# How do boxers punch?



## Leo89 (Nov 18, 2016)

I've been taking taekwondo, used to be in American kenpo, so I'm used to leaning into my punches, but they don't like that in taekwondo, been thinking of adding boxing to the mix, but I don't know how boxers punch. 

Or anything about it really, I'd assume there are basic blocks, and things like jabs, uppercuts, etc. 

But in reality I've no clue about how boxers go about sparring. 

So, how do you punch?


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## Kickboxer101 (Nov 18, 2016)

Well for a start you shouldn't be leaning into punches in American kenpo. You use a forward bow when you're doing a reverse punch that gets you your ESP (extension, stability and power) and for boxing its very similiar twists your hips on your punches


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## Transk53 (Nov 18, 2016)

Leo89 said:


> I've been taking taekwondo, used to be in American kenpo, so I'm used to leaning into my punches, but they don't like that in taekwondo, been thinking of adding boxing to the mix, but I don't know how boxers punch.
> 
> Or anything about it really, I'd assume there are basic blocks, and things like jabs, uppercuts, etc.
> 
> ...



Sparring is just an exercise of bringing it together. Where you work those combos and footwork, balance and weight with stance etc. Best advice, get yourself down to a boxing gym, work some basic drills. Sparring in boxing is something you do when you ain't gonna get hurt, know what you are doing, and more importantly, when you know what you're feet are doing.


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## Buka (Nov 18, 2016)




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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Nov 18, 2016)

Leo89 said:


> I've been taking taekwondo, used to be in American kenpo, so I'm used to leaning into my punches, but they don't like that in taekwondo, been thinking of adding boxing to the mix, but I don't know how boxers punch.
> 
> Or anything about it really, I'd assume there are basic blocks, and things like jabs, uppercuts, etc.
> 
> ...


How do you plan on adding boxing to the mix if you don't get trained by boxers (who know how they punch and spar)?


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## Leo89 (Nov 18, 2016)

kempodisciple said:


> How do you plan on adding boxing to the mix if you don't get trained by boxers (who know how they punch and spar)?


Pay for some lessons and add it to the mix.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Nov 18, 2016)

Leo89 said:


> Pay for some lessons and add it to the mix.


If you are doing that, why bother asking on here how they punch? It would be way easier to learn face to face in those lessons.


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## Leo89 (Nov 18, 2016)

kempodisciple said:


> If you are doing that, why bother asking on here how they punch? It would be way easier to learn face to face in those lessons.


Well sorry for asking then.

Sometimes it's quicker to ask online, at 10:30 pm than it is to call up a closed gym.


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## JowGaWolf (Nov 18, 2016)

The problem that you may have with the boxer punches is that some of the punches may not work well with the type kicks and TKD techniques that you have to do.  It's not a game stopper but boxing punches don't work well with things like this. Provided that you school teaches any of these hand strikes


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## Kung Fu Wang (Nov 18, 2016)

If you punch on your heavy bag from your on guard position daily, after a year your punch will be similar to a boxer's punch. One good punch training is to punch

- as fast as you can,
- as powerful as you can, and
- don't stop,

until you are totally exhausted (may be after 60 punches). After you have gone through this training, you will understand that there is no boxing punch, no Kung Fu punch, no TKD punch, no Karate punch, ... There is only "your punch".


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## JowGaWolf (Nov 18, 2016)

Kung Fu Wang said:


> until you are totally exhausted (may be after 60 punches). After you have gone through this training, you will understand that there is no boxing punch, no Kung Fu punch, no TKD punch, no Karate punch, ... There is only "your punch".


I actually do this every Thursday but I do 400 punches (on both hands (sets of 50 on each hand) and the only thing I have is a tired punch lol.  I guess the kettle bell exercises in between punches don't help to keep the arms fresh 

Once I master the endurance of these punches I'll then add in the big circular punches.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Nov 18, 2016)

JowGaWolf said:


> but I do 400 punches ...


Old Chinese saying said, "In dark alley fight, whoever has courage will win." I have always believed that if I can punch like a mad man, my chance for survival will be high. If I can't knock out my opponent within 60 punches, I should put my tail between my legs and run.


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## Kickboxer101 (Nov 19, 2016)

Leo89 said:


> Well sorry for asking then.
> 
> Sometimes it's quicker to ask online, at 10:30 pm than it is to call up a closed gym.


Well yeah but it's not exactly something you need to know at 10:30 at night. I think what he's saying is that if you're going to train in boxing the best thing to do is listen to a coach first then maybe come look for advice online because if you get our ideas and you think you know how they punch and your coach says something different you'll still have what we said in your head and it'll be harder to fix


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## Buka (Nov 19, 2016)

Kung Fu Wang said:


> If you punch on your heavy bag from your on guard position daily, after a year your punch will be similar to a boxer's punch. One good punch training is to punch
> 
> - as fast as you can,
> - as powerful as you can, and
> ...



I really liked that.


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## Gerry Seymour (Nov 19, 2016)

kempodisciple said:


> If you are doing that, why bother asking on here how they punch? It would be way easier to learn face to face in those lessons.


Perhaps out of curiosity, and wanting to hear from folks who can relate it back to the two styles he already has familiarity with?

There's no reason to smack someone down for asking a question like that.


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## Gerry Seymour (Nov 19, 2016)

Kickboxer101 said:


> Well yeah but it's not exactly something you need to know at 10:30 at night. I think what he's saying is that if you're going to train in boxing the best thing to do is listen to a coach first then maybe come look for advice online because if you get our ideas and you think you know how they punch and your coach says something different you'll still have what we said in your head and it'll be harder to fix


I don't think there's any real danger of what he hears on a forum overriding what a coach tells him, unless he practices it a lot to engrain it before he goes to a coach. He already has two kinds of punches in his head that will likely conflict with the boxing punch until he develops the habit. A few words aren't going to make it any worse.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Nov 19, 2016)

Leo89 said:


> Well sorry for asking then.
> 
> Sometimes it's quicker to ask online, at 10:30 pm than it is to call up a closed gym.


I had a bad day yesterday, so that is probably why my comment had the attitude it did, sorry.
The thing that I wanted to say was: Asking a question like that on a forum won't really help you. You'll either get different answers from boxers trying to explain the same thing, but it sounding different from online, or people generalizing about boxers, kenpo and tkd and how they think those styles punch, which may not match up with your own experience. The most it can do is just fill your head with preconceptions that you then have to get rid of. 

However, in no style should you 'lean in' to your punch. You should always be putting weight into it, but actually leaning in is a recipe for disaster.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Nov 19, 2016)

gpseymour said:


> I don't think there's any real danger of what he hears on a forum overriding what a coach tells him, unless he practices it a lot to engrain it before he goes to a coach. He already has two kinds of punches in his head that will likely conflict with the boxing punch until he develops the habit. A few words aren't going to make it any worse.


But he may end up doubting what the coach says if it conflicts with what we say. The chances of that happening are small, but the chances of this thread helping him are even smaller.

Also, since he is planning on taking a couple classes in boxing, to override both types of punching, even the slightest confusion will make that tougher.


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## Transk53 (Nov 19, 2016)

Leo89 said:


> Pay for some lessons and add it to the mix.



Would certainly do know no harm, but like anything, does take some time and effort. My pet hate shadow boxing is also key, even if it does not feel like it. Rather than add it to the mix, don't really think you do that as such IMHO. To me Western boxing  is something to separate from other MA training. At least until the technique is sound. When I was learning the left jab, I kept dropping my left arm. In fact it is a bad habit, so other bad habits may creep in. Personally there is no reason why you couldn't, and should, learn to box, keep it seperate as a discipline for now. And have lots of fun doing it. Just my take


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## Gerry Seymour (Nov 19, 2016)

kempodisciple said:


> But he may end up doubting what the coach says if it conflicts with what we say. The chances of that happening are small, but the chances of this thread helping him are even smaller.
> 
> Also, since he is planning on taking a couple classes in boxing, to override both types of punching, even the slightest confusion will make that tougher.


If he has intellectual curiosity, fulfilling it will not make things any harder. Since he already knows there are multiple approaches to punching, it's unlikely he'd get confused by something here that conflicts with what a coach tells him. That might be a risk for a beginner without that experience - expecting there to be one "right" way, but it seems unlikely for someone who has some experience in two striking styles.

As for this thread helping him, it will satisfy his curiosity. It need do no more than that to be useful to him. And hearing some explanations from folks who understand one or both of his background styles might even help him translate what the boxing coach says, should there be any confusion based on differing use of some words.


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## paitingman (Nov 19, 2016)

Boxing punching is misleading in how dogmatic and rigid certain teaching methods seem. How boxers punch is so freeform and there are Probably a thousand ways you'll see them punch. The underlying mechanics are generally the same though. The "punching method" taught if there is such a thing is meant to put you in alignment with those mechanics and hopefully give a deep understanding of them. Once that's achieved the way the punches look and are delivered can be almost whatever. 
Most high level boxers have more than several types of jabs and that's just the most basic punch. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## KangTsai (Nov 19, 2016)

Leo89 said:


> I've been taking taekwondo, used to be in American kenpo, so I'm used to leaning into my punches, but they don't like that in taekwondo, been thinking of adding boxing to the mix, but I don't know how boxers punch.
> 
> Or anything about it really, I'd assume there are basic blocks, and things like jabs, uppercuts, etc.
> 
> ...


It's very complex to describe upfront, so I'll just list the general fundamentals and taken-for-granted aspects.

-the whole body goes into a punch, starting from the toes, to the core, to the shoulders and triceps. 
-jabbing is a valuable, versatile tool.
-a guard is maintained as much as possible
-Exhale on punches
-Don't lean

Many little details exist.


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## Transk53 (Nov 19, 2016)

KangTsai said:


> It's very complex to describe upfront, so I'll just list the general fundamentals and taken-for-granted aspects.
> 
> -the whole body goes into a punch, starting from the toes, to the core, to the shoulders and triceps.
> -jabbing is a valuable, versatile tool.
> ...



Which little details are many major details. Lean works as a off putting tactic, straight back into stance


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## Skpotamus (Nov 20, 2016)

There's a pretty god website called expert boxing where the guy has a lot of videos and articles about boxing.  Good technical stuff.  He sells a course, but a lot of his stuff is free.  The BEGINNER’S Guide to Boxing

It might be different than you'll learn at a boxing gym though.  Each gym/coach kind of has their own style they teach.  Kind of depends on what you're doing.  If it's a cardio box/no contact class, you'll probably get the generic overview without as much meat.  If you're actually there to learn to box and maybe get a few fights in, you'll get more instruction, and eventually, the coach will tailor what he's showing you to you and help you develop your own style.   

Be ready for little instruction.  Most boxing gyms will show you the basics, then leave you alone for a few rounds to practice it.  There's a lot of figuring out how to do things for yourself instead of the more common martial arts method of rigid instruction.  

Watch some amateur boxing vids online to get an idea of what you'll probably be learning at first.


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## Gerry Seymour (Nov 20, 2016)

This thread has me thinking it'd be nice to find a boxing gym sometime and get some training there for a few months. I'd like to learn their punching style and their blocks and get a chance to work against it. Maybe find a friend or two who are skilled and interested in some open sparring to sharpen our skills.


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## Bill Mattocks (Nov 20, 2016)

There are some types of punching that boxers do not do. At least not these days.

That is because boxing is primarily a sport. A very good one, and quite useful for self-defense as well. But I don't think boxers use different fist formations, or strikes with the knuckles, sides, or palms of their hands, nor gouges, nor strikes below the belt or to the back of the head.

From what little I know of it, power is generated somewhat differently than I'm used to, for example I would not lift my heel on a cross or overhand punch.

Still would not like to be hit by a trained boxer. It's good stuff.


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## Tony Dismukes (Nov 20, 2016)

gpseymour said:


> This thread has me thinking it'd be nice to find a boxing gym sometime and get some training there for a few months. I'd like to learn their punching style and their blocks and get a chance to work against it. Maybe find a friend or two who are skilled and interested in some open sparring to sharpen our skills.


Whenever you manage to get to Lexington next we can go over some boxing basics along with trading BJJ/Shojin-ryu knowledge.


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## Gerry Seymour (Nov 20, 2016)

Tony Dismukes said:


> Whenever you manage to get to Lexington next we can go over some boxing basics along with trading BJJ/Shojin-ryu knowledge.


Sweet! That'd be even better. Your background will probably give you some insights into where boxing tactics would find weaknesses in what I do.


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## Kickboxer101 (Nov 20, 2016)

Bill Mattocks said:


> There are some types of punching that boxers do not do. At least not these days.
> 
> That is because boxing is primarily a sport. A very good one, and quite useful for self-defense as well. But I don't think boxers use different fist formations, or strikes with the knuckles, sides, or palms of their hands, nor gouges, nor strikes below the belt or to the back of the head.
> 
> ...


Yeah that's what I've noticed in my kickboxing and kenpo training. In kenpo you keep your back heel on the ground when you punch to keep stability and balance so if someone tries to push you over you'll have both feet fully on the floor. Whereas in boxing/kickboxing they do punch with the heel up because if they get pushed over its not as big a deal for them since its a sport and if they go down from it the ref will simply let you get up. But both ways work in different ways.


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## jks9199 (Nov 20, 2016)

Kickboxer101 said:


> Yeah that's what I've noticed in my kickboxing and kenpo training. In kenpo you keep your back heel on the ground when you punch to keep stability and balance so if someone tries to push you over you'll have both feet fully on the floor. Whereas in boxing/kickboxing they do punch with the heel up because if they get pushed over its not as big a deal for them since its a sport and if they go down from it the ref will simply let you get up. But both ways work in different ways.


There's more to it than that; boxing really uses a different set of power generation principles than many styles of karate or kenpo.  Maintaining stability is part of it -- but it's also about how they get the body behind the punch.


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## Buka (Nov 21, 2016)

In order to understand and utilize principles from boxing, you have to train boxing, you have to box.

Is it better than any other kind of punching? Damned if I know, they're all good. You kinda' have to see what works best for you, and not necessarily always, not as an absolute, although that can be good too, but if you have options - options are a pretty good thing when it comes to striking an enemy with your hands.


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## Kickboxer101 (Nov 21, 2016)

Also have to add what're you looking for with your taekwondo is it for competition or self defence. If its self defence then great no problem but if its competition boxing may not be great for using it in taekwondo tournaments


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## Leo89 (Nov 21, 2016)

Kickboxer101 said:


> Also have to add what're you looking for with your taekwondo is it for competition or self defence. If its self defence then great no problem but if its competition boxing may not be great for using it in taekwondo tournaments


Self defense, plus I've only practiced hand techniques when doing base form one, he does teach us blocks too, so it's not a mcdojo, but I just want a better fundamental understanding of punching. 

We don't quite spar the way we did in karate, which was full contact but with boxing gloves, pads, mat shoes, cups, chest gear, mouth n head piece. 

You weren't allowed to kick inside or anywhere near the kneecap, so I'm kind of hoping to teach like that, replace the one/three step sparring with more of a freestyle amateur kickboxing sparring. 

Although I guess it would be better to take kickboxing and just teach TKD but adapt the techs to kickboxing style sparring. 

Ironically, basic form 7 in karazenpo-go-shinjutsu has a combination movement similar to il jang.


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## Buka (Nov 22, 2016)

Bill Mattocks said:


> There are some types of punching that boxers do not do. At least not these days.
> 
> That is because boxing is primarily a sport. A very good one, and quite useful for self-defense as well. But I don't think boxers use different fist formations, or strikes with the knuckles, sides, or palms of their hands, nor gouges, nor strikes below the belt or to the back of the head.
> 
> ...



There's really only four distinct punches in boxing, everything else is a variation. Makes for a different learning curve than Martial Arts, which I find more complex. But as a Martial Artist, I'm okay with that. 

And to Bill's point, the biggest thing (to me) I've always had with boxing is it's a gloved sport. There's very little, if any, attention paid to hand structure should a punch be thrown without a glove on. (hence, "boxer's fracture")

On the other side of the coin, at this point in my life, habit being what it is, if I even attempted to throw a punch without pivoting my foot and lifting my heel - I think my head would explode into confetti.


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## Mou Meng Gung Fu (Apr 22, 2017)

Kung Fu Wang said:


> If you punch on your heavy bag from your on guard position daily, after a year your punch will be similar to a boxer's punch. One good punch training is to punch
> 
> - as fast as you can,
> - as powerful as you can, and
> ...



I couldn't have worded this any better. I agree 100%.


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## JR 137 (Apr 22, 2017)

Buka said:


>



I can't get enough Freddie Roach videos.  Such a great teacher.


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## Buka (Apr 22, 2017)

JR 137 said:


> I can't get enough Freddie Roach videos.  Such a great teacher.



Freddy's locker was next to mine at the South Side Gym in Roslindale MA. He was a little kid. Him, his brother Pepper and another brother, whose name I forget, all trained there, taught by their dad, Mister Roach. We used to watch him and think, "this kid is going to be good." He was a nice boy.


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