If you have trained martial arts, you should have learned basic types of boxing punches – jab, straight punch, hook, and uppercut. If you are a karate fighter, a kickboxer or any other martial artist, there are different types of punches with different names, but all of them have some mutual facts.
Remember, keep your arms relaxed and contract your muscles few moments before an impact.
If you want to throw a punch, make sure to follow these instructions – your thumb has to be tucked in very tight and you must perform a contact with the knuckles of your middle finger and your index. Various types of boxing punches shouldn’t be thrown with the knuckles of other two fingers, or you will risk hurting your knuckles.
Those rules don’t count for a spinning back fist since you hit with the outer part of your hand.
All basic types of boxing punches – master the world-class technique
First of all, let’s assume you hold your stance and guard properly (link to the previous article). Now it is time to learn the proper technique of boxing punches.
If you are orthodox, follow the guidelines. If you are a southpaw, just reverse instructions.
Jab
All you need is a simple step forward, while you keep your right hand next to your cheek. Punch the opponent to the head.
Quickly return to the basic stance by moving your rear foot backward, look at the tutorial. You can also stay in the same position if you plan to connect.
Extend your arm to the angle of 174 to 178 degrees, but never 180 degrees.
Among different types of punches, a jab is the weakest one, but the perfect technique for an opening.
If you want to aim opponent’s body, there are two differences – bend your knees and keep your right hand in front of your face. Those types of punches can easily be countered by a strong knee, so you need to pay maximum attention.
Right straight punch
Among all types of boxing punches, this one is mostly used by tall fighters to prevent clinch fighting and keep smaller opponents on the distance.
This technique below is also known as the right cross.
You need a small step forward which is followed by leaning your body. Your chin remains tucked to your chest, but your head goes slightly forward.
Rotate your shoulders to improve punch power. Make sure your rear foot rotates on the tiptoes.
Rotate your body and your hip too. Your hip and rear foot are the giving the power to your right straight.
You must keep your left hand on the chin and recover your right hand quickly, to avoid being countered. All types of boxing punches are more difficult for countering – one slip to the left or right and you are in a big problem.
Boxers usually perform this technique after a jab. Remember, different types of punches ask for maximum speed and maximum protection – keep your other hand up!
If you throw a straight punch to your opponent’s body, there is no need to bend your knees, but you will have to shorten the distance. You can apply this technique of the half-distance.
A straight punch can easily knock your opponent out, especially if you are a lot taller than your opponent. It is extremely good to stop an opponent who constantly tries to clinch up with you and shorten the distance.
You can easily connect your right straight with a left hook, especially if your opponent is in the corner.
Fighters who mostly perform those types of boxing punches are Wladimir Klitschko, Tomasz Adamek, Jermaine Taylor…. Among classic boxers, there were Carlos Monzon, Jake LaMotta, Joe Calzaghe, Muhammad Ali…
Your shoulder mustn’t go too much forward and you mustn’t rotate your rear foot too much. You will become an easy target for a counterpunch.
When you think of those types of boxing punches, don’t you dare to think about lowering your other hand, or the match will be over before the final bell!
Left hook – the most lethal of all types of boxing punches
This strike was the ultimate weapon of Mike Tyson, especially after avoiding an opponent’s right straight, right hook or a right uppercut. This is probably the strongest punch among all types of boxing punches.
While keeping your body in upright position, raise your left punch with your elbow bent. You must place your elbow parallel to the ground when performing a strike, no up and no down!
You shouldn’t swing your arm or you will leave yourself opened for a counterpunch. Make sure to swing your body and your feet and rotate your hip to increase the punching power!
Check the video tutorial, the technique is not that difficult.
Among all types of punches in all martial arts, maybe only the spinning back fist is stronger than this one. It is very hard to see when will you throw it.
If you duck under your opponent’s right hook or slip to the side to avoid his right straight, those types of boxing punches will become lethal in a split of a second!
If you want to throw this strike to the opponent’s body, everything remains the same, with two pieces of advice – do not remove the elbow of your ribs and perform the strike off your chin. No need to bend your knees.
Right hook
The technique is pretty much similar to the left hook, but you need to rotate your rear foot and your rear hip. Do not swing your punch, swing your body and swing your feet.
If you throw those types of boxing punches to the body, it might be tricky. It can easily crush the ribs of your opponent, but there are few things you must pay attention to.
You will need to bend your knees, the knee of the rear foot slightly more. Make sure to keep your other hand on the chin because if you miss this strike, you will be wide opened for a right straight or a left hook.
If you connect, make sure your right hook is the second or the third strike in the combo.
Among all types of boxing punches, right hook to the body can be the most dangerous one because it is usually followed by a punch to the head. This punch will force your opponent to drop his guard.
Left uppercut
All types of uppercut are performed of a close range. If you want to apply those types of boxing punches of the distance, better quit boxing immediately.
Make sure the distance between you and your opponent is closer than the length of your hand. Never try to do this attack if you are not in the clinch or on the close distance – you will be opened for any type of counterpunch if you miss.
Your hand typically goes in the upward motion while performing a left uppercut. Check the tutorial.
You will have to drop your shoulder to perform a good uppercut. Also, you need to lower your left hand, but do not remove your right hand from your face, an uppercut is a very risky technique.
Make sure to bend your knees slightly, rotate your shoulder and spin your body and your hip, slightly lifting your left foot on your tiptoes. Return your hand to the chin as soon as you finished the strike.
If you throw those types of punches to your opponent’s body, there is no need to bend your knees that much.
Make sure, if you perform this strike as the first in the combo, to rotate your body slightly less, so you can continue to attack with your right hook or straight.
Try to remain as calm as possible, cause after a left uppercut to the body you can throw many various different types of punches.
Right uppercut
The movement pattern is similar, all you need to do is to keep the left arm on your chin, rotate your rear hip more and your rear shoulder. Lift your rear foot on the tiptoes.
If you aim opponent’s body, this is a bit tricky. Those types of boxing punches are usually followed by a left hook, so make sure you rotate your body and hips a little bit more to the inside.
You need to contract your glutes more if your right uppercut goes to the ribs of your opponent to prevent oscillations and off-balance positions.
Different types of punches – what makes kickboxing punches so lethal?
Kickboxing has some types of punches which are not allowed in boxing.
Depending on the style, superman punches and spinning back fists may be allowed. K1 and glory, as the fighting styles or kickboxing, allow spinning back fist.
There are three types of superman punch – front superman punch, superman punch and a long superman punch.
Those different types of punches are very risky for a counterattack, so be warn when performing them.
Front superman punch
You are on your guard, but the distance between you and your opponent is bigger than hand-length. This is where different types of punches come to the fore.
Jump off your rear leg bending your front leg while in the air. Keeping your right hand on the chin, throw a straight punch with your left hand and land on the ground to your guard extending your legs.
Do not place your body too much forward and do not drop your hands after the attack is completed. You can easily connect a right low kick after this attack.
Superman punch
This is maybe the most often technique used in kickboxing or MMA if one of the opponents is a lot smaller than the other one. Maybe a perfect example is a fight between Travis Browne and Stefan Struve.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dl9SV92vu8
Jump off the front leg bending your rear leg while in the air. Keeping your left hand on the chin, throw a straight punch with your right hand and land on the ground extending your legs.
Those different types of punches can also be thrown over an opponent’s guard.
Just started practicing? check the Best Boxing Gloves for beginners
LONG SUPERMAN PUNCH
This type of punch is performed when the distance between you and your opponent is too big for a regular strike. When performing this strike, you have to overextend your arm, place your shoulder too much forward and leave yourself opened to a counterpunch.
Among all types of punches, this one is the riskiest.
Make one or two steps and jump off your rear leg. While bending your front leg, make sure to rotate your shoulder and fully extend your right arm.
Hit the opponent and try to return to the guard as soon as possible. Make sure that your left arm remains on your chin.
SPINNING BACK FIST
There are so many different types of punches, but this one is proved to be the most powerful one. However, it is not used very often.
You must use the outer part of your hand to hit your opponent via spinning back fist. Make sure your fist is clenched properly, or you will risk injury.
Slightly step forward with your left foot and lift your right foot in the air. Start rotating on the front foot while extending your right hand.
Hit your opponent with your arm nearly fully extended. You can drop your right leg in front of you and return quickly to your guard, or you can continue to rotate and return it to the starting position.
Those types of punches are usually performed after you miss a left jab or a left high kick.
Return to the guard immediately or you will receive a heavy counterpunch.
Congrats, now you know various types of punches and how to perform it! Train regularly and never give up your dreams.
Remember, a technique is important, but not crucial if you want to become a world-class fighter – you must stay persistent and on the right track.
Apply all types of punches and knock your opponents out!
