How develop strong punches

[Manny]

I know to develop strong punches there are some exercises to do, I have no makiwara (and don't wana use one), I have no heavy bag, so basically I want to know what kind of exercises do to improve my punches and hand techs.

Manny

 

[dancingalone]

My sensei would frequently mutter "No makiwara, no punch". That said I understand why many would never train with a makiwara. It can be intimidating and you absolutely must have good supervision when just starting out otherwise injury is a distinct possibility.

Other exercises to improve punching power besides makiwara work or heavy bag drilling include knuckle push ups. For an advanced workout, you can have a partner hold you up by your legs as you walking around on a hard wood floor with your knuckles. He gets cardio and strength work - you get to strengthen your knuckles and wrists against a hard surface with body weight resistance to boot.

You can also shadow box with a light set of weights in your hand to build up arm strength and speed. For open hand strikes and claws, you can practice lifting jars filled with sand or rice to improve your gripping strength. Or practice your spearhand against a bucket of rice. Hmm, again with this last drill you need a qualified instructor to give you the correct basics.

Frankly a heavy bag is probably the safest and most conventional way to improve your punching power. I'd suggest just getting one or making one if you're serious about self-improvement. Nothing worth having comes easily.

 

[terryl965]

Remember strong punches come from speed and proper posture. I would work on this type of training and also remember the speed from a punch comes from the tri-ceps so doing reverse dips will help with these muscle groups.

 

[FearlessFreep]

Train with someone who knows how to punch hard. There's a lot of subtle technique and mechanics in it and while it's easy to describe over the web how to develop strength/speed for strong punches, your biomechanical linking (how to drive from your rear leg properly and translate that strength into a strong punch, etc, etc, etc...) is hard to describe online and even harder to critique/correct/assist..

Also, going from a strong punch to effective fighting with your hands has a lot to do footwork, movement, timing, balance, etc.... so seek out someone who knows how to do that stuff well (some boxing or kickboxing side-study would serve well)

 

[d1jinx]

knuckle pushups on a hard solid surface, like concrete. it will harden your knuckles, strengthen your wrists and help develope proper alignment of your arm.... if you are doing it right.

 

[wushuguy]

your instructors should be showing you proper mechanics of a punch. While strength training is helpful, even conditioning your hands to be rock hard and able to smash bricks is good for some, my students are training more on the proper mechanics and alignment of the body to generate the power. there's a lot more to having a strong punch or kick than knowing the general motion and being strong. for example with proper technique, alignment, etc., a 120 lbs person may punch as hard or harder than a 180 lbs person who only knows to use muscle and physical strength to punch.

 

[seasoned]

When talking hitting power, hard knuckles are good, so they can withstand the strike. But, lets take a step back and consider that the knuckles are at one end, but the power comes from else where. Explaining it is hard, but I will try. Take your left hand and place it in your right armpit. Drop your right shoulder down, and feel how the muscles come into play from the chest and lats. Now raise the shoulder and feel the muscles disappear. Once the shoulder is stable and down it will help transfer the power from the body to the knuckles. Now follow me on this one, power comes from the legs, it is directed upward by the hips to the shoulders, the shoulders drop down as the power travels down the arm. With the shoulder, elbow and fist all in line with each other, and hitting with just the first 2 knuckles, you will cause much pain.

We are not looking for a boxers punch, their circumstances are different because of big gloves. It is hard to explain on line, and one demo would be worth a thousand words. I hope this helps. :asian:

 

[Marginal]

Ringside's free boxing manual is fairly helpful.

http://www.ringside.com/pdfs/boxing_manual.pdf

Other than that, wrist strength is important too. (Which is really what the knuckle pushups are for.) Kettlebells work wonders on building up your wrists.

 

[David43515]

When talking hitting power, hard knuckles are good, so they can withstand the strike. But, lets take a step back and consider that the knuckles are at one end, but the power comes from else where. Explaining it is hard, but I will try. Take your left hand and place it in your right armpit. Drop your right shoulder down, and feel how the muscles come into play from the chest and lats. Now raise the shoulder and feel the muscles disappear. Once the shoulder is stable and down it will help transfer the power from the body to the knuckles. Now follow me on this one, power comes from the legs, it is directed upward by the hips to the shoulders, the shoulders drop down as the power travels down the arm. With the shoulder, elbow and fist all in line with each other, and hitting with just the first 2 knuckles, you will cause much pain.

We are not looking for a boxers punch, their circumstances are different because of big gloves. It is hard to explain on line, and one demo would be worth a thousand words. I hope this helps. :asian:

He took the words right out of my mouth. 60-65% of punching power comes from the legs and back/waist. Working on your fundimentals (footwork so you have proper daistance and come in from a good angle, drop stepping or bending the front knee to drop your weight and driving forward with the rear knee so your body weight is into the punch, turning hard at the hip to include your waist, and KEEPING YOUR SHOULDER DOWN to get your back and shoulder muscles involved.) and working slowly at first to make sure you have the timing right will give you all the power you`ll ever need.

Knuckle push-ups and weight training strengthen your wrists and arms as the delivery system. But the key is the legs and the footwork. They`re the powerhouse that creates the powerful punch.

 

[Xue Sheng]

How develop strong punches?

Relax

 

[David43515]

Marc MacYoung talks about a "Power Triangle", and I think it`s a great way to explain it.

In order to have a fire, you need three things (heat, fuel, and air). If any one of the tree is missing you won`t have a fire. Hitting hard with any punch, kick, or strike is the same. You need three things or you won`t have a powerful strike.

1. Proper distance: If I try to punch you from kicking range my maximum power will be gone before I reach you. If I try to kick from elbow range I`ll never develope enough speed or momentum to really hurt you. So learn your range by hitting something. This is why a heavybag or a makiwara helps so much. It`s not just the resistance of hitting something. It`s also learning to judge small changes in range because you have a real target.
2. Proper Body Structure: In simple terms having your bones and your body behind your strike so that your force doesn`t get absorbed by your arm acting like a spring. Try this. Hold your fist out at arm`s length right in front of your chest. Bend your elbow slightly and keep it down. Tense the muscles in that arm and puch on your training partner. Your body should be stable enough you can move him pretty easily. Now hold your fist out to the side like you`re throwing a wide sloppy punch. Tense those arm muscles and push your partner again. It takes alot more effort to move him and your arm collapses a little (like a shock absorber in your car). If that were your punch, part of your power would be 'bleeding off' where the arm bends instead of going into your opponant.

Gotta run. I`ll post the third and most important aspect after class.

 

[TigerLove]

Before i started martial arts, i weighted 187 lbs (85kg), and kicked pretty hard. Now, i weight 158 lbs (75kg), and i kick harder then before.

 

[David43515]

Before i started martial arts, i weighted 187 lbs (85kg), and kicked pretty hard. Now, i weight 158 lbs (75kg), and i kick harder then before.

Coordination will do that for you.

The last part of the power triangle is

3: BODY WEIGHT IN MOTION.
In physics they`ll tell you that FORCE= MASS (or weight) X VELOCITY SQUARED. In other words Weight X Speed X Speed = How Hard You Hit.

It`s much easier to add more weight behind the punch than it is to increase speed.All the talk about drop-stepping and twisting the waist do the same thing. They put your body weight behind your strike. In every kick, punch, strike, and 90% of throws there are only three basic ways you can move to put body weight in to the technique. A) Up or Down like when you kneel down or jump/drive up. B) linear stepping like a step forward or back, or to either side. And C) Pivoting like the hard waist turn in a reverse puch or the pivot in a roundhouse kick. Those are the basics, more advanced moves are just a coordinated combination of 2 or 3 of those basics. Like stepping, dropping your weight, and twisting your waist hard when you throw a left hook to the liver or kidney area.

 

[Stonecold]

Proper form & body movement when punching give you power.
Lost of push ups, blast off the floor so your hand's lift off, Get a hard ball ( basket ball ect... ) start with one hand on the floor , the other on the ball, go down in a push up , power up and switch hands on the ball or do a number of rep's on one side then switch ( not as easy as it sounds )
chin ups work the arms, shoulders, back & core all muscles help in punching.
Find a heavy bag & work it hard. you can get them with stands if you have no where to hang it. You can always find a used one some where.
You can get wall mounted punching pads also ( not mak's )
Get some padding and wrap it around a tree, pole ect...
Good luck . Train hard punch hard