How to Throw a Punch

Want to know how to throw the perfect punch? Take it from someone who’s been a bouncer/bodyguard for years, there’s more technique to it than most people would think. Anybody can toss a fist at someone’s face, but to really make it effective you have to do it right. That’s what this tutorial is about.

First of all, be sure that your fist is properly clenched. Tuck your fingers in tight and wrap your thumb around the outside of the first two fingers. Keep the fist clenched as tight as you can. A loose fist will almost certainly result in a broken hand, trust me.

A good cross should drive straight forward without much windup. Many people like to throw haymaker punches where they draw back for a huge windup and throw a someone hooked punch. You can get a lot of power behind it this way, but its much slower and very obvious. You can get a lot of power without winding up much at all. Most of the power comes from the rotation of your hips, not the windup. Your fist can come from your hip and still do a lot of damage if you rotate into it. From a fighting stance, the fist would be delivered from next to your jaw, while the other hand guards the face. Simply step forward and twist your hips into the rotation to generate power. Drive your fist straight forward at your target, don’t roundhouse it.

This next step is very important. Be sure that you strike with your first two knuckles. That’s your pointer and middle finger. If you make contact with your outer knuckles (ring and pinker finger) you’re going to hurt yourself more than you hurt them. Make it a point to strike with the first two knuckles and you’ll avoid damaging your hand.

When striking, be sure to go for softer targets. The upper part of the head and forehead is very hard and will hurt your hand more than it will hurt them. When going for the face, shoot for below the eyebrows. The jaw is the most sensitive target on the face and can cause instant knockouts if you connect. When striking the body shoot for the stomach, ribs, or solar plexus. Striking the solar plexus (bottom center of the chest) will knock the wind out of your opponent and stun them. If you need to escape, it’s a good way to take them out temporarily.

Stick with these simple tips and your punches will be quick and effective. There is no need for a huge windup when punching. The haymaker style is slow and obvious. It is easily dodged if your opponent is paying attention. A quick, straight strike will be much more effective and just as powerful.

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