should begin with their feet shoulder width, or slightly wider than shoulder width apart, with their front toe pointed forward and their back foot rotated away from the athletes’ body. This foot position helps create more power when throwing boxing punches due to the athletes’ ability to better drive off the foot, and create more glute activation for the rotational movement. The back foot will also rotate and “squish the bug” as the boxing punches are being thrown. Athletes will also need to rotate their hips with the punch to help their lower body create power through the thighs and abdominal muscles.
When throwing boxing punches with the athletes dominant side (hooks, crosses, and upper cuts) the heel of the back foot will rotate out. When throwing punches with the non-dominant side (hooks, upper cuts) the heel will slightly rotate to the inside of the athletes’ body. During boxing workouts, as boxing punches and combinations are thrown, it is important athletes keep their back foot in contact with the ground. This will help keep the athlete in good position to throw more boxing punches, or will allow the athlete to successfully complete a boxing combination. Keeping the foot on the ground will take practice and should be a focus of all beginning boxing workouts.
Use Kbands During Boxing Workouts
The best way for athletes to learn how to punch harder is to practice their boxing punches. Great technique and timing are the keys to being successful in any combat sport. However, a great addition to timing and technique are strength and power. These two athletic attributes can be added to boxing punches through the use of Kbands Leg Resistance Bands. Just as Kbands Leg Resistance Bands help baseball, soccer, volleyball, and lacrosse players with their rotational power it will also help boxers increase their effectiveness in much the same manner.
Attaching the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands during all boxing workouts will help athletes create more tension on the muscles in the thighs, hips, legs, and torso. Increasing the strength and speed these muscles can fire is crucial for any athletes’ ability to continually develop power in their boxing punches. The placement of the resistance forces greater muscle recruitment in those areas, while removing the resistance and performing unresisted boxing workouts will further aid in the speed development of these muscles. Basically, athletes add strength during resisted sets. Athletes add speed with additional unresisted sets. The definition of power is the combination of speed and strength.
Athletes can also explore workouts with the Victory Ropes, KB PowerBands, Reactive Stretch Cord, and Kbands Stability Ball for additional rotational strengthening.
Resisted Power Boxing Punches
To perform the Power Boxing Punches athletes will need a set of Kbands Leg Resistance Bands, pair of boxing gloves, and a partner or punching bag. Athletes will attach the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands securely just above the knees and assume a good boxing stance in front of their bag or partner.
Athletes who are right handed will begin with their left hand and foot forward, raising their hand high to protect the face, and keeping both elbows tight to the body. The dominant hand and foot will be behind. The dominant hand should be placed tight to the jaw area with the elbow tight to the body. The dominant foot will be positioned to the rear with the toe facing out. Athletes will keep a slight bend in the knees and hips while throwing boxing punches and combinations.
To execute the Power Boxing Punches athletes will work through a four-punch combination. The combination will be jab, jab, cross, hook (or 1-1-2-3). To throw a successful jab athletes will quickly “jab” at their point of contact, quickly returning back to a good boxing stance. For this boxing punches combination two quick jabs will be thrown before throwing a cross with the dominant hand. The “cross” requires the athlete to punch across their body, rotating their hips, “squishing the bug” with their back foot, and keeping their opposite hand and elbow protecting their body. A “hook” is the ultimate example of rotational power as these boxing punches require the athlete to keep everything tight to the body as the athlete creates a 90 degree angle at their elbow (for this combination athletes will throw the “hook” with their non-dominant hand) rotating the hips and using the inertia of the hip rotation and legs to drive the power of the punch.