How do you make your punches faster?

[DancingSteve]

Only a few of you are focussing on the well....focus! The power of a punch comes from the hips..not from the muscles in the arms. Snap the hips sharply, throwing the fist out with lots of speed. Then...FOCUS...at the precise moment of impact. A lot of times the simplest answer is what you need to focus on. If you snap your hips sharply, then flex your arm muscle to DRIVE that punch forward. You've killed all the momentum from your hips.

In my HUMBLE opinion...work on your hip snap...and timing your focus point. And you'll eek out every bit of power you can (and more) from your punches.

[Shorin Ryuu]

What is most important in your punches is timing. Timing is a function of speed, but the fastest speed won't necessarily give you the best timing. In some cases, you can be "too fast". From good timing comes power. Unless you are unbelievably slow, the speed difference between two individuals in actual punching speed isn't all that great and the true deciding factor is something else.

With our methodology, our fist is kept tight during the entire motion of the punch, but the upper arm is completely relaxed. What's more, the tighter you keep your fist, the more relaxed you can keep your upper arm. This allows utmost smoothness while still having a devastating punch and causes your opponent to react less to your punch as it comes in (a side benefit, but not what the technique relies on). It does no good if you can hit the opponent but can't put him away. By keeping proper posture and understanding distance, you don't have to be a speed demon to win the fight.

The power of a punch comes not from the speed at the release or even during the forward motion of the punch. All that matters is the acceleration at impact and your ability to transfer power into your opponent without any recoil or energy lost (ideally). Therefore we don't worry about a strong hip torque at the beginning. In fact, we actively discourage it. The hip torque happens at the very end as you impact, which is also when you actually start to turn the fist (there's no point doing it before) and drop the knuckle down.

I apologize for not talking much about speed, but we don't worry too much about speed. If you master the closing of distance and have power, speed is just a bonus.

[bushido_man96]

Here are two equations for power:

Speed + Technique = Power

Power= Mass x Velocity(squared)

Just some food for thought.

[kikal0t]

Maybe try using a couple of free weights to build your triceps and incorpoate that in ur practise? i used to think that punches were more powerful the more u built up ur biceps but in fact these muscles are relaxed wen u punch and therefore ineffective to a certain extent.

[bushido_man96]

Maybe try using a couple of free weights to build your triceps and incorpoate that in ur practise? i used to think that punches were more powerful the more u built up ur biceps but in fact these muscles are relaxed wen u punch and therefore ineffective to a certain extent.

Yeah, I think the triceps are the primary movers in the punch. However, that doesn't mean that you should neglect developing the biceps. Balance is a good thing.

Tricep exercises will help to build the strenght, and then adding the explosive pushing exercises of plyometrics will help to develop some more speed.

[Adonis]

Also helps me like mentioned before is not to be tense in the shoulders and arms before punching. That will slow you down.

What helped me was a suggestion from a friend. Is to think your hitting fast first. I picuture my self punching before I do it, I picture my body relaxed and punching with quickness, and then I start punching it seems to relax me better and I can punch faster.

How ever like stated before. Work on technique first and getting the feel of your body or the feel of the technique to be smooth, plus good timing and accuracy is also key as mentioned before.

Best advice though as stated before or is to practice over and over again.

"Repition is the law of learning"

good training to you,

Adonis

[Chito]

Strong hikite. If you focus on the arm coming back, you'll notice a smoother, faster punch going out.

[ShawnJ]

I don't really have a problem with my punches being fast - I have a problem with my punches being hard. I'm really trying to strengthen the knuckles.

In my dojo, we do knuckle pushups. Anyone else do these?

[Adonis]

Since you study shorin ryu. Start hitting the makiawara board. Also rotation or torque in your hips, shoulders, arm, feet, and pushing from your rear foot, helps you drive your body forward to give you more power.

Plus staying relaxed then squeezing your hand on the moment of impact helps with an added *pop* to your punch. Which helps add or give the feel of more power.

Hope this helps.

[bushido_man96]

I don't really have a problem with my punches being fast - I have a problem with my punches being hard. I'm really trying to strengthen the knuckles.

In my dojo, we do knuckle pushups. Anyone else do these?

Try punching a heavy bag to improve your level of contact.