How to Throw a Hard and Powerful Punch

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Effective drills for punching with strength and technique
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Whether you’re defending yourself, training on a punching bag, or getting into the ring, the point of a punch is to hit hard and fast. It takes muscle, speed, and accuracy to deliver a knockout blow, and that power comes from the torso, not just the arms. We talked to martial arts instructors to show you the best form and technique for a strong punch, the top drills and exercises to improve your hit, and the science behind a solid swing. We’ll also show you how to take a hit, yourself, because if you’re throwing a punch, there’s a good chance you’re taking a punch, too.

How to Punch Harder

Kung fu instructor Yvonne Mo says to make a horizontal fist with your thumb curled around and over your fingers. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, slightly angled away from your target with your dominant arm and leg back. Pivot your torso toward your target and extend, but don’t fully straighten your arm.

Section 1 of 4:

Mastering Your Punching Technique

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Punch Harder
    A strong punch starts with a strong stance, and martial arts instructor Mark Vinci tells us a good stance is the “foundation” of a good hit. [1] Your feet and legs keep you balanced and allow you to transfer power from your lower body to your upper body, right through to your fist. When you gear up to throw a punch, make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart and your knees are bent slightly, with your dominant foot back, along with your dominant arm. [2]
    • It doesn’t hurt to widen your stance beyond your shoulders a bit, but too much may make you less balanced, not more.
    • Also, stand at about a 20-degree angle to your target, and lift the heel of your back foot to stay light on your feet.
    • Point your toes in the direction of your punch. Pointing your feet away from your target will deliver a less forceful punch.
    • Keep your knees bent. When you punch, your knees can then extend, giving your punch extra power.

    Meet the wikiHow Experts

    Mark Vinci is the director of Model Mugging Self Defense, founded in 1971. He has a law enforcement, military, and martial arts background.

    Yvonne Mo is a Fitness and Health Coach and Kung Fu Instructor. With more than 21 years of fitness industry and martial arts experience, she specializes in combining and teaching eastern and western fitness and health modalities.

    Adrian Tandez is a Martial Arts and Self-Defense Specialist based in Mountain View, California. He is the founder, owner, and head instructor of the Warrior Combat Arts Academy, a world-renowned self-defense training center.

    Ross Cascio is a Krav Maga Worldwide self-defense, fitness, and fight instructor who has been training and teaching Krav Maga self-defense, fitness, and fight classes for over 15 years.

  2. 2
    Make a fist with your thumb over your first two fingers. When you punch, how you ball your fist matters. Curl your fingers toward your palm, starting with the last knuckles and folding inward. [3] Then, for the most effective punch, kung fu instructor Yvonne Mo tells us to curl our fingers tight, then curl your thumb over your index and middle finger. [4]
    • When you deliver your punch, keep your wrist straight so that the long joints of your fingers form a right angle with your arm. [5]
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Punch Harder
    When you punch, most of the power comes from your body, not your arm. Set up your punch by swiveling your hips back in the direction of your punching arm. Hold your close to your body, at about chest height, with your elbow raised slightly. Then, release the punch by swiveling the hip of your punching arm forward. [6]
    • Also, breathing out, or exhaling, will help loosen your muscles right before contact. If you're having trouble exhaling before you punch, make a noise like a grunt as you punch to force the exhale.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Punch Harder
    As your body pivots into the punch, “push” your fist toward your target, extending your arm but letting the force of your body carry it forward. [7] Mo tells us to make sure our fists are horizontal, with our palms facing the floor. [8]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Punch Harder
    Keep your chin low and shoulders high. This makes you a smaller target, but also helps focus your power into your arm. Then, Mo tells us that when you deliver a punch, aim for it to land with your torso facing your opponent, your fist aligning with your own body’s midline, or at least in line with your shoulder. [10]
    • Otherwise, if you punch outside the width of your shoulders, your punch will be much weaker.
    • Pretend there are two parallel, straight walls extending out from your shoulders. Always aim to punch in the “hallways” between those walls.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Punch Harder
    Mo tells us to make sure we’re “hitting with the first two knuckles of your fist.” [11] This concentrates the power and makes for a devastating, sharp blow. These knuckles are strong and can take the force of impact better than the others. [12]
    • Martial arts instructor Adrian Tandez warns us that whenever you punch without gloves, you run the risk of injuring yourself. Be prepared for your punch to hurt you, too. That much force isn’t easy for anyone. [13]
    • Keep both your arm and fist relaxed until immediately before contact. As you feel contact with the opponent, tighten your fist. A relaxed fist will travel better through the air, but a tight fist will deliver more of a punch.
    • Punch straight with your arm, not with an arc. You might be tempted to trace a long arc with your punch, but don't: Remember that your power comes from your hips and torso, not from the path of the arm.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Punch Harder
    Even a strong punch isn’t very effective if you aim in the wrong place, like the shoulder or hip. Instead, Tandez tells us to aim for the eyes, face, and throat if possible, if the aim is self-defense, but keep in mind these areas are off-limits for most sports. [14] Or, aim for the chin, temple, solar plexus (center of chest), or the ribs.
    • Avoid aiming below your own chest or belly when delivering a straight punch. If you need to punch low, lower your torso and take a more curved arc with your fist down or up toward your target.
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Section 2 of 4:

Punching Drills and Exercises

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  1. The best training is to get out there and throw some punches. Using a heavy punching bag lets you do just that. Square up to a punching bag at your gym and practice delivering 2 sets of 10 punches, just like we learned in the previous section. If you plan to punch with gloves on, then wear gloves for practice, too. Tandez reminds us that punching with and without gloves are different experiences. [15]
    • Vinci adds that punching on a bag helps condition and strengthen your wrists, which helps deliver a stronger punch while avoiding injury. [16]
    • Your punching bag should be heavy enough that it doesn’t sway or rock too much, but not so heavy that it hurts to punch. [17]
    • Use a speed bag to improve your agility and dexterity.
  2. 2
    Shadow box to work on your form and speed. If you don’t have a punching bag handy, that’s alright. Try shadow boxing instead. Shadow boxing is when you spar with an imaginary opponent, which helps you master your form and technique. Throw practice punches to the air for 5-10 minutes at a time. [18] Stay light on your feet, shifting and recentering after each punch.
    • Practice with both hands to develop your form on your off-side.
  3. 3
    Ask someone to help you train with pads to practice your accuracy. This drill requires another set of hands, but it’s worth it. All pro boxers train with a coach who wears pads on their hands that act as targets. Your coach will change the position of their pads, and you must aim precisely to hit them. This helps you improve your accuracy and shift your aim at a moment’s notice—in a fight, your opponent will be moving around, not stationary! [19]
  4. 4
    Do various kinds of pushups to strengthen your arms. Strong arms are essential to a strong punch, and you don’t need weights to strengthen your arms. Push-ups are a great tool for getting those biceps, triceps, and forearms toned. [20] When you train, aim to do 3-4 sets of push-ups per workout. Do as many as you can, but aim for at least 10 per set.
    • Each set, mix up the kind of push-up you do. Widen your hands to focus more on your chest, or place your hands closer together to focus on your shoulders and triceps.
  5. 5
    Work on your chin-ups for complete upper body strength training. Chin-ups help train your arms, shoulders, grip, and back, which goes a long way to enhancing your punching power. When you train, do 2-3 sets of chin-ups, aiming for 10 reps each. Hang from the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart, pull yourself up until your chin is level with the bar, then slowly lower yourself back down. [21]
    • Change your hand position to vary the workout. Try it with your palms facing away, then toward you, then wide, then narrower to target each muscles and tendon.
  6. 6
    Practice your squats to work on your lower body’s power. Your punching power starts in your lower body, and one of the best ways to train your legs and hips is with squats . When you train, do 3 sets of 10 squats. Plant your feet shoulder-width apart, then bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground, and rise back up. [22]
    • Keep your arms straight out, or on your head.
    • Keep your back straight and your shoulders above your knees.
    • For a greater challenge, hold a medicine ball or dumbbells to your chest.
  7. 7
    Do jump tucks to work on your explosive power. A jump tuck or jump squat is when you jump as high as you can, bringing your knees to your chest at the highest point of the jump. This trains your legs’ strength and agility, while also offering a great stamina workout that’ll increase your endurance. [23] Aim to do 3 sets of 10 jump tucks each workout.
    • To add to the challenge, add a punch in midair to each jump tuck.
  8. 8
    Flex your hands in a bucket of rice to strengthen them. Rice bucket training is often used by personal trainers to help condition and strengthen hands. It helps with training your punches, too, and makes your hands more resilient and less likely to get hurt. Fill a bucket with uncooked rice, plunge your hands into the rice up to your wrists, and move them around for 10-15 minutes at a time. [24]
    • Rotate your wrists, open and close your fists, and “mix” the rice with your arms in circular motions.
  9. A good punch also comes from the rotation of your hips and torso, which is where the power is rooted. Torso rotations target this area. Stand straight with your back aligned with your body. Hold a medicine ball in front of your chest with your elbows out to the sides. Pivot your torso left to right, without leaning, 10-20 times per set, for 3 sets. [25]
    • To make it more intense, extend the medicine ball away from your torso.
  10. 10
    Jump rope to enhance your speed and stamina. Remember that much of your punching power comes from your legs and torso. When you punch, you need to be able to get in position quickly and stay light on your feet. Otherwise, you’re a sitting duck. Jumping rope is a great way to get more nimble and light while also doing some cardio. Jump rope for 30-60 seconds at a time for 10 sets each workout. [26]
    • Go as fast or as steady as you like. What matters is getting your pulse up and practicing bouncing on the balls of your feet.
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Section 3 of 4:

What makes a good punch?

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  1. The best punches are a matter of physics. It’s about turning your potential energy—your windup stance and muscle tension—into kinetic energy—the motion of your fist hurling forward. The strongest punches combine a solid, muscular physique with quick speed, economic motion, and high accuracy to deliver a fast, stunning knockout. [27]
    • The greater your muscle mass, the harder your punch will be, since your muscles add weight and force to your punch.
    • Punching without a windup won’t result in much force, since you’re drawing from less potential energy.
Section 4 of 4:

Taking a Punch

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  1. 1
    Place your hands before your face and tuck your chin. Self-defense trainer Ross Cascio tells us that you want to protect your face, and especially the lower part of your face, which is most vulnerable. He says to place your fists up toward your face while engaging your arms, and to keep your head low. [28]
  2. 2
    Keep your eyes on the opponent’s body and move out of their line of accuracy. Cascio explains that if you’re looking at your opponent’s torso, you can better track their next punch, as opposed to just watching their hands. [30] Then, self-defense trainer Asher Smiley says to move out of their line of accuracy, which is the imaginary corridor that extends straight out from their shoulders. This makes it harder for their punch to land with full force. [31]
    • Stay light on your feet and attempt to dodge with a sidestep, but keep facing your opponent so you’re ready to deliver a counterattack.
    • Use your legs to move your head out of the way. Bend your knees to duck rather than folding at the waist.
  3. 3
    Keep moving and stay on your opponent’s offside, if possible. Most people have a stronger hand, which they’ll use to deliver their strongest punches. Take note of which hand your opponent is using. Then, if you can, bob, dance, and weave your way to the far side of their body, so it’s harder for them to deliver punches with that hand, says Cascio. [32] That way, you keep them on their weak side.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Why are my punches so weak?
    Asher Smiley
    Self Defense Trainer
    Asher Smiley is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Krav Maga Revolution in Petaluma, California. Asher has earned a Tier 1 Instructor Certification in the American Krav Maga system. In 2017, he trained with the International Kapap Federation Combat Krav Maga International, completing their 7 day tactical seminar and the 8 day CKMI instructor course.
    Asher Smiley
    Self Defense Trainer
    Expert Answer
    You likely just need practice! The more you punch, the harder you'll be able to hit.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 24 Helpful 14
  • Question
    Can I punch a wall to practice?
    Asher Smiley
    Self Defense Trainer
    Asher Smiley is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Krav Maga Revolution in Petaluma, California. Asher has earned a Tier 1 Instructor Certification in the American Krav Maga system. In 2017, he trained with the International Kapap Federation Combat Krav Maga International, completing their 7 day tactical seminar and the 8 day CKMI instructor course.
    Asher Smiley
    Self Defense Trainer
    Expert Answer
    I wouldn't recommend it. With practice, you might get to a place where you can hit very hard things, like a wall, but don't just hit your wall as hard as you can if you've never punched before.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Tips

      • Another great training technique is to throw punches underwater, since the water provides resistance that can enhance your strength.
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      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees. Rotate your body as you punch to put the full power of your core behind each strike.
      • Punching should be like a snake striking, with a snap at the end. You can get better at this if you practice snapping a towel.
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      References

      1. ↑ Mark Vinci. Martial Arts Instructor. Expert Interview
      2. ↑ https://www.iba.sport/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/AIBA-Coach-Regulations-Manual_WEB_2019_01-1.pdf
      3. ↑ https://traditional-karate.com/karate-do/kihon-basics/seiken-proper-fist/
      4. ↑ Yvonne Mo. Kung Fu Instructor. Expert Interview
      5. ↑ https://traditional-karate.com/karate-do/kihon-basics/seiken-proper-fist/
      6. ↑ https://www.englandboxing.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/EB_Boxing-Coaching-Handbook-Part-1_v8-002.pdf
      7. ↑ https://www.englandboxing.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/EB_Boxing-Coaching-Handbook-Part-1_v8-002.pdf
      8. ↑ Yvonne Mo. Kung Fu Instructor. Expert Interview
      9. ↑ Yvonne Mo. Kung Fu Instructor. Expert Interview
      1. ↑ Yvonne Mo. Kung Fu Instructor. Expert Interview
      2. ↑ Yvonne Mo. Kung Fu Instructor. Expert Interview
      3. ↑ https://traditional-karate.com/karate-do/kihon-basics/seiken-proper-fist/
      4. ↑ Adrian Tandez. Martial Arts Instructor. Expert Interview
      5. ↑ Adrian Tandez. Self Defense Trainer. Expert Interview
      6. ↑ Adrian Tandez. Self Defense Trainer. Expert Interview
      7. ↑ Mark Vinci. Martial Arts Instructor. Expert Interview
      8. ↑ https://www.englandboxing.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/EB_Boxing-Coaching-Handbook-Part-1_v8-002.pdf
      9. ↑ https://www.fightmma.org/shadow-boxing-benefits/
      10. ↑ https://www.englandboxing.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/EB_Boxing-Coaching-Handbook-Part-1_v8-002.pdf
      11. ↑ https://www.iba.sport/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/AIBA-Coach-Regulations-Manual_WEB_2019_01-1.pdf
      12. ↑ https://www.nasm.org/resource-center/blog/chin-ups-vs.-pull-ups-the-difference-the-benefits-muscles-worked
      13. ↑ https://www.englandboxing.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/EB_Boxing-Coaching-Handbook-Part-1_v8-002.pdf
      14. ↑ https://www.englandboxing.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/EB_Boxing-Coaching-Handbook-Part-1_v8-002.pdf
      15. ↑ https://www.dignityhealth.org/articles/the-rice-bucket-workout-can-build-your-power-at-the-plate
      16. ↑ https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/exercise-library/106/standing-trunk-rotation/
      17. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/jump-rope-benefits
      18. ↑ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8036214/
      19. ↑ Ross Cascio. Self Defense Trainer. Expert Interview
      20. ↑ Ross Cascio. Self Defense Trainer. Expert Interview
      21. ↑ Ross Cascio. Self Defense Trainer. Expert Interview
      22. ↑ Asher Smiley. Self Defense Trainer. Expert Interview
      23. ↑ Ross Cascio. Self Defense Trainer. Expert Interview

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you want to punch harder, make sure you’re twisting your hips when you lean in to put more power behind your punch. You should also exhale before you strike so your muscles loosen and allow you to punch harder. In addition to having the right technique, build muscle if you want to increase your punching strength. A good way to build muscle is to practice hitting a heavy punching bag. You can also practice jabbing the air with 5-10 kilogram weights to strengthen your punches. For more tips, including how to improve your punches by practicing shadow boxing, read on!

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