ADDING POWER TO YOUR PUNCH!

ADDING POWER TO YOUR PUNCH!

Whether you’ve just started kickboxing or you’re a seasoned OOMPH fan, adding power to your punch is something you should always be working on. 

Power is a combination of acceleration and mass. That means you can possess a lot of muscular strength but if you’re unable to move efficiently and with speed, you’re not necessarily as powerful as someone who might not be as objectively strong.

The idea behind a powerful punch is getting the most impact with the least effort. It’s about accelerating at an impressive speed without losing any of the strength behind it. 

Here, we’re going over three things to consider for adding power to your punch. 

It’s All in the Hips

Ok - it’s maybe not ALL in the hips, but generating momentum for your punch from the hips can make all the difference. You should almost imagine that your hips are doing the punching to really get a feel for how this works. 

Instead of isolating your arm to do all the work, adding a second focal point to your hip will help you get your entire body involved. Punching is actually a full-body experience but by using the hips, it’s a simple mindset shift that adds the power of your legs and torso to your punch, in addition to your arm.

Pivot Properly

In most cases, pivoting back and forth between your legs while punching will come naturally. As you throw punches, the energy will flow back to you and your body absorbs it by pivoting on your feet. 

To pivot properly, you need to stay grounded but light on your feet at the same time. It sounds complicated (and in some ways it is). During the punch, both feet should be firmly on the floor to keep your body rooted and strong. Between punches, you’ll want to let the reverb affect your feet with a slight pivot back and forth to help you stay balanced and ready for the next punch.

Eventually, as you become more experienced with kickboxing, you’ll learn how to punch while pivoting between feet without losing any power in the process. 


Remember to Relax

Although it may seem counterintuitive, the real road to powerful punches is through relaxation. During a session, it’s easy to tense up, especially around the shoulders and neck. But, holding all of that tension in your body is costing you.

When you relax, you’re not wasting your energy and you can transfer the actual power you possess into your punch. It will also save you valuable energy to loosen up your fists in between punches. Any little ways you can relax and let your body remain loose, the more power you can add to your punch.

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On the OOMPH app, we have tons of tips and tricks to help improve your kickboxing sessions. From adding power to your technique breakdowns, we’re the whole package when it comes to mobile kickboxing. 

Try our trainer-led kickboxing workouts for free today!





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