{"id":2369,"date":"2014-12-05T13:12:57","date_gmt":"2014-12-05T13:12:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blackbeltwhitehat.com\/?page_id=2369"},"modified":"2023-10-04T19:39:36","modified_gmt":"2023-10-04T19:39:36","slug":"how-to-develop-a-powerful-punch","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blackbeltwhitehat.com\/en\/mma-articles\/technique\/how-to-develop-a-powerful-punch\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Punch Harder (and Faster) [2023 Update]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How to Develop KO Power<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

*Disclaimer – You should never punch someone, unless they insult your mum<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Keep your shoulders and arms relaxed<\/strong>. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You want punches to be fast and ‘whip-like’.  Keep you upper body as relaxed as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– “Throw your fist last”<\/strong>.  I believe the ‘whip’ effect of a punch comes when the fist moves and comes through last.
\nImagine an actual whip, the end half of the whip remains bent, until at the last moment it extends and lands on its target.
\nWith a punch, turn your foot, rotate your hips and finally turn the shoulder and arm into the punch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Focus on moving from the waist (and feet).<\/strong>  I found this helped me to relax my shoulders.
\nWhen you throw a right cross for example, imagine rotating your right hip as far forwards (anti-clockwise) as possible, and your left hip as far back as possible.
\nIf you watch yourself in a mirror as you throw a right cross – when in the ‘finished-position’, you should only be able to see your right shoulder.
\nImagine the power coming from your core, not your arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Punch ‘through’ your target.  <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The power is all in the follow through. Don’t stop at the target, stay relaxed until impact and then drive through the target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Imagine 2 points of force generation.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n


Point 1 – initiation, twist your core and rotate your hips whilst keeping your upper body relaxed.
Point 2 – on contact. Drive through as far and as much as possible. Especially on any kind of rotational strike like an uppercut or a hook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– High Elbow <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rotating your fist as you punch so that your pinky faces upwards upon contact and your elbow points upwards , so it almost skims your ear at the end of the punch, can make the punch significantly harder – I think this is due to chest and pec muscle recruitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Use biomechanics<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you’re not particularly tall then you may struggle to build massive amounts of power with straight punches – your ‘follow through’ and range of motion may be limited.
If you are not massively explosive, you might also struggle to generate big power with hooks and uppercuts.
The overhand right and Russian Hook<\/a> style punches however, seem to generate power, even if the punch-thrower doesn’t appear to be especially tall, explosive or athletic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Overhand<\/a>
Roy Nelson V Kongo – http:\/\/www.stickgrappler.net<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

– When throwing a hook, look to maximise elastic recoil<\/a><\/strong> by throwing your waist into the punch first, opening up your chest as much as possible, punching with a straight arm, and then finally whipping your fist into the punch:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Johny<\/a>
Arm fully extended to increase the force
Picture Source:Joe Camporeale-US PRESSWIRE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

– Develop a strong core and fast twitch\/explosive muscles<\/strong>.  <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Doing bench press, with a heavy weight, slowly, will not develop explosive power.  ‘Shot putting’ or ‘rugby passing’ a medicine ball may help however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Punching with your hands down<\/a> <\/strong>actually seems to increase KO power, possibly by increasing rotational force. See animated gif of Mark Hunt for an example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mark<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercises to Punch Harder<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Power Exercises<\/h2>\n\n\n\n