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In your opinion where does punching power come from?

5K views 19 replies 16 participants last post by  Robopencil 
#1 ·
I think there have been many disputes on where punching power comes from.

For a fact I know that it is mostly genetic. But if someone were to try to develop it more how would they do so?

I was at the gym the other day and this idiot kid was trying to tell me how to improve punching power. Now let me throw this out there that I don't exactly posses a Chuck Liddell 1 hitter quitter but I can throw a pretty solid cross and I focus more on my techinique and throwing effective combos rather than just looking for that one punch Knockout.

Anyways he was telling me about this fight he got into with 3 guys (which sounded like a Steven Segal movie) but I listened to what he had to say anyway. He told me that punching power is developed in the shoulders. he showed me some exercieses and told me if I did them enough I would eventually be able to "Lay People out"

I felt like saying no you're wrong it's genetic and it's developed from your core but I wasn't sure myself.

I know that when you throw a punch your basically using your whole body not just your arms or your shoulders.

What are your opinions on how punching power is developed?
 
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#2 ·
southpaw447 said:
I think there have been many disputes on where punching power comes from.

For a fact I know that it is mostly genetic. But if someone were to try to develop it more how would they do so?

I was at the gym the other day and this idiot kid was trying to tell me how to improve punching power. Now let me throw this out there that I don't exactly posses a Chuck Liddell 1 hitter quitter but I can throw a pretty solid cross and I focus more on my techinique and throwing effective combos rather than just looking for that one punch Knockout.

Anyways he was telling me about this fight he got into with 3 guys (which sounded like a Steven Segal movie) but I listened to what he had to say anyway. He told me that punching power is developed in the shoulders. he showed me some exercieses and told me if I did them enough I would eventually be able to "Lay People out"

I felt like saying no you're wrong it's genetic and it's developed from your core but I wasn't sure myself.

I know that when you throw a punch your basically using your whole body not just your arms or your shoulders.

What are your opinions on how punching power is developed?
In part, punching power is genetic, but not entirely. Someone may be born with a certain capacity for punching power. However, if they do not punch with good form, they will never reach their full potential.

Technique-wise, I agree that the power comes from the core. Focusing on the hips yields best results, as you'll automatically use your legs when turning your hips. Turning the shoulder definitely helps as well. But, for some reason, you could only do one... obviously, the shoulder isn't top priority.

A factor that people sometimes overlook, as well, is looseness. For not only does rigidity in striking greatly mitigate power, it also slows the techniques down considerably.

And finally, there's punching through the target. Someone can be as genetically gifted as they want, but if they don't punch through the target, they might as well have noodle-arms.
 
#5 ·
kishiro said:
hehe, I watched that too and I agree with it. Kinetic linking. It's a principle taught in many martial arts. "Power comes from the earth" or whatever.

And Chuck Liddell drops bombs b/c he swings wide. He's basically throwing refined haymakers. That's why he likes keeping his hands low. It's improper technique and gets him in trouble against good strikers.
 
#8 ·
Its all in the hips...its all in the hips. The good punch starts with a solid base and works its way up, you snap your hips which turns your whole body and forces you to punch thru the target and gets your entire body weight behind it. Keep your hand somewhat loose until impact, a loose muscle is a fast muscle.

While shoulders obviously play a pary your hips are the most crucial part to the punch, along with technique you need to turn your hips in order to hit hard. Try hitting a bag with just shoulders and arms, dont move your hips. Now do it using your hips, theres a huge difference.
 
#9 ·
A-5best said:
Its all in the hips...its all in the hips. The good punch starts with a solid base and works its way up, you snap your hips which turns your whole body and forces you to punch thru the target and gets your entire body weight behind it. Keep your hand somewhat loose until impact, a loose muscle is a fast muscle.

While shoulders obviously play a pary your hips are the most crucial part to the punch, along with technique you need to turn your hips in order to hit hard. Try hitting a bag with just shoulders and arms, dont move your hips. Now do it using your hips, theres a huge difference.
Wtf, someone posting in the Technique forums who actually knows what he's talking about? :praise01:
 
#10 ·
A-5best said:
Its all in the hips...its all in the hips. The good punch starts with a solid base and works its way up, you snap your hips which turns your whole body and forces you to punch thru the target and gets your entire body weight behind it. Keep your hand somewhat loose until impact, a loose muscle is a fast muscle.

While shoulders obviously play a pary your hips are the most crucial part to the punch, along with technique you need to turn your hips in order to hit hard. Try hitting a bag with just shoulders and arms, dont move your hips. Now do it using your hips, theres a huge difference.

nice, and the twist in the hand if your throwing straight is at the very end of the punch adding to the whip..

i used to turn my hand over when throwing hooks until the day i walked into a real gym and was taught to not turn my hand over when throwing hooks, due to the chance of broken hand if i clip with the last two knuckles
 
#11 ·
Momentum... sure I can bench 300lbs and curl 70lbs with each arm... but i'd say 40% of my power comes from my turning into my punches at the hip and the angles I punch from.
 
#13 ·
obscura1560 said:
Your "vlats"? What?! You mean Latissimus Dorsi? Or something else? Cause I don't see how that'd effect punching power?

Ok get a 55lb(or more) dumbell and a flat bench, set one knee and one hand on the bench. set the weight on the floor next to the bench, grab the weight and pull it to your hip. You can feel it right away in your Latissimus Dorsi (i didnt mean to put that V in there but its aka lats) When your twisting your hips and launching out your arm, that muscle makes a large difference. Im no exercise physiologist but it seems to make a dramatic difference to me... mainly on uppercuts and hooks.
 
#14 ·
punching is simply leverage
try punching using just your arms. not super powerful.
rotating your hips and pushing with your legs is going to create more power. the rotation of your hips accelerates your hands and pushing with your legs gives the power to go through your target.
its all leverage
 
#15 ·
nooblift said:
Ok get a 55lb(or more) dumbell and a flat bench, set one knee and one hand on the bench. set the weight on the floor next to the bench, grab the weight and pull it to your hip. You can feel it right away in your Latissimus Dorsi (i didnt mean to put that V in there but its aka lats) When your twisting your hips and launching out your arm, that muscle makes a large difference. Im no exercise physiologist but it seems to make a dramatic difference to me... mainly on uppercuts and hooks.
Ah alright, I'll do that today, my lats need some work anyway :thumbsup:
 
#17 ·
nooblift said:
Ok get a 55lb(or more) dumbell and a flat bench, set one knee and one hand on the bench. set the weight on the floor next to the bench, grab the weight and pull it to your hip. You can feel it right away in your Latissimus Dorsi (i didnt mean to put that V in there but its aka lats) When your twisting your hips and launching out your arm, that muscle makes a large difference. Im no exercise physiologist but it seems to make a dramatic difference to me... mainly on uppercuts and hooks.
i won't disagree because you're getting results from it but it's my understanding that your lats are for pulling, not pushing. no matter how strong they are, arm punchers don't generally generate a lot of power. as mentioned several times above, rotating the hips is a pinacle part of delivering a truly powerful punch (along with a good base, technique, and practice).

just my 2 cents
 
#18 ·
zderekv said:
i won't disagree because you're getting results from it but it's my understanding that your lats are for pulling, not pushing. no matter how strong they are, arm punchers don't generally generate a lot of power. as mentioned several times above, rotating the hips is a pinacle part of delivering a truly powerful punch (along with a good base, technique, and practice).

just my 2 cents
You're right sir. Back = pulling muscle. Lats = biggest muscle in your back.
 
#19 ·
That was interesting video, but they might as well have skipped the demonstration of four martial arts. Using four different people, who vary considerably in size and fitness, is not going to give accurate results of which gives the best power. they should of just gone straight to the explanation of transfer of kinetic energy.
 
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