This article gives tips on how to punch harder based on advice from some professional boxers. If here’s also your concern, why don’t we get started right away?
What an outstanding achievement it is to throw a punch powerfully like Mike Tyson! Or how perfectly it is when your lightning-speed punch can send the contender to the ground.
Have you ever wondered to yourself, “Can I perform like that on the boxing stage?”
How to punch hard
We know for sure that any of you can make it real. Regardless of your weight class, our guide on how to punch harder below will help.
Now, it is time to start!
How To Punch Harder
The following includes eight common tips on how to hit hard with your punches. Which one will be suitable for your competing style?
Tip 1: Mastering Your Technique
With poor technique, you can never punch harder and faster. In every battle, mastering the technique is always the first and most important preparation for sure.
Your whole body (excluding shoulders and arms) needs to be in use for you to deliver a strike. At the same time, you rotate hips and shoulders, pivot toes, and keep the chin down.
Tip 2: Not Overextending Your Arms
The punching power is not considerable enough to damage the target when you overextend your arm. If the arm overextends, your toes tend to be up, and as a consequence, you lose body balance. At the fully extending state of the arm, your elbow may get injured.
One solution is that you should practice choosing a suitable distance from the target. And then, you throw the punch harder and faster instead of pushing the contender.
Tip 3: Lowering The Center Of Gravity
It is exactly a great secret of any pugilist all over the world. Lowering the center of gravity means that you protect your knees from getting fully extended. For every 10cm lower, the center of gravity can help you to make your punch three times stronger.
Hence, when you are able to throw a punch, we suggest you bend your knees and insert more power into the strike.
Tip 4: Reducing Muscle Contraction
Relaxing your muscle before punching the target is also a way for power improvement. Firstly, you should focus on your contender. Next, you relax both shoulders and arms. Honestly, the contraction is a must only when blocking strikes of the opponent.
Tip 5: Maintaining A Proper Stance
In a wrong stance, it is impossible for you to transfer the high energy onto the strike. Consequently, your punch becomes weak and, of course, not strong enough to knock the target down.
Although there is a wide range of stances, you need to obey some general rules:
- Following an orthodox: In case that you choose this stance, the leading leg will be the left one. Or else, it is the right leg.
- Keeping body parts at the right place: Legs and shoulder width should be apart. Feet are parallel, and the heel is off the ground.
Tip 6: Punching Directly Through The Target
The tip is to hit your target around 10 inches behind. This distance often depends on the punching technique that you choose.
Tip 7: Improving The Strike By Movement
The better your movement is, the more chances you can get to escape from the opponent’s strikes and improve yours. A good movement enables you to set up your strikes from various angles.
Besides, you should take advantage of the situation when your opponent misses. If your speed is fast enough, your punch can come with the perfect preparation.
Tips 8: Using Counterpunches
If you are a defensive fighter, a counterpunch should be the key to how to punch hard. Immediately following the strike often requires you to be ready with great experience, technique, and speed.
You should always be patient. And when the opportunity comes, it is time to throw a counterpunch which is about three times stronger than a normal punch.
Tip 9: Improving Stamina
How can you improve your stamina? It is a piece of cake. We suggest jumping rope regularly. Plus, you can run intervals or try to do explosive exercises.
Tip 10: Strengthening both upper and lower body
Tips on how to hit hard are not only about the techniques. It requires you to spend much time strengthening your upper and lower body, too. A strong muscle also can help to throw a punch harder and faster for sure.
Read More: Top 10 Boxing Gloves for Beginner
Common Mistakes Needed To Avoid
Mistakes needed to avoid when throwing a punch
Are you sure that you never make any mistake when throwing a punch? We guess it is not a YES. And here is a list of common mistakes needed to avoid:
- Standing upright: Your legs tend to be straight in this position. In comparison with bending your knees slightly, standing upright will give a weak foundation. This posture consequently weakens the power of your punch.
- Leaning in: This position will put too much of your body weight on the front feet. Consequently, the pressure will prevent you from being on balance.
- Lifting feet: It is one of the main causes of minimizing your punching power. So, it is a must to keep feet on the ground during the battle.
- Telegraphing the punch: With this mistake, it becomes much easier for your rivals to determine when you are about to throw punches on them.
- Reaching: When trying to reach and hit the contender, you are inadvertently reducing your punching power.
- Squaring up: It is the position in which you keep your feet and shoulders aligned horizontally. As a wrong punching technique, the “squaring up” may cause you to be off-balance with the slight punches.
- Closing your eyes: You will surely find it more challenging to hit the target when keeping the eyes closed.
- Trying hard: Well, trying hard does not help you to punch hard effectively. You may be sloppy and miss your target then. So, you should keep calm to prepare for your next powerful shots.
Conclusion
“How to throw a hard punch” may now not be a big question that keeps walking in your head all the time. Following the tips and avoiding mistakes are two important things that can help you to get the offensive position on the stage.
For further guidance, you are always welcome to drop us a line. Then, we will be back soon with lots of helpful information regarding how to punch harder.
Boxing2025.03.24What’s The Difference In Power – 14oz vs. 16oz Boxing Gloves?
Boxing2025.03.20Why Boxing Should Not Be Banned (4 Compelling Reasons)
Blog2025.03.20Are There Any Boxing Glove Alternatives? Can You Punch Without A Pair Of Gloves?
Blog2025.03.20Is Jump Rope Bad For Your Knees? The Truth Behind