Punches

[Nash]

I am 14 years old and I really want to know how I can make my punches stronger so I have been shadowboxing with only 4lb dumbells in each hand. Show I be doing more weight and how long should I shadowbox with the weights?

Bruce Lee said that punching with weights in your hand will make your punches heavier, but once again, I just want to know how long I should do it and how heavy the weights should be.

[Beachbum]

4 lbs. should be plenty. I don't know how long exactly. It depends on your strength and what else you do, but what I do with mine is go for timed rounds, as in a competition. Start with 3 minutes, and work each punch maybe 10 times or maybe 100. Then work through the combinations. See how many rounds you can do. I've never heard of someone doing only this, but people who are training for a 12-round, 3-minute/round fight want to be comfortable (if I can use that word) with 15 rounds. What are your goals?

You should do other stuff though. Build up your chest, bicep, tricep, shoulder, back, stomach, and leg strength. Seriously, if you want to make your punches stronger, use everything all the way down to your toes. When you punch, your toes should dig into the floor.

A couple things that help me: I hit a banana bag at my gym (it pretty much reaches from ceiling to floor). I bought a heavy punching bag (80 lbs.) that has a ring on the bottom, stuck a big hook in the floor beneath it, and attached it to the floor with 3 bungy cords. BAM! It's beautiful! Now it moves just enough to not break any bones, but so little that it demands my body to get its ass in shape if I want to be taken seriously. My body has to generate and absorb more force now, my power jumped when I did this, and my legs HAD to get involved. Your legs are your strongest muscles I bet.

[Nash]

4 lbs. should be plenty. I don't know how long exactly. It depends on your strength and what else you do, but what I do with mine is go for timed rounds, as in a competition. Start with 3 minutes, and work each punch maybe 10 times or maybe 100. Then work through the combinations. See how many rounds you can do. I've never heard of someone doing only this, but people who are training for a 12-round, 3-minute/round fight want to be comfortable (if I can use that word) with 15 rounds. What are your goals?

You should do other stuff though. Build up your chest, bicep, tricep, shoulder, back, stomach, and leg strength. Seriously, if you want to make your punches stronger, use everything all the way down to your toes. When you punch, your toes should dig into the floor.

A couple things that help me: I hit a banana bag at my gym (it pretty much reaches from ceiling to floor). I bought a heavy punching bag (80 lbs.) that has a ring on the bottom, stuck a big hook in the floor beneath it, and attached it to the floor with 3 bungy cords. BAM! It's beautiful! Now it moves just enough to not break any bones, but so little that it demands my body to get its ass in shape if I want to be taken seriously. My body has to generate and absorb more force now, my power jumped when I did this, and my legs HAD to get involved. Your legs are your strongest muscles I bet.
I do do other workouts. Infact, I work out everyday! I work out my legs one day by running and weights, and I do upper body the other day. Plus I have Tae Kwon Do 3 days a week. I have been working out for about 2 years now.

My goal is to fight in K-1, Pride, or UFC. I really have to work hard which is why I try to devote myself entirely to martial arts. I also read a lot about Muay Thai, which I find to be a great martial art.

[Lefty]

first off, realize punching power doesnt come from your arms. it comes from the hips and legs . proper technique is crucial. if you're a righty, do you pivot your right foot when you throw a straight right. do you pivot your left foot (as boxing call crushing a can) when you throw a left hook? if not, then you dont know how to punch. do you curl your left should up when throwing a left jab? (also known as looking down the barrel of a gun, done to protect your chin from counters).

punching isnt as simple as it seems. I strongly urge you to perfect your puching technique before you worry about power. that'll come naturally with practice. muscle doesnt nessesarily make a strong puch.

I suggest you take up boxing, thai boxing or krav maga to learn proper punching technique. there are some fundimental elements that you cant learn from watching tapes or practicing at home alone.

[Nash]

first off, realize punching power doesnt come from your arms. it comes from the hips and legs . proper technique is crucial. if you're a righty, do you pivot your right foot when you throw a straight right. do you pivot your left foot (as boxing call crushing a can) when you throw a left hook? if not, then you dont know how to punch. do you curl your left should up when throwing a left jab? (also known as looking down the barrel of a gun, done to protect your chin from counters).

punching isnt as simple as it seems. I strongly urge you to perfect your puching technique before you worry about power. that'll come naturally with practice. muscle doesnt nessesarily make a strong puch.

I suggest you take up boxing, thai boxing or krav maga to learn proper punching technique. there are some fundimental elements that you cant learn from watching tapes or practicing at home alone.
I know how to punch. I know the your power comes from your hips, legs and abs, but I want to learn to punch with heavyness. I heard that puching with wieghts is good to learn how to punch with heavyness and it speeds up your punching.

BTW, I am very interested in Muay Thai boxing but I can't find a place by me.

[Lefty]

Glad to hear you know your technique. I would recommend strengthening your triceps and lats. A lot of punching power comes form there.

[Nash]

Glad to hear you know your technique. I would recommend strengthening your triceps and lats. A lot of punching power comes form there.
I have been training my triceps, but... what are lats? (I feel stupid asking)

[tprollin40]

latissimus dorsi, or "lats' are ur back muscles located on the sides of ur back. They give u that "v" shape physique. If ur goal is to fight MMA iin the future, i would drop tae kwon do right now.

[Nash]

latissimus dorsi, or "lats' are ur back muscles located on the sides of ur back. They give u that "v" shape physique. If ur goal is to fight MMA iin the future, i would drop tae kwon do right now.
I ain't dropping TKD, but I will try out new styles.