How to increase punching power

[Social_disturbance]

Does anyone know here how to get crushing power like Chuck Liddell in his punches--What kind of exercises does he do to get that kind of power.

Also as a side question--I dont have prior formal fighting training. What's a good discipline to learn for being able to fight well? i.e. Kickboxing, boxing, wrestling, Gracie, etc.

Thanks.

 

[Skilla_Staz]

A mix of many arts will give you the best "bang".

As for "crushing power like Chuck Liddell"...you're going to need to work a lonnnng time for that
I'm not sure what HE does...

Bench Press (incline/decline)
DB presses (incline/decline)
Dips

Stuff like that will help your punching power


DON"T DO PUNCHES WITH WEIGHTED DUMBELLS IN YOUR HAND. THATS POINTLESS.

I'm sure somebody will recommend it, but the ONLY thing that does for you is increase your stamina for holding things with weight. It may work your shoulders, but its like saying "wearing heavy gloves while you box makes you hit harder". It doesn't.

 

[Quagmire911]

Building overall strength will increase power, technique is very important as well.

 

[MuayThai]

DON"T DO PUNCHES WITH WEIGHTED DUMBELLS IN YOUR HAND. THATS POINTLESS.

I'm sure somebody will recommend it, but the ONLY thing that does for you is increase your stamina for holding things with weight. It may work your shoulders, but its like saying "wearing heavy gloves while you box makes you hit harder". It doesn't.

Na man. Do it with 2kg dumbells is fine, not very good though, certainly not pointless. When you get used to punching with a little weight and you remove it, you punch alot faster.

If you wanna punch hard goto a martial arts class, don't worry about specifics right now. You'd be surprised how hard you can hit after you train for a while. kickboxing is good, but don't got if the have all this "Kick below the waist" and crap. Muay Thai is very good.

 

[kalash74]

I practice muay thai, and I can speak from experience that it is very effective both in the ring, and in case you get in a fight on the street or school.
Just a warning however, the process you have to go through to get your shins tough enough is very painful and involves rolling lumps of fluid out of your legs. Well worth it in the long run.

 

[CLOONEY]

I've gone into this numerous times.

So I will just say, 70% of your punching power is driven up through your legs.

If you want to increase your punching power, learn how to drive power up through your legs, and also train your legs with weights.

Oh and using heavy gloves when you train will make you punch faster. No doubt about it.

 

[Skilla_Staz]

Na man. Do it with 2kg dumbells is fine, not very good though, certainly not pointless. When you get used to punching with a little weight and you remove it, you punch alot faster.

You FEEL like you're punching faster.

Look, the only way to hit HARDER is to hit with more FORCE, by building up your strength.

Go pick up a dumbell. Hold it out at arms length. Do you feel it in your triceps or chest very much? Or do you feel it in your shoulder. Holding a dumbell will help you hold weight. Simple as that. The triceps and chest are different muscles than the shoulders, obviously. Thats like saying lateral raises will help you bench more. It's possible, but to a very minimal extent.

 

[CLOONEY]

Put it this way, when you train every single day, on heavybag, floor to ceiling, pads etc with 16OZ gloves, and you fight with 8 or 10OZ gloves, you will be a LOT faster, and the 10OZ gloves will feel a LOT lighter on your hands.

Dont know the mechanical specifics of the body, but there is no question it works. I myself did this for several years training, and have seen with my own eyes and know for a fact most top boxers do this. Floyd Mayweather Jr for example.

Further, training tricepts will NOT increase punching power. They will though help you in clinches and wrastling in the ring, whilst chest will increase punching power, but NOWHERE NEAR to the extent legs will. An example, Felix "Tito" Trinidad. Couldnt break an eggshell in the amateurs, trained for power using his legs, and became one of the most ferocious punchers P4P in the modern era.

 

[wolf116]

Force = mass x acceleration

therefore a bigger force is needed to obtain the same acceleration form the heaver object.

The effect of gravity will be working the shoulders. But the force needed to push the mass horazontialy will be working the triceps and the chest.

So it works but alot of your energy is put into working your shoulders. So do it laying on a bench

 

[Jariel]

If the force of your punch is coming from your arm, you're not punching right. You should be transferring as much as your body weight as possible into your punch, using the momentum of your swing.

This momentum is achieved primarily with the legs and the trunk of your body as you thrust yourself forward and swing - thus building momentum. It should feel kinda like a wave travelling up your legs, through your body and then a sharp snap or flick as your fist launches forward.

Mike Tyson is a good example to watch. Notice how he throws his body behind his punches and follows through.

Your overall body weight is a big factor, so work your entire body. Also pay special attention to the legs as Clooney suggests because you'll use them to launch your bodyweight into the punch.

 

[CLOONEY]

If the force of your punch is coming from your arm, you're not punching right. You should be transferring as much as your body weight as possible into your punch, using the momentum of your swing.

This momentum is achieved primarily with the legs and the trunk of your body as you thrust yourself forward and swing - thus building momentum. It should feel kinda like a wave travelling up your legs, through your body and then a sharp snap or flick as your fist launches forward.

Mike Tyson is a good example to watch. Notice how he throws his body behind his punches and follows through.

Your overall body weight is a big factor, so work your entire body. Also pay special attention to the legs as Clooney suggests because you'll use them to launch your bodyweight into the punch.

Exactly. But easier said than done, the guy who posted the thread should probably join a gym and observe some big punchers in the gym. Its hard to visualise, and takes a long while to coordinate!

Overall body weight is a factor, if your competing in open divisions! If there are weight limits, such as boxing, its important to focus on important muscle groups (but there is already a thread on that topic).

All in all, your body should uncoil to create the greatest power, but the vast majority is drawn up through your legs, and as Jariel said, step in behind your punches. But that is only if you want maximum power, doing this will mean you are also exposed to counters a lot easier, and remember, the more force you throw behind your punches, generally, the quicker you will tire. So if you cant get the other guy out early, might not want to focus simply on power!

 

[MrS]

Learn to snap your punches, put your weight behind punches, throw your punches faster, strengthen your legs and hips, etc etc.

You can't do it overnight.

 

[Burgundy]

If you're really serious about learning and increasing punching power. It's best to find a trainer in your area with a reputation. There are TONS of exercises the general public does not know. That's why you pay these MMA type trainers to do. To show you the ropes.

 

[Skilla_Staz]

Learn to snap your punches, put your weight behind punches, throw your punches faster, strengthen your legs and hips, etc etc.

You can't do it overnight.

I felt like stressing that point.

 

[PuroDeAgave]

a lot of punching power comes from technique . But its good to be strong, take a good boxing class. I box and started judo and grappling. all of these classes are intense work outs that build muscle in those areas like your back and shoulders and chest. the more you train the better youll get

 

[MuayThai]

You FEEL like you're punching faster.

Look, the only way to hit HARDER is to hit with more FORCE, by building up your strength.

Go pick up a dumbell. Hold it out at arms length. Do you feel it in your triceps or chest very much? Or do you feel it in your shoulder. Holding a dumbell will help you hold weight. Simple as that. The triceps and chest are different muscles than the shoulders, obviously. Thats like saying lateral raises will help you bench more. It's possible, but to a very minimal extent.

I speak from experience. You will punch faster. And a faster punch is a harder
one (at least when you are new)

I found out though experience that you need to balance yourself when hitting, throw too hard and it won't go fast enough, throw too quick and you'll not have power and your coordination will suffer.

Proper technique it think, is the technique developed to balance all aspects of a punch to make it "bang", as Social puts it.

Apparently (as I've read from a Bruce lee book) Bruce lee could hit as hard as a man twice his weight. lol I'd like to see that.

 

[MrS]

Proper technique it think, is the technique developed to balance all aspects of a punch to make it "bang", as Social puts it.

This is called snapping the punch. Punch that has pop , etc.
Also, beat that heavy bag with right technique.

 

[mexican_player2]

a lot has to do with the technique, in my boxing gym there are some golden gloves 12 year old kids, they are like 5'9 and weight like 135 and they can beat most of the bigger (185) older dudes its amazing

so yeah go to a boxing club and with the technique you'll hit harder and effectively...in 2 months you'll be surprised in what you can do

 

[tipsy_619]

i bet they are pretty good at boxing for points

but i'd knock the **** out of a 12 year old
i doubt they have knock out power...

 

[Skilla_Staz]

If you could get a solid shot on 'em...

I'm sure they're not going to stand there and let you hit them.