Center of Gravity-Punching Power..Bench vs Squats

[MrQuestion]

Im trying to find out where 'punching power' stems from. Are the dominant muscles hips, legs, torso being used or is it more upper body such as the lats, chest, shoulders, tris?

The reason im asking is because back when I did boxing 3 years ago, I had the weakest squats on my team (I struggled doing 155x5 reps) my bench wasn't that much better (225x5 reps) but my upper back was one of the strongest on the teams. (I could do stiff legged deadlifts for 5 reps at 245) all this at a bodyweight of 180 at 6'3. So after all this, I had one of the strongest punches (well according to my boxing coach at the time and tested on this one stupid amusement machine). And this is compared with dudes who can squat twice as much as I can and all.

Im not sure if it was really technique since my form wasn't that good and there were other boxers who had years of experience but im curious as to where 'punching power is derived from?' I may enter the realm of NHB and this one of the aspects im looking to improve upon.


One last question. It's not hard pushing me around in basketball yet I can push other people with ease. My center of gravity sucks and im trying to find a way where I can plant my body down low without being pushed on so easily.

Should I focus more on Deads or squats? My abs are fairly weak also for the record.

Thanks all.

 

[Zyglamail]

Depends on how you punch, some focus on twisting the hips some on whipping the spine. For Bagua we practiced a spine wipping technique in conjunction to the spinning of the hips/torso. Remember its about speed, as much, if not more than strength. You need to be able to fully relax for a powerfull punch.

 

[MrQuestion]

You need to be able to fully relax for a powerfull punch.

Yup. This made all the difference for me when it came to punching and I learned this the very first day. Fists slightly open and recoiling back quickly. Shit, I forgot the other important factors for punching but glad you brought up so good points. Can't wait to practice again. Thanks

 

[JDarty6173]

I've always found that for a quick hard punch (ie bar fight situation) that I like to use a reflex action much like in a powerlifting Bench Press where I keep my elbow tucked to my side, my lat contracted hard... Draw back as quick and hard as possible in a short motion and let it "release" off of my lat explosivly with either a closed fist or open palm strike... This is really kinda hard to describe without out showing you, but is very powerful, effective, and very fast and gives the other person no time to react...... But in a competitive setting like you mentioned more hip rotation and leg drive would be used..... I have done my share of NHB fighting and my best asset was to hit the hardest and fastest... But you "MUST" have some experience in grappling techniques or you will be at a serious disadvantage... I learned that the hard way before taking the hint that I needed additional training other than striking techniques...

 

[MrQuestion]

Thanks for the info. Yup, im making BJJ as my main foundation before entering the NHB arena.

 

[nhbgorilla]

when u ask 'bench or squats", for boxing/nhb, Id say neither (not that squats arent an awesome exercise). Id say the best thing would be some cleans and clean and push presses. U have to explode in these lifts, just like punching. Another thing all the top trainers are really getting into lately is core training. ever chop some wood or heard of a "tornado ball"?
http://www.paulchekseminars.com/products_specific.cfm?product=255
Im sure u could make a cheaper one yourself though. I guess De La Hoya worked this thing a lot for the Vargas fight, and it definitely showed with that powerful left hook in the 11th. Looked as hard as a left hook he could have thrown in the 1st. peace

 

[wartime100]

I think the majority of the power is produced by the way you mover you hips. Proper delivery is the key to power,more than muscle strength. I have seen some big fucking guys that can't hit worth shit.

 

[BrickGirl]

It's a simple combination of 3 things guys, gosh, a girls gotta teach you guys how to punch, funny It's speed, strength, technique. Whichever one of those is lacking, it will bring the whole down. As far as *some* of your suggestions, they are typical of bar fighters or guys that think they can fight, and might get a lucky punch in. But for absolute power, elbow in? come on, you get no power that way, that removes the technique part all together, the elbow has to be directly behind the wrist which has to be perfectly straight in line with the first 2 knuckles, the elbow also had to be in line with the shoulder, the shoulder and the elbow both roll into the punch. To have a good *punch* the opposite arm is just as important as the punching arm, the shoulder of the opposite arm does not move back, but the shoulder of the punching arm, moves slightly forward with the role of the elbow. Now do I have to go into the hip motion and ab contraction and also the leg tourqing or can I stop here and tell you that you have a long ways to go to get it right?

 

[MrQuestion]

It's a simple combination of 3 things guys, gosh, a girls gotta teach you guys how to punch, funny It's speed, strength, technique. Whichever one of those is lacking, it will bring the whole down. As far as *some* of your suggestions, they are typical of bar fighters or guys that think they can fight, and might get a lucky punch in. But for absolute power, elbow in? come on, you get no power that way, that removes the technique part all together, the elbow has to be directly behind the wrist which has to be perfectly straight in line with the first 2 knuckles, the elbow also had to be in line with the shoulder, the shoulder and the elbow both roll into the punch. To have a good *punch* the opposite arm is just as important as the punching arm, the shoulder of the opposite arm does not move back, but the shoulder of the punching arm, moves slightly forward with the role of the elbow. Now do I have to go into the hip motion and ab contraction and also the leg tourqing or can I stop here and tell you that you have a long ways to go to get it right?

No, don't you dare stop! Keep going keep going. And im a girl inside of a guys body, so at least we are somewhat in par with that.

Please delve more into the hip motion, ab contraction along with the legs. This is getting interesting so Ill bust out the popcorn and the diet coke. Screw that, it's refeed day today. Bust out the candy and goodies!

Thanks Brickgirl for the tips.

 

[MrQuestion]

when u ask 'bench or squats", for boxing/nhb, Id say neither (not that squats arent an awesome exercise). Id say the best thing would be some cleans and clean and push presses. U have to explode in these lifts, just like punching. Another thing all the top trainers are really getting into lately is core training. ever chop some wood or heard of a "tornado ball"?
http://www.paulchekseminars.com/products_specific.cfm?product=255
Im sure u could make a cheaper one yourself though. I guess De La Hoya worked this thing a lot for the Vargas fight, and it definitely showed with that powerful left hook in the 11th. Looked as hard as a left hook he could have thrown in the 1st. peace

Very cool, ill look more into Paul Check's training mimicking the action of chopping wood. Thanks

 

[Mischief]

I've fought a lot, and boxed for many years, Brick girl is actually the most right on. In my experience it's more general coordination / motor skills than anything, something you're born with. Not that you can't improve, work on things and be your best, but the guys that can punch through brick walls, are just born with fast heavy hands. It's not about lifts, most good boxers I knew didn't even weight train. If they could hit hard, they wanted to be in as light a weight class as possible, so pound for pound they really hit hard.

Just like most 5'7 white guys will never dunk a basketball, but some of us are born able to, without even ever working at it. Always freak people out with that one.

 

[gwl9dta4]

I have to agree with mischief, it's really something you are born with but can improve with training. I always had a heavy hand, and my friends always said i was Heavy handed. When i boxed with my friends i often socred hits that knocked them completly backward on their asses and i was not even trying. But when i tried to punch hard on purpose i sucked. Go figure.

 

[Thaibox]

Buy a heavy bag. Go balls out 2 minutes on, 1 minute breaks for as long as you can. Whatever is sore the next day is what you need to train.

 

[BrickGirl]

Remember though, there is a difference between training hard and training hard correctly. If you were to say bench press with elbows in, your triceps would be more sore than your chest, and of course you need to train your triceps for your flat bench, but just because you keep training that way, doesn't mean you are training the right way. Learn the proper motion of the technique, then work on generating more power from the movement, by working on speed and strength movement for that technique. Go slow, do the technique precisely, not just throwing wildly on a training bag and seeing what gets sore, because you are most likely throwing the technique wrong and using the wrong muscles to start off with.

 

[BrickGirl]

fine, a little more on the technique part. Lets take the legs, whenever you throw your technique such as a straight to the body, the right foot is goin to pivot slightly on the ball of your foot, and is going to extrend a slight amount to allow a fluid motion of pressure off of the ball and through the leg, the other leg is bent to start with of course, by the knee is going to move slightly forward, the straight of course will go through the target area, meaning if you were trying for the solarplex, you actual lockout would be the spine area, regardless of if the target is there or not, the technique will be the same, you will not fall forward if there is nothing there to hit, as far as *whipping it back* the only way to transfer the power from your punch to your opponent is by allowing the technique to stay there for an instant like your fist is velcro and sticks to the target. When it comes back, it should come back at the same speed it goes out and through the exact same path it went out. Now during the process, you will be relaxed but not limp, the only time you will become tight it the 1/2inch before contact with your target and will remain tense while you are transfering your power. the fist in this situtation will become relaxed again after beginning to pull back. The Hip motion is the same as the shoulder motion, people who *whip* the hips usually have faster execution, but in turn that takes away from the strength ratio and in turns makes it less powerful of a punch, the right hip needs to go forward into the target slightly much like the shoulder. All air will be expelled on the moment of impact, if you hold your breathe you are taking oxygen away from the muscles and they will begin to tighten and be slower, so breathe naturally until right before the impact and at the time of impact, your body should be like a rock and have no air in the stomach region, because your abs will be like rocks, be sure to breathe out your mouth with your jaw closes unless you don't care about getting hit back with an open jaw, which will usually always result in a dislocated or broken jaw. You need to breathe through the nose, and out the mouth with a closed mouth....shall I keep going.....

 

[BrickGirl]

When I train people, the weakest part of every persons punch that I have ever known has been there wrists, because there wrists are the weakest link in the whole process of striking. When your wrist breaks and I don't mean physically break although I have seen it happen, it bends down or up on contact, and there you have it, all your training on technique and speed and strength go out the window because the power is instead focused on your wrist area which hurts really bad. So if someone were to ask me 1 area to train to make a stronger "punch" it would be the wrist, because I bet it's your weakest link, sorry to finally have to go through this just to tell you that

 

[Thaibox]

BrickGirl, He can do bagwork safely if he has a boxing background as he says. BTW, this isn't a question of skepticism, but a compliment. What's your background?

 

[Immortal Juicer]

Punching power is all body mechanics, not strength. It comes down to mass times accelleration. Hit a heavy bag and keep it up, keep it up to the point that you are standing underneath the hook on the celilin and the bag is falling back at you.

Do that for 30 seconds and it will kick your ass and naturally develop effective body mehanics.

 

[Lord_Suston]

Punching power is derived from three basic parts
Hip torque and strength) this will create a rotational power to whip one's hand out at max velocity

Leg thrust) having one's feet in perfect position and explosive strength will create a base to launch one's punches

Arm speed) not strength, but speed. this is mainly to do with one's ability to relax the muscles untill the moment of snapping through someone'sd skull.

Excercises to paractice, Sprinting, Clean and jerk, Pull-ups, squats and if you bench try incline....l