Putting Power In The Punch

A lot of you guys probably already know this...

A few years ago I was watching a Rocky Marciano fight.

One thing I noticed is the way he jumped forward to hit his opponent. I noticed Hagler did the same to Hearns in their big grudge match.

It's the way he jumped, but he pushed off the back foot and dropped his front foot. Much like going down the stairs.

Then I read, some time later, Jack Dempsey describing the same principle - going down the stairs - in his book.

The thing is, when I saw Marciano do it, I immediately got up and tried the same thing on the heavy - I actually had a bag in my living room - just for this type of thing. Sad, huh?

But here's my point: My punching power improved at least 20%. Immediately.

And I do this type of thing all the time. The moment I see something that seems to work, I try it out immediately.

If it works, brilliant. If it doesn't, no loss.

This is how I've always improved on my techniques, power, etc.

Jumping forward is going to place a lot of bodyweight into the punch.I remember noting that some of Prince Naseem's best shots landed with both of his feet off the floor...he just jumped at his opponent and hit 'em in mid air,that's the weight of a body travelling forward in space delivered through a fist...effective!

we do teach several types of 'jump or hop' in our syllabus for improving striking.. wonder of Abbe/Warfield saw Marciano ???

Not sure if its the same but I do like Lee Morrisons drop step he does, I tried it out on the Bob and bag etc and it did seem to be a better strike......so I'm in for this one

Ade wrote:Jumping forward is going to place a lot of bodyweight into the punch.I remember noting that some of Prince Naseem's best shots landed with both of his feet off the floor...he just jumped at his opponent and hit 'em in mid air,that's the weight of a body travelling forward in space delivered through a fist...effective!

HI Ade,

Yes, jumping forward does use the whole body weight. But it's not just that.

The way you land has a lot to do with it, too.

I don't mean you actually have to land before making connection.

Imagine you're stepping down. But you actually hit out with your fist before you land.

Just that momentum makes your punch much harder. The feeling of dropping.

Incidentally, this 'stepping down' works just as well even if you don't jump forward. You just angle the punch downward...

Like into the top of the chest. Or on the bridge of the nose.

And you can even use a hammer fist in the same way.

I'm sure Dave knows what I mean.

Trick is I think to make sure that when you punch/land you're foot is well rooted so you get the momentum but no feedback... I'm not sure I explained that well....

It used to be a stable of those big stepping punches we used to do in karate

I have an hour long block I teach at my seminars and I get everyone hitting 20 to 70 percent harder after they do it. Learning them all a piece at a time is fairly easy...putting them all together as a default is where the homework comes in.

Nick

Its also used in JKD, lead hand off the lead foot when moving forward and transfer of weight

combatnige wrote:Its also used in JKD, lead hand off the lead foot when moving forward and transfer of weight

That's true.

But don't forget, Bruce Lee took a lot of what he knew from boxing, as well as other styles.

rezbi wrote:

combatnige wrote:Its also used in JKD, lead hand off the lead foot when moving forward and transfer of weight

That's true.

But don't forget, Bruce Lee took a lot of what he knew from boxing, as well as other styles.

absolutely, boxing and fencing were studied by bruce lee and incorproated into the wing chun he had learnt, I know that doing the lead hand punch and using weight transferrance has increased my punching power

without wanting to stir things up for the sake of it.. I totally disagree with the Bruce Lee Lead hand thing ... sorry

David Turton wrote:without wanting to stir things up for the sake of it.. I totally disagree with the Bruce Lee Lead hand thing ... sorry

How can you say that Dave, have you not seen Enter the Dragon ?

David Turton wrote:without wanting to stir things up for the sake of it.. I totally disagree with the Bruce Lee Lead hand thing ... sorry

I hear you Dave, and having been taught by you I see your point, however I also see my JKD instructors point too and have felt the difference in impact from both methodologies

oh and it won't stir things up, not with me anyyway, I still love coming over to Doncaster to get my arse kicked

David Turton wrote:without wanting to stir things up for the sake of it.. I totally disagree with the Bruce Lee Lead hand thing ... sorry

I'll stir things up even more...

I agree with you.

Although he took stuff from other arts, doesn't mean he made good use of it.

I tried his way and found it lacking.

I think I would've beaten him when I was in my prime.

And look, there was no smiley face on that line.

Sorry mate my turn to disagree

yes he did take stuff from other arts and did make good use of it, it's how it was taught and how you apply yourself to the training that makes a difference. I did karate for nigh on 15 years, was it any good for real self defence, no, not the way i was taught and trained, maybe 3 or 4 techniques would work, the other couple hundred or so I learnt woudn't, which begs the question, did i waste 15 years learning all of them, instead of studying 3 or 4 in greater depth ? who knows..

Am lucky in that I have been taught by some of the best JKD instructors in the work, many travelling from the USA to come over and teach, and every single one of them has been a revelation to train beside and each time I have seen not only an improvement in myself, but a greater understanding of the art and how it's appplied to real self defence.

I didn't mean JKD in general is no good. I meant that there are aspects of it which, imo, are lacking.

And I've found that in most arts.

There's good to be found in every martial art.

I personally think the best single fighting system is Goshinkwai.

However, I also follow what these guys do:

Kelly McCann, Carl Cestari, Ron Balicki (JKD/FMA), Roach (boxing), Richard Dimitri and , of course, Dave (The Man) Turton.

Some are very similar, some not.

There are many others.

I've done Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Wing chun, Shaolin kung fu, praying mantis.

But, I don't do them all completely. I take what I find useful - what works - and incorporate it into my training.

Is this turning into a "My kung fu is better than yours" thread

good point but I don't see it heading that way

we all have different backgrounds, different arts and different views on many things, what we do have in common is making the most of what we do to ensure our own personal safety and those who we teach.

Dave has already stated his case against it, I still find myself in Doncaster a few times a year clutching various body parts in pain courtesy of Mr Turton, as well as training with my own instructors too.

Besides We can leave the childish antics to other forums cant we !