Punching power is a combination of several factors: technique, strength, speed and timing. No one thing will make you a powerful puncher. In fact, the skill is so complex that if you want to move beyond the basic barroom brawler level, you will need a coach with boxing or martial arts experience. Most importantly, to produce punching power, you have to throw punches, thousands of them, to heavy bags, targets and the air.
Step 1
Hire a trainer with a good track record of producing powerful punchers. Work the mechanics with your trainer. You will need to learn to avoid locking out your elbows. You will need to train in the habit of tightening your fist on impact. You will need to learn, and then perfect, all the little details of a punch: the position of your wrist, the corkscrewing of your fist, the part of your fist you hit with, and when you tense and when you relax. A poorly formed punch will cave in when you actually hit something with it.
Step 2
Punch with your body, not just your fist. Learn to bring your power not from your arm but from your hips and your feet. Think about which is stronger, your legs or your arms. Punching with just your arms will generate a wimpy punch.
Step 3
Build your physical strength. Knuckle pushups, bench presses, one-armed dumbbell presses, squats, Russian twists and barbell step-ups all build the muscles you use when you punch. Some people can punch unusually hard without having unusual strength. Technique can take your punch places that brute force alone cannot. But if you have both technique and physical strength, your punch will be doubly powerful.
Step 4
Punch. Punch focus targets. Punch the air while shadow boxing. Punch speed bags and headache bags. Most of all, punch the heavy bag. Work the heavy bag for a two-to-five-minute round. Rest for a minute, and then put in another round. Increase the length of the rounds and the number of rounds as you get stronger. Nothing improves the strength of your punch more effectively than lots of work on the heavy bag.
Tips and Warnings
- Know how to wrap your hands and wrists before practicing hard punches on the heavy bag. If your hands are sore after a hard session, ask a Chinese martial artist or a Chinese pharmacist about dit da jow, a liniment that will help take down the swelling.
- Punching something solid without first learning proper punching technique is a good way to break a hand. Learn and practice the mechanics of punching before turning yourself loose on the heavy bag.
Things You'll Need
- A trainer or coach
- Free weights
- Various punching bags, including a heavy bag
- Bag gloves and hand wraps
