There are 15 basic punches in boxing all of which can be delivered to the head or body. The thing is, all 15 of those punches are evolved from the 4 that I show you in this video. You get not only a demonstration of how to build the perfect version of these punches, but I also point out the key common faults and I will give you some ways to play around with them. Get the basics up through to advanced.
The All-Purpose Punch
The jab is the first punch that we teach to beginner boxers. The jab is also the punch that is used most often. The jab controls, finds range, creates openings and breaks down opponents.
The jab should accelerate and retract with equal intensity. Don’t telegraph, making a telltale movement before launching the punch. Don’t let the body weight go forward with the punch and make sure that the other hand stays in a good guard position.
Try playing around with the jab. You can tap jab like the great Roberto Duran, you can jab and circle like the legend that is Muhammad Ali or you can sneak into range withy the widened stance. In short, be a top operator at jabbing, it will pay dividends.
The Dynamite Punch
If the jab is all-purpose, the straight back hand is designed for one thing – delivering head-cracking power.
Massive hip rotation driven from the feet is the order of the day. If you under-rotate then the best that can happen is there will be a loss of power, most likely though the punch won’t land at all because it will fall well short.
Finest exponent of then right hand I’ve ever seen, the Motor City Cobra Thomas Hearns. Hearns delivered every ounce of doom he could muster when unleashing that right hand – it was the boxing equivalent of a high velocity artillery shell.
If you want to change the angle of the punch, so make it more of a cross, release the arm earlier in the rotation. The later in the rotation you leave the punch, the more straight it will be. Let it go earlier and there is a subtle change to the trajectory. Try it out.
The Knockout Punch
I reckon that the left hook is responsible for more unconscious people in boxing fights than any other punch. The lateral impact, the unsighted and unaware opponent, the explosive front foot power generator. Land this punch properly and it will definitely deliver a message.
If you are a beginner boxer and your aim is to build a solid left hook, add an inside slip before you throw the punch. Taking this approach will not only make the punch easier to learn but it will also deliver more power. Remember though, you are learning two skills, the slip and the hook, so be sure to drill the left hook on its own too.
The Soul-Breaker Punch
The right uppercut is the most technically challenging punch to learn. On the other hand it is a really difficult punch to defend and an utterly awful punch to take! The uppercut would lead to some serious dental work if landed in a street fight I can guarantee that.
The hip rotation on the uppercut is a variant of the right cross, with the right hip lifting slightly at the end of the action. The hip rotation delivers power whilst enabling the forearm to be in the vertical plain when the punch lands. If the forearm isn’t vertical, it isn’t an uppercut
As a beginner, don’t drop the hand too low as you throw the punch. It might look cool but the reality is that it creates a big gap in your defense and you could well end up staring at the ceiling.
There you have it, be great to get your comments below
Cheers
Fran
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