Fundamentals
Stop the punch with your body, not your hand
Stop with body
A punch thrown at full power has to stop somewhere at the end. If you stop it with your hand, where your fist stops and the path it takes shift every time. Stop it with the rotation of your upper body and hips instead, and the path stays consistent. You can also use the momentum from stopping for your next defense or movement, so you get from punching to moving faster.
| Type | Fundamentals |
|---|---|
| Guard | Written for orthodox (left foot forward) |
Stop the punch with your body, not your hand: how to do it
- Carry your fist forward with the rotation of your hips and upper body.
- When your fist reaches the target, stop the rotation of your hips and upper body. Don't use force to stop your arm. Let it stop as your body's rotation stops.
- Use the rebound from stopping to bring your upper body back and return your hands to your chin.
- Use that returning momentum to tighten your guard or move into your next step.
Stop the punch with your body, not your hand: key points
- Don't brake a full-power punch with your elbow or shoulder. Stop it with the rotation of your upper body and hips.
- Stopping with your body makes your fist stop in the same place every time, so your punch path stays consistent.
- Don't waste the momentum from stopping. Turn it into power for your next defense or movement.
Stop the punch with your body, not your hand: common mistakes
- You slam on the brakes with your arm. Then it stops in a different place every time and your punch path isn't stable.
- Your body keeps drifting after you punch. Then your next defense or movement is late and they target you as you finish.
Stop the punch with your body, not your hand: how to practice
- In shadowboxing, throw straight punches and hooks fairly hard, and check that your fist stops where your hip rotation stops.
- On the heavy bag, check one punch at a time the flow of using your body's return after the punch to tighten your guard right away or move to the side.
Related techniques
Left and right are written for orthodox (left foot forward). If you're southpaw, swap left and right as you read. How to read the notation
This is Japanese-style boxing: techniques as taught at a boxing gym in Japan. American or Mexican coaches may teach some of them differently.