Throw a Punch

There are several ways to throw a good punch, but you've got to make sure to use good technique and use your hips to generate torque. If you're keen on defending yourself or are preparing to become a boxer, knowing how to throw a punch is extremely important. Just remember that the aim of a punch shouldn't be to hurt someone; the aim of a punch should be to incapacitate them. If they get hurt in the process, that's a price they'll have to pay. For more tips and techniques, read on.

Steps

Jabbing

  1. Get in position. Keep your chin down and your hands covering your face, like a boxer. Have your knees bent slightly so that they are balanced.
  2. Push off with your back foot and set foot. This gets your body to generate power. You're going to generate more power with your elbow, but this is an important first step in getting momentum.
    • Don't take a huge step. The is pretty small, almost like a stutter step. Don't lunge forward; a small step will do.
  3. Quarter-rotate your jabbing shoulder as you throw the punch. Let your fist rotate a full 180 degrees through the target.
  4. Keep your other hand up to guard your face. Don't leave your face vulnerable to attack.
  5. Bring your jabbing arm back to the starting position. Throw a jab in order to:
    • Gauge the distance of your combatant. If you throw a jab and it doesn't connect, you know you need to move closer in order to throw a punch that hits the target.
    • Keep your combatant away from you. Throwing a jab, or a series of jabs, is a way of keeping your combatant from getting too close to you.

Throwing a Twist Punch

  1. Read the warnings. There are some things that you'll need to know, or you may get hurt.
  2. Go get a pitcher of water. A {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} jug will do too.
  3. Now put down the pitcher and hold your hand in the same position, mimicking the lightly tipped angle, with the knuckle of your forefinger leading. Make sure your knuckle is not jutting out, or in any way intentionally protruding. It's just tipped forward by the position that your hand is in.
  4. Stand with both feet planted shoulder width apart, knees bent a little less than 45 degrees. Make a fist with both hands and bring both fists, fingers (with thumb across them) facing up, elbows pointing straight out behind you. In Kenpo, this is a horse stance.
  5. Pick a hand — perhaps the one you poured with. Try this slowly a few times: bring your hand forward, rotating your fist until it has turned just past an upright position and drive with your top knuckle into the pitcher-holding position that you've hopefully tried and recognize. This time, though, you'll extend your arm fully.
  6. That's it! Now, you just have to do it quickly, timing the rotation and drive of your knuckles to correspond with the extension of your arm.
    • You'll also need to make sure you let yourself pull your arm back, loosely flexing your elbow at the end of the punch when you do it quickly. Otherwise, you may hurt your elbow (or worse) if you punch too hard, and without restraint.
    • Remember, if there's no one to absorb your blow when fully outstretched, your elbow will have to take the full force. Retracting at the end lets your muscles take the load.

Landing a Hook

  1. Get in position. Keep your chin down and your hands covering your face, like a boxer. Have your knees bent slightly so that they are balanced and your legs slightly more apart than usual.
  2. Twist your hips as you explode with your leading arm. Shift your weight to your back foot. Twisting your hips generates power and makes your punch more devastating.
  3. Throw a punch with a side-arc at a horizontal angle. The arm throwing the punch should be bent, not straight. There are a couple different variations to this punch:
    • The European hook: your thumb, if it were to be extended, should point in at you as your hook connects. You don't want to actually extend your thumb out as you punch; keep it in a fist. This is a good hook if there is a very short distance between you and your opponent.
    • The American hook: your thumb, if it were to be extended, should point up as your hook connects. Again, don't extend your thumb. This is a good hook if there is a lot of distance between you and your opponent.
    • The Mexican hook: the punch is thrown at a 45 degree angle instead of a completely horizontal angle. This is a blend of a hook and an uppercut.
  4. Use your leading elbow to block any punches or parries your opponent may throw. When you throw your hook, pop your elbow up as a defense mechanism.
  5. Follow through to your target and bring your hands back to starting position. Really use your hips to follow through and remember to protect your face again after you land the punch.

Connecting with an Uppercut

  1. Get in position. Keep your chin down and your hands covering your face, like a boxer. Have your knees bent slightly so that they are balanced.
  2. Twist one side your body down in order to get ready to generate force. Don't twist your shoulder back too far or you could leave yourself vulnerable for a second. Keep your hands up while you quickly dip.
  3. Dip your throwing arm a tiny bit. A lot of people who try to throw an uppercut bring their arm back like they are trying to throw a bowling ball; this is incorrect form. Don't bring your hand back very far at all.
    • Don't bring your hand low, either. Your leading hand should be no lower than your lower chest.
  4. Twist as you bring your arm up and connect with the body or the chin. If done properly, the uppercut should stun your opponent and cause him to lose his balance temporarily, leaving you time to punch again.
  5. Follow through upwards and bring your hands back to starting position. Really use your hips to follow through and remember to protect your face again after you land the punch.



Tips

  • Thumb out. It hurts if it's NOT out.
  • When you punch the human weak spots are great to know. A couple is the jaw, toes, stomach, and nose.
  • Don't go looking for opportunities to try this out. Go find a soft bag, or if you become a bit more experienced, a few cardboard postage boxes.
  • You don't need to go crazy practicing. Consistency is a far more potent method of training. Throw 20 of these each day with each hand--just a minute or two out of your day. You'll surprise yourself; it seems like nothing is happening, and yet you'll eventually look back and realise how easy it's become. It's not going to change your life (it's only a front punch), but it's worth practicing.
  • Always stay aware as if you concentrate on the punch too much they could block or punch you first.
  • When punching a hard object, make sure your fist is tight, straight from the wrist, and correctly formed. Although you shouldn't be punching hard objects in a fight anyway (go for the softer targets, they hurt more).
  • This punch is effective in the abdomen and ribcage regions. It can also have devastating effects when used properly to strike the face, but this requires further knowledge to do correctly. I don't recommend it simply because I haven't described these techniques, and the skill can be quite mean on your knuckles.
  • Keep your knees bent do not pull back and then out just go out.
  • Driving your opposite elbow backwards a bit as you punch can add some extra "oomph;" however, don't do it! This is known as telegraphing. In a real fight, your opponent will see you getting ready to punch and can block or get a quick hit in on your face or other body parts.
  • If you encounter someone with "abs of steel" who demonstrates an ability to withstand incredibly hard punches to the stomach, this is the punch that will knock the wind out of them. It is primarily a debilitating punch (though it can be used in knockouts, as alluded to above), and it can get you out of a fight very easily if employed correctly.

Warnings

  • Never punch anyone in the chin with full force. This may kill him due to neck fractures.
  • Do NOT use this punch against a rigid surface such as a brick or a board. You will dislocate or break your knuckles, and possibly other bones in your hand.
  • Aiming for the head and skull area could break your knuckles.
  • As well as not punching someone in the chin, do not punch them in the temple, this, if punched hard enough can kill someone instantly.
  • Pay special attention to positioning the thumb correctly. Do not put it inside your hand and make the fist around it or put it in the front of your knuckles on the part you are going to punch with. Doing this can seriously risk your thumb being broken or injured.
  • As with any martial arts technique, showing discipline with regard to one's knowledge is a truer measure of one's skill. Having the knowledge and the practiced ability is more than enough; in the end, it's better to prove nothing than to be weak enough to crumble under the pressure to "perform." And you won't impress girls by punching people in the gut.
  • This is a very serious punching technique that can inflict tremendous pain and damage tissue. Acceptable uses for this punch include practice bags (which are softer than boxing bags), martial arts classes in which you are closely supervised and given the green light, and assailants who strike you and then cut off potential means of escape because of walls, fences, etc..

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Sources and Citations

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