Alright, I'll keep this simple. It's a basic question, but one I still don't feel I fully understand.

How do you throw your straight punches? This stems from someone telling me my (left) jab and (right) cross were soft while my hooks, etc. were fine. Now, I've never power-punched with my jab or cross...they're more setup techniques for me, but I'm curious now if maybe I'm even throwing them correctly?

My fighting stance is pretty conventional...feet close, toes on angle, but my shoulders are a bit more square. someone suggested this is inhibiting my shoulder on the jab and my rotation on the cross...I've never thought it did, but perhaps they are correct.

Any thoughts? Personal stories are more than welcome!

Regards,
CrimsonTiger

"You sure talk a lot. Are you going to train at all tonight, or just stand there the whole time?" -Sempai Dale

Are you in traditional ma? Karate or?
Can you break with your strikes?

BB mag had an article showing how the classic twisting punch was actually stronger if the fist struck at an angle (thumb at tilted at @ 45% up) rather than flat (knuckle to first finger joint pointing at the ground).

My punches improved two ways. By doing speed training of several strikes in row and doing punches at the mirror, trying to pull back so fast it was hard to see the fist. And bag work. Nothing tells if a technique is good as well as the feedback i get from a heavy bag. Lefts, rights, left+rights, +elbows, uppercuts, hooks, spinning elbows etc.

Well, to tell a personal story my punches really improved when Dwain, a tough tourney fighter, coached me in sparring drills, and told me that with my reach, a fast left jab should keep him off me. We wore big gloves to reduce the damage and after a few months of drills, it worked. And i have to thank Dwain, i've used it ever since-a totally commited hard fast left jab to the nose or palm heel to the forhead has worked many times.
He taught me the confidence to "explode" and not hesistate or make halfway moves.

"A lot of people spend a lot of time arguing about what style is better. This is a complete waste of time." Oyama

I'm a traditional MA, technically speaking. (I train in a dojo, Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate as well as JJJ)...but most of my sparring skills are derived from boxing/MT. (Based on one of instructors who is dominantly MT/MMA)

Let's just say I'm very open-minded, so long as a technique works and doesn't hurt my body long-term. (well, no more than any other art...LOL!)

I just find it odd that nobody has said anything to me until this particular person was working pads with me. *shrug* I have no reason to doubt him, but my bagwork has never seemed "weak" to me, and my combos are fairly fluid. I guess a good bout with someone significantly better than me will teach me my flaws...I'm not great, but I haven't had much exposure outside my dojo recently.

Thanks for the contributions. Anyone else?!

Regards,
CrimsonTiger

"You sure talk a lot. Are you going to train at all tonight, or just stand there the whole time?" -Sempai Dale

Its your footwork. If you are not advancing toward the guy with your punches then they aren't going to do anything. You are just tapping him from a distance. You are supposed to punch through the target not barely get to it.

If your arm is extended past 40 degrees when you hit him then you are hitting him too late in your swing. There is no push left in your punch. Hit too late or too early and your punch is weak. Hit at the right moment in your swing and you will hit one out of the park. Its a lot like baseball in that way. Hit him right as you get leverage in your swing. Like you are pushing him.

The power behind a cross comes from the step forward with the opposite foot. Also, you have to twist your waist and wheel your shoulders into it. Keep your knees bent. If you are just punching by holding your arms out there and straightening your elbows from a fixed stance .. then I recommend you get a new coach or get a book on boxing or .. quit because you'll never get anywhere as a boxer doing that.

Scoring points isn't enough. Tapping isn't going to win a match. In a fight, tapping jabs are useless. You need power. Your first punch can be set on stun but your second and third better be moving him into position so you can get that good one to the right target. Its pretty hard to get a hook on a guy who is moving back out of range. Advance while you stun and shove into his territory.

Hello Crimson Tiger

It is impossible to teach you technique over the internet, so I won’t even try.

The best place to learn how to punch is at your local boxing club.


By 9chambers

The power behind a cross comes from the step forward with the opposite foot
9chambers, you don't have a clue.


<marquee>I can kick the typical street fighter’s ass</marquee>

I would like to add to this if I could. Keep in mind that Jabb and cross are all long range punches. Amoung other things you could be using these in the wrong range. Hook and upper cut an if you train it verticle punch are all what is called short punches. This mistake is comon in Wing Chun I find that many other Wing Chun people start with thier verticle punch in long punching range and they get blasted! this is the same for jab/cross you could be smoothering your own punch if not a form problem. I hope this helps. Just my two pennies. let me know what you come up with I will follow this thread.

Fuk FU- Why do you say that?

FukFu and Crimson Tiger- In boxing you are supposed to step forward with the rear foot (not past your lead foot) and "drop" your hips into the punch being squared off against the opponent when the punch is fully extended. After this, recover to your stance where you are diagonal to him. Drills on focus mitts are great for training this, and distance may also be your problem, Tiger. The best way hone the accuracy aspect of this is to test it in sparring. By doing that, it really comes together. If your school is against sparring with contact, find another school.

A.K.A MEAT

By Mr. Donkeypenis

In boxing you are supposed to step forward with the rear foot (not past your lead foot) and "drop" your hips into the punch being squared off against the opponent when the punch is fully extended.
Donkeypenis you don't have a clue either.

Crimson Tiger; just go to a boxing club. Then you too will know how it’s done, unlike some people on this board.


<marquee>I can kick the typical street fighter’s ass</marquee>

Crimson Tiger

Ask Nihilanthic, he knows what he is talking about and he does a good job of explaining things (better than me).


<marquee>I can kick the typical street fighter’s ass</marquee>

Let's rephrase, shall we? Although I appreciate the replies...the "can't teach technique over the internet" line is missing the point. We're not talking about teaching someone from scratch, we're talking about sharing ideas and little tweaks to technique that may or may not help each other. *shrug* There are bad boxing gyms just as there are bad dojos. Although a stint in a boxing gym is slated for 2003 for me, FukFu...all $$$ dependent of course. LOL!

My problem isn't extension I don't think...it's not like I'm fighting with my arms out in front of me. LOL! I learned THAT lesson when I got clocked in the head a few times because I never came back to a REAL guard position. Maybe it is my footwork...I'm definitely going to play a bit with that front foot. As for ranges, I'm pretty aware of my ranges, so those aren't likely the problem.

Nihilanthic, you got anything to add to this? I'm open to suggestions?

Regards,
CrimsonTiger

"You sure talk a lot. Are you going to train at all tonight, or just stand there the whole time?" -Sempai Dale

"It is impossible to teach you technique over the internet, so I won’t even try." watacrokofshit!What, books, maganzines, videos, and tapes can teach technique, but for some arkane queer reason, the internet can't?

Always walk on a bright, wide road. If you choose to live with your right posture, you don't have to go on a dark road or a malodorous place. Oyama

Quote: "Donkeypenis you don't have a clue either."

Explain, FukFu. How am I wrong? This is what I learned in Eagle Boxing in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Many of the fighters there have pretty damn good amateur boxing, kickboxing, and MMA records. Where did you train? I'm not saying you don't know, but how am I wrong? Maybe you have learned the same thing but you don't understand my explanation.


Better yet, maybe you live in the north Georgia area? My friend Russel (an ex-pro boxer and MMA fighter) and I could show you personally? Not a challenge, but to practice?

A.K.A MEAT

I take Seibukan Shorin ryu Karate and we do what is called a snap punch. You twist your fist at the very last second and you put it at a 45% angle.

I owned you the minute you were born!

9chambers, you don't have a clue.

Donkeypenis you don't have a clue either.


Sorry guys, I've been very stressed out from work the last few weeks.

I just got home, so let me chill for a while and I will post back and try to be of some help.


<marquee>I can kick the typical street fighter’s ass</marquee>

I'd rather not try to explain this over a forum... and this is starting to look like a crossfire zone for flames over theory on punching.

Jab, step forwards a bit with your lead leg, connect with the fist... small details about angle of your elbow I can't really get into, but it should NOT be straightened. Braced, but NOT 180°. A little bend is good, and you don't really lose any range with it. And of course, pull it back. Also do that "look down the barrel" trick to help cover your face. Sometimes my shoulder slaps my cheek when I do it. KEEP UP THE OTHER HAND.

Cross, there are a few ways. Either push off of your rear leg, ball of the foot, or do the step-forwards, with the rear leg pushing, or even step with that leg with throwing the cross changing your stance. But, thats for setting up a combo with your kick most of the time. Look at what Chuck did to Babalu in UFC 40... (from left lead) Cross step cross left kick... depends on how far you are going to punch, how close you want to get to them. you NEED a trainer to show you, and some vids from K-1, boxing, and some MMA to see it as an example. Oh, by the way... its called a CROSS for a reason. Twisting your body and crossing that rear arm all the way past your body can put a lot of power and range into it.

Regarding power in a punch - One way I like to think of it is that your arm is a conduit for transferring bodyweight, and while you straighten it into and through the target, your body twisting and your footwork are what generate it. If you have a bag or a adequate thing to punch, try this. Stand infront of the bag, and without moving your body at all, punch it with one arm. Then, straighten that arm (not to 180°, but braced) and move forwards and twist your body to contact the bag. There's a big difference. A good punch does BOTH. You can also try this with a hook. Lock your arm bent, and twist and contact. Compare that to sitting like a statue and using just your arm to hit them.

You need a good trainer. In Person. This is the best I can do... hope it helps.

<Me> John, what do you know about Zen Buddhism? <John> *smacks me*
<John> I'd have to smack you sometime...

Once again I find myself in total agreement with Nihilanthic. Well not quite. 99% of the time a cross is thrown this way.


Cross, there are a few ways. Either push off of your rear leg, ball of the foot




or do the step-forwards, with the rear leg pushing, or even step with that leg with throwing the cross changing your stance.These are really specialty moves not suited for beginners.

<marquee>I can kick the typical street fighter’s ass</marquee>