i can't punch hard

[Jay-X]

my punch is extremely weak. i mean, my younger brother and i had it measured and his punch was litterally TWICE as strong as mine. and it's not that he's physically advantaged:

1. he's 3 inches taller than me, but we have the same weight;
2. i weighlift and i have far bigger muscles than him;
3. i take muay thai lessons, while he just play basketball.


before every muay thai lesson (3 times a week), i boxe against the punching bag for 5-10 minutes and my punches are now really fast. i'd surely beat my brother, since i can throw lots of punches in a short time and he wouldn't even be able to throw the punch inbetween. anyway, it sucks not to be able to have a good HARD punch. what can i do about it? is it just due to genes?

 

[Criminal Mind]

Look at your body position, the power of a punch comes from a certain area and a misalignment will cause a big loss of power.

If you're looking for a powerful punch, hit something with the heel of your palm... it hurts like hell.

Just google a tutorial on google for correct posture.

After all that, having a fast punch isn't a bad thing

 

[WORKEROUTER]

I try to imagine my body as the main generator when punching, and the arm as only an extension, allowing all of the power to flow from that generated by rotating your hips and torso, onto the opponent.

 

[Shiftkey]

I've been taking Mauy Thai for over a year (amoung other martial arts - MMA). It's strange that you're learning to focus so much on speed. I always thought Mauy Thai focused more on power - it is famed with the most powerful kick in martial arts after all. Speed is more of a trait of Savate kickboxing.

It's hard to say what your problem is without actually seeing your punch, but I can make an educated guess. Your body mechanics suck.

Punching takes a lot more than arm strength - I typically punch harder than guys much bigger than me, and with much less effort, because I literally rotate my entire body with every punch. Both of my feet pivot, my hips turn, and I extend my arm past the target. Not only do you get extra length, but a lot of extra power.

Stance is also a major factor. The traditional Mauy Thai stance puts your back foot flat on the ground, with your front foot balanced on the ball of your foot. Ideal for kicks, less than ideal for punches. Try reversing this. Have your front foot flat, with your back foot balanced on the ball of your foot. Keep your weight distribution even and your feet approximately shoulder length apart.

 

[Jay-X]

Originally posted by Shiftkey
I've been taking Mauy Thai for over a year (amoung other martial arts - MMA). It's strange that you're learning to focus so much on speed. I always thought Mauy Thai focused more on power - it is famed with the most powerful kick in martial arts after all. Speed is more of a trait of Savate kickboxing.

It's hard to say what your problem is without actually seeing your punch, but I can make an educated guess. Your body mechanics suck.

Punching takes a lot more than arm strength - I typically punch harder than guys much bigger than me, and with much less effort, because I literally rotate my entire body with every punch. Both of my feet pivot, my hips turn, and I extend my arm past the target. Not only do you get extra length, but a lot of extra power.

Stance is also a major factor. The traditional Mauy Thai stance puts your back foot flat on the ground, with your front foot balanced on the ball of your foot. Ideal for kicks, less than ideal for punches. Try reversing this. Have your front foot flat, with your back foot balanced on the ball of your foot. Keep your weight distribution even and your feet approximately shoulder length apart.

thank you very much for this advice... i'll try and practice... just one note, muay thai is a lot about speed... not as much as savate, but you have to be really quick to avoid your opponent's combos

 

[splinterkb]

One tip is to aim twice as far as the target, so your hit follows through and doesn't lose any momentum.

 

[Shiftkey]

Originally posted by Jay-X
thank you very much for this advice... i'll try and practice... just one note, muay thai is a lot about speed... not as much as savate, but you have to be really quick to avoid your opponent's combos

No problem, good luck. Yes speed is important for defence, but I don't know of any quick strikes in Mauy Thai. Maybe that's just because it's a MMA studio. But don't take it from me, ask your head instructor. You should also ask him to critique your power.

Originally posted by splinterkb
One tip is to aim twice as far as the target, so your hit follows through and doesn't lose any momentum.

Do this and you'll be off balance after one punch. I usually punch a few inches into the target, not a full arms length.

 

[MrS]

You do know how to throw a punch I take it, having been going to muay thai?
I don't know if it's different, but know that you basically use about half your body to throw a punch, it's not just the arm..

pivot on the back foot, turn from the hip upwards.

 

[Haboob]

Try reversing this. Have your front foot flat, with your back foot balanced on the ball of your foot. Keep your weight distribution even and your feet approximately shoulder length apart.

I don't know a whole lot about Mauy Thai, but I do boxing so I know a bit about punching (yep no kicking in boxing obviously). What I quoted above is exactly how you should stand and how I was taught in boxing. Turn your whole body so you are side on and your shoulder is turned towards the punch. Swivel your back foot if you have to.

I think that's right. Hope it helps.

 

[RaWBLooD]

Originally posted by Haboob
I don't know a whole lot about Mauy Thai, but I do boxing so I know a bit about punching (yep no kicking in boxing obviously). What I quoted above is exactly how you should stand and how I was taught in boxing. Turn your whole body so you are side on and your shoulder is turned towards the punch. Swivel your back foot if you have to.

I think that's right. Hope it helps.

if you want quickest punches, theres a lot less body involved.

 

[manuva]

Originally posted by RaWBLooD
if you want quickest punches, theres a lot less body involved.

The thread is about power not speed.

 

[Jay-X]

Originally posted by RaWBLooD
if you want quickest punches, theres a lot less body involved.

actually, i can already throw lots of quick punches. the hardest part comes when i have to take ONE great hard punch.

IMO in a fight, you have the upper hand when you throw lots of fast punches and when your opponent is in huge pain and unable to catch you offguard, you throw your hard punch to his face

 

[splinterkb]

If you wanna knock the dude out with one blow, aim so the hit will land 1/2 to your target. Also use all the muscles in your torso (the ones that you use for swinging a baseball bat or golf club, etc.). If you do it right, youll hit them so hard they'll probably fall over.

 

[RaWBLooD]

Originally posted by manuva
The thread is about power not speed.

take a look at what i quoted and stfu.
you seem to be on this site whenever i log on with your stupid comments.

 

[manuva]

Originally posted by RaWBLooD
take a look at what i quoted and stfu.
you seem to be on this site whenever i log on with your stupid comments.

I did take a look at what you quoted. Your post was out of context with the thread - grow up and deal with it.

It's also terribly funny that you had a go at me for being on here often. Aren't you the numpty who racked up 800 posts in a month or something? Someone posted your log record as proof you'd been posting on this site for 16 hours straight or something lmao. Go get yourself a life before you criticize others.

 

[RaWBLooD]

Originally posted by manuva
I did take a look at what you quoted. Your post was out of context with the thread - grow up and deal with it.

It's also terribly funny that you had a go at me for being on here often. Aren't you the numpty who racked up 800 posts in a month or something? Someone posted your log record as proof you'd been posting on this site for 16 hours straight or something lmao. Go get yourself a life before you criticize others.

nah it wasnt out of context with this thread.
And its funny how u cant read this "someone" that posted the log of my posts showed clearly that i didnt even post for a full 2 hours. I feel sorry for you if you cannot read, write or think so fast.

Anyways, good luck getting anywhere in life throwing insults at others, you will get far in life- OH WAIT is that why you are on this site? k thx.:crackup:

 

[iLoveCookies]

Originally posted by Shiftkey
I've been taking Mauy Thai for over a year (amoung other martial arts - MMA). It's strange that you're learning to focus so much on speed. I always thought Mauy Thai focused more on power - it is famed with the most powerful kick in martial arts after all. Speed is more of a trait of Savate kickboxing.

It's hard to say what your problem is without actually seeing your punch, but I can make an educated guess. Your body mechanics suck.

Punching takes a lot more than arm strength - I typically punch harder than guys much bigger than me, and with much less effort, because I literally rotate my entire body with every punch. Both of my feet pivot, my hips turn, and I extend my arm past the target. Not only do you get extra length, but a lot of extra power.

Stance is also a major factor. The traditional Mauy Thai stance puts your back foot flat on the ground, with your front foot balanced on the ball of your foot. Ideal for kicks, less than ideal for punches. Try reversing this. Have your front foot flat, with your back foot balanced on the ball of your foot. Keep your weight distribution even and your feet approximately shoulder length apart.

what he said !!

punching has a lot more to do with rotation of shoulders and waist, when punching you want to twist, its a little hard to explain but almost like a swinging a golf club.

it also has to do with speed.

since F=MA

force = Mass x acceleration

intern you would apply more force if you hit something fast as compared to pushing with your whole body.

so when punching imagine whipping someone with a towel.

Sorry for the hsitty explanation, I have been boxing for a while so it all comes as second nature to me but that's the best way I could think of it.

To add to the above, MT kicks are so hard becuase they have to dowith rotation, you can kick ALOT harder when you throw your whole body into a kick than you can with just a kick

for example take a high right roundhouse compared to a inside left kick targeting opponents leg

 

[organizedconfusion]

do push ups on your knuckles
do ALOT of PULL UPS , focus on Volume but never go to failure
focus on ab work and shoulder work

power comes from stability and a gyrating force
of the hips. transfering the power up through
your feet, through your hips and up though your
back & shoulders.it's a unison of all the muscles working
together that makes a powerfull punch.
thats what i do anyways...

 

[Bourne]

Haven't read the replies so it may have been covered.

Your power comes from:

- hip rotation and body torque.

Power generates from the ground through your legs as it comes up through the punch.

Don't punch at a target, punch THROUGH the target. Rotate your hips, your punching hand, your shoulders and your body and use your whole body to punch.

 

[DarkLight]

First off... I agree w. most all the advice given here.

Only wanted to add a few different dimensions, unspoken.

Another huge factor in power, is Chi!

How much life force is flowing through your body.
And how much control you have over it, to channel it.

Example.
Have you ever seen one of those video clips w. an old Tai Chi Master holding a stance against 3 younger men, trying to push him off his root?

Thats def. body alignment, and skilled experience... but aslo his mastery over energy itself.

He has rooted himself literally into the core of the earth.

To draw upon the earth as your source of power, is much like the advice given here... in that you should draw upon the totality of your whole body. Just a more esoteric and spiritual expansion of that principle.

Another factor of power is when you punch your target, as well as following through it....... stick your power to it. Keep your energy blasting through your target even after you have landed it.

Example 2. You've all seen those Martial Artist's breaking stacks of boards, bricks etc. And trust me... even though a BodyBuilder is much "stronger" than a lot of these guys... I doubt any of them could go head up in this breaking display. These master's have developed their POWER (chi). And that is the force used.

I would very much reccomend, Tai Chi, Qui Qong, or the raw vehicle itself: Meditation, to open your mind, body, spirit up to true power.

I cannot esteem meditation enough, when it comes to ANY Martial Art. It is literally, its root. And to know the root source, and be grounded in it... will infuse TRUE POWER into your art, in a myriad of ways!

................... Once again, only adding another angle to the already great advice given.


SuaveOn'
-DarkLight-