How do boxers punch?

[paitingman]

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

 

[KangTsai]

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?

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.

 

[Transk53]

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.

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

 

[Skpotamus]

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.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

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.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

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.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

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.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

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.

 

[Kickboxer101]

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.

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.

 

[jks9199]

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.

 

[Buka]

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.

 

[Kickboxer101]

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

 

[Leo89]

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.

 

[Buka]

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.

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.

 

[Mou Meng Gung Fu]

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".

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

 

[JR 137]

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

 

[Buka]

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.