Just about everyone with arms has tried to throw a punch at one point or another, but most people punch incorrectly. Even big, tough guys who go around at night looking for fights usually have no idea what they’re doing – they simply rely on strength, intimidation, and being bullies. The best way to protect yourself from menaces like these is to know proper technique. It doesn’t take a lot, but if you’re in a position where running away and escaping isn’t an option, you’ll be very glad you learned some basic boxing fundamentals like how to throw a punch the right way.
Your best bet is probabally to join a gym and let them show you the ropes, but if that’s not an option or not something you want to do, what better way to learn to punch like a pro than to let the pros teach you? This page features several videos with experienced martial artists, coaches, and fighters showing you their techniques when it’s time to let those hands fly.
Obviously, one of the most important things is simply to get a lot of practice. Throw hundreds of punches a day, again and again. Record yourself hitting your boxing bag, watch it, post it online asking for feedback, there’s a lot of things you can do to improve without even setting foot in a gym.
The Jab:
Here’s UFC lightweight contender Michael Johnson showing how to throw a jab. Why should you lsiten to him? Because the guy’s got knockout power in a division where knockouts are rare, he’s been fighting for years, and stood toe to toe with some of the toughest guys in the division. You’re probabally not going to be putting anyone to sleep with a jab, but it’s a good technique to possess both in a sport situation and in self-defense to keep the distance between yourself and your attacker.
Freddie Roach on Punching:
Freddie Roach is one of the best boxing coaches in the world. He gained experience as a fighter before dedicating his life to bringing up the next generation of fighters. He’s worked closely with Manny Pacquiao, GSP, and a laundry list of other legends. He’s very well respected in the world of martial arts because he knows his stuff. Here’s a much more in-depth video, just under 10 minutes, of Roach talking about punching. A must-see.
Mayweather Doubles This Guy’s Power in 30 Seconds:
This video doesn’t go to deeply into technique but it still shows Floyd Mayweather teaching a reporter how to double his punching power in just a few seconds. The video’s only about 90 seconds long but there are some solid nuggets of fundamental info that Floyd drops, so pay close attention.
One more:
This video’s cool because it has some nice production value and goes into the science of things a bit more.
It’s hard to explain how to punch using just words, so that’s why video is a very useful teaching tool. After watching these four videos, you should have a pretty good understanding and how to throw a punch, now it’s up to you to use these skills wisely and to not get yourself into any trouble. If you plan on just going around and hitting people, trust us, it’s a loser’s game because it’s only a matter of time until you come across somebody who can punch a lot better than you and isn’t going to take any BS.
Featured image via Sherdog.
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