Right Uppercut at Long Range – A Slick Power Punch!

About the Long Range Right Uppercut

The ability to control an opponent at long range requires a number of skills.  Effective footwork, sound body movement, convincing feints and strong hand defences (blocks and parries) are all key.  To put the finishing touches to this battery of skills, it is important to use a variety of long range punches in order to penetrate the defences of your opponent.  The long range right uppercut is a particularly clever shot to use and is very effective against larger and smaller opponents alike.

The long range right uppercut is not particularly intended to be a ‘power shot’.  This said, if the punch is thrown in the right way and is timed to perfection (such as when the opponent is on the attack), then as well as being a real eye-catching shot it can certainly sting a bit.

As part of of the ‘long range armoury’, this right uppercut is a shot that should be mastered.  The angle at which the shot approaches the target means that it is perfectly designed to spear through any slight openings in the opponent’s defences, as well as being the starting point for any of a range of boxing combinations.

Watch the video, check out the mechanics and common faults, then get to work on the classic punch that is the right uppercut at long range:

The Mechanics of the Long Range Right Uppercut

The mechanics of throwing the right uppercut at long range are explained as follows:

1. From the boxing stance, the first action is an explosive push from the toes of the back foot.  This push provides the necessary thrust to rotate the hips in a counter-clockwise direction.  The rotation takes place around the (imaginary) central axis which travels down through the centre of the body and into the ground.
2. The action described in point 1 generates a very significant rotation of the hips.  If the boxing stance  was being held on the face of a clock on the floor, the left hip at the start of the move would be at 11 o’clock, whilst the right hip would be at 5 o’clock.  Following rotation, the right hip arrives at 2 o’clock and the left hip at 8 o’clock.
3. As the rotation is taking place, the lead leg (left) bends slightly at the knee.  This bending enables the hips to rotate; if the lead leg remained straight then the upper body would be forced to drive over the lead leg…this is bad!
4. As the body is rotating, the right hand accelerates toward the target with the palm facing upwards.  The trajectory of the shot is in effect a gentle upward arc that ends at the target.  No big mystery, this is what the uppercut is, it travels to the target from low to high.
5. As the fist approaches the target (having covered about 75% of the distance), there is an uplift in the path so that the fist rises, clenches and ‘snaps’ on to the target.
6. The fist returns to the ‘home’ position as per the boxing stance.

Common Faults with the Long Range Right Uppercut

There are a number of common problems that can occur when throwing a long range right uppercut:

1. Rather than a push from the pack foot which ‘drives’ power through the leg and into the hips, the boxer may often ‘spin’ the back foot.  This results is a significant reduction in the potential power delivered by the shot.
2. Allowing the punch to become only an upper-body movement and therefore an ‘arm shot’.  The rotation of the upper-body is generated by the thrust from the back leg.  Without this thrust, there will be no power.  Without power, your opponent will walk through the shot and proceed to smash you to pieces!
3. The arc of the shot as it moves towards the target is too deep.  This means that the opponent is likely to see the shot coming and is therefore in a better position to defend and counter effectively.  Try to ensure that the long right uppercut is delivered with a gentle, gradual upward arc.  There should be no noticeable drop in the fist during the shot.

I hope you enjoyed the video and article, and that I have managed to convey the gains to be made by using the wonderfully artistic right uppercut at long range.  Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Cheers

Fran

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