How To Throw A Punch

Article By: Jeffrey DeBrodie ShaveMagazine Correspondent

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Full-Body Positioning

Your Fists

Types Of Punches

Unfortunately, there are far too many jerks out there that you are bound to run in to. This means that most of you will find yourselves involved in at least one physical altercation during your lifetime. Throwing that perfect punch may be the deciding factor between coming out on top or taking a trip to the hospital. Knowing the art of throwing a punch wont make you the next Oscar Da La Hoya but it will help you stay competitive. If you head into a fight swinging blindly you risk broken bones, trauma, and a severe blow to your ego if you lose. So, pick your battles wisely, know your stuff and, if youre lucky, you will walk away with only minor damage and a story to tell your friends.When facing your opponent, you should always give yourself time to react. Remember to stand with your lead side closer towards your opponent. If youre right handed, you should have your right arm (while keeping it close to the body) and leg all facing forward. This will allow you to push off your stronger leg and also give you enough time to set your body into the offensive position. Allow yourself to move more quickly by keeping your feet separated while bending your knees - a standard boxing stance. Keep your knuckles directly below the eyes. You should now have your fist and arm parallel to your body. This opens up the distance between you and your opponent and will give your punch increased momentum.Rotate your fist so that the back of your hand and forearm are directly facing the opponent. This position both allows you to block your opponents strikes and retaliate in a more precise manner. Before throwing a punch, you should know how to properly make a fist. A lot of beginners fail to accurately make a fist because they tend to curl their fingers around their thumb. This position can lead to the thumb being broken and/or separated during actual contact. The blow forces the hand to apply more pressure to the thumb while attacking, which causes the bone to retract and possibly break. The preferred method for positioning the thumb is to wrap it around, not inside, the other fingers. Remember to always keep the fist in line with your wrist and arm, and never bend the wrist because it can cause serious injury.To better your arsenal of weaponry and skill, you should look into mastering more than just one type of punch. The standard punches are: Cross (commonly called a Straight) Punch, Jab, Hook, Uppercut.A CROSS (aka: knockout) can be the most powerful punch of them all. If used correctly, it is performed by striking at high, middle or low positions on the opponents body. Not focusing on one specific body part will increase your chances for success. Plus, youll weaken the oppositions defenses more quickly, accurately and leave him seeing stars - hence the term knockout. Often referred to as a straight punch, the cross is thrown with your dominant hand.A JAB, which is the most common of all punches, is merely a quick, overhand punch to the opponent. This is performed by throwing the non-dominant fist straight ahead and fully extending the arm. Though this style may not be the strongest, it is, however, often considered the most important. This is because of its simplicity and effectiveness. Cause your opponent to react and close their eyes briefly opening them up for a strike from your dominant fist.

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