Punch LIKE a PRO with These Super-Effective Boxing Punching Tips

The 5 boxing punching tips that I outline in this video will enable you to punch faster, punch harder and punch with more accuracy. Precision, position, acceleration, retraction and moderation. Each of these concepts will help you build pro-level punching ability.

Boxing Punching Precision

If you want to achieve great boxing punching, there really is no substitute for precision of technique. In order to execute the perfect punch every time, you must understand the perfect technique and crucially you must avoid the common faults in that technique.

Take the boxing uppercut for example. I have always felt that for an uppercut to be called an uppercut, the forearm must be perfectly vertical when the punch lands. If the forearm is not vertical, if it is off by 5 or 10 degrees, then it is a hook. Almost vertical with your forearm is not good enough.

Here’s the thing. For the forearm to be perfectly vertical on impact, there is a specialised rotation of the hips. Not only do the hips rotate, but the relevant hip must lift at the end of the rotation (the lead hip for the lead hand uppercut and the rear hip for the back hand uppercut). It’s the hip rotation that does the job of making the punch land with the forearm vertical, the arm just does as it’s told.

Boxing Punching Position

Understanding your position in relation to the opponent is vital. There are 5 ranges in boxing – out of range, edge of range, long range, mid range and close range. There is no use throwing conventional hooks at long range, they will miss. You have two options for hooks at long range, either lengthen the hook or move closer as you throw the hook.

Close range fighting is difficult and complex. If you don’t know how to properly use hooks and uppercuts, stay at long range. In fact, long range straight punches are what I start all beginner boxers on. Mastering those punches will help you understand range (as well as using drills like tag boxing) and will help you develop the rotation to more readily master hooks and uppercuts.

As boxers become more experienced, their perception of range is honed. The boxer will not only select the right punch for the right range, they will also be able to weight up the risks of taking incoming punches. They know down to the inch whether they are in range, Muhammad Ali built his career on this ability, knowing exactly how much he needed to move to avoid an incoming punch.

Good boxing punching is absolutely dependent upon range, so it’s really important to build that perception as part of your boxing development.

Boxing Punching Acceleration

Aim for acceleration in your boxing punches. Visualise a whip-crack, that acceleration into a ‘snap’ is vital. Snap the last 6 inches of the punch. Do the various types of speed training, and my advice is to take time in your boxing training regime to incorporate these activities.

We can use visualisation, where we get to a relaxed state and then think of something that is super-fast – an F1 car, a lighting strike, a jet fighter. When you visualise that ‘thing’, snap into your boxing stance and let your punches go.

You can also use light hand weights, using them for a round and then dropping them for the next round, you will feel an instance increase in speed. You can also use resistance bands, but in a slightly different way than you might expect – check out this video.

Boxing Punching Retraction

Make sure you retract your punch after it has landed. Get it straight back to the home guard position. A good opponent will see a drooping arm after a punch, and they will see it quickly. Next time you make the mistake it might be the last time you make it in that fight.

When your boxing punch has delivered its message, get it back to base. There is nothing to be gained by your fist taking a detour on the way back to the guard position. There’s also a school of thought that the speed of your boxing punches is enhanced if you focus on fast retraction. So, the benefits of disciplined retraction of the punch are not to be ignored.

Boxing Punching Moderation

Don’t be constantly looking to land power punches. As soon as you try to hit too hard, the technique is often lost. When the technique is lost we introduce telegraphing which massively reduces the likelihood of your punches landing.

So, be cool. Maintain the punching technique throughout the fight, especially when you get tired. The reason fighters need to have such good levels of endurance is precisely to maintain their technique, especially their punching technique.

“I’m not known to be a hard puncher, I’m known to be a consistent puncher. If the first one don’t get you, the next one will”

Sugar Ray Leonard

I would love to get your thoughts on this, comments below 😉

Cheers

Fran

by