Is anyone smart enough to tell me how I can make my strikes more powerful?

Question

and harder? I want to at least punch 1 1/2 x as hard as I do now so I can take on guys that are twice as strong as me, punch twice as hard and know how to fight quite better than me (they have a bit of martial arts and street fighting. Also they are quicker than me and I'm quick) It is for sparing and one of their punches or kicks can hurt me pretty bad, even if I block and trying to get them into arm and headlocks don't work because they are too strong-
I currently workout for strength and toughen up my knuckles by punching wood and metal, I am strong for my size (160 Lb lean) and been strength/fighting training for a few years (so have they, but its a physical speed/power advantage and I know almost as much skills as them

Answer 1

The formula for true power, as it relates to physical power, is

muscular strength + speed + flexibility = true power

There are lots of variables involved, but keeping in mind the obvious that even if your strikes do become that much more powerful...if you are not conditioned to take hits of equal power, or trained to completely avoid them, it does no good.

Common mistake of most practitioners training for power when they weight lift, is that they typically setup their weightlifting program to mimic common exercises and practices of weightlifters or bodybuilders. Mind you it is ideal to learn some of your weightlifting routine from them, but you should be training differently than them.

So how do you train to increase your power? Separate your training to dedicate a bit to each area of power: strength, speed, and flexibility.

Towards strength training, heavy weights does not = strength. Here are some tips:

- balance your major muscle groups: ideally if you bench 350 lbs, but if you cannot do the same with your back doing rows, then you need to focus more on your back work. Likewise if your stomach is very strong, but your lower back is not, a good lower back shot can also take you down quickly.

- train with a moderate weight whereby you can do 20-35 reps, give or take. Once you reach that rep range easily with a set weight, up your weight again.

- change up your routine. The body adjusts to the same exercises after roughly about 8-12 weeks (roughly 40 days) of training, in the same manner your body adjusts to certain dosages of medicine. Keep your routine fresh, which in turn presents more challenges for you.

- ensure proper breathing. If you don't know what proper controlled breathing is, you better figure it out quick :).

- do isometric stretching of the muscle groups you are working, between sets during your rest phase.

NOTE: Isometrics alone even without weightlifting, are a VERY effective way to increase your flexibility, and as a by-product it will also increase your power as well. See more below under "flexibility".

- Ensure proper rest: alternate your upper and lower body workouts, giving at least 48 hours off between reworking the same muscle groups directly. Ideally since you are cross training, there is no need to hit those groups directly more than once per week.

SPEED:

Speed can be built in many ways.

Are you quicker with your hands in striking / blocking, or quicker with your feet in kicking and body movements? Always focus on training your weaker side bit more or first, as you are only as strong as your weakest part.

Good Speed for Hands: speed bag, Mook Jong (wing chun dummy), heavy bag work.

For Body Rotation (quicker movements, strikes, etc.): swimming, standing hip rotations with stick on shoulders, focus pads with a partner, passing a medicine ball with partner (back to back from side to side).

For Feet: Jump rope (still one of the best), tenshin waza (body movements) with a weight vest on, sprinting with weighted backpack, tons of ways.

Overall: Swimming is still one of the best: doing laps, or my personal favorite is going across from one side of a 4-5ft deep lap pool to the other, doing alternating kicks and strikes. This is allot more difficult than most people think with the water pressure against you from both extension and contraction positions.

FLEXIBILITY:

Bit difficult to get into here completely, but look into books on isometric stretching. One of the best to date still, is referred to as "plyometrics".

The concept is very simple: typically during stretching and utilizing your muscles, a person usually only uses maybe 50-65% of their capacity.

Isometric / plyometric stretching is basically stretching a muscle group using a counter force of equal proportions, which in turn stimulates your muscle fibers up to 40% more.

The end result of this type of stretching? Increased flexibility, increase in power, increase in muscle density.

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That should be enough to give you some ideas. As long as you can get a few useful ideas from my suggestions above, of what works for you, that is ideal.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, you can't learn "power". On the bright side, you can maximize what you have through proper technique. When you say "strike", I'll assume you're a conventional (right-handed) puncher throwing a right cross (I have to assume, since you didn't give a lot of detail).

What you can do is, 1) plant your front foot firmly as you throw, while staying up on the ball of your rear foot; 2) quickly twist your hips to your left, such as if you were throwing a baseball "pitch" (remember to throw a "straight" punch); 3) turn your hand over, so your thumb ends up facing down. This usually results in a "snap" to the punch, which is very effective if the opponent is at the "tail end" of it; 4) while this is going on (set foot, twist hips, turn thumb, snap punch), you want to pivot on the ball of your rear foot and twist your heel OUTWARD, "violently"! That is to say, use it as a lever while keeping your leg somewhat straight. This technique will allow you to twist your hips with the necessary force to help you punch with your whole body, and not just your arms.

I hope this helps, even if you don't pick my answer. You're small, but if you put all 160lbs behind your punches, you'll be damaging quite a few people. I did mention baseball (I'll assume you're American, also)- try to pretend you're throwing a pitch. It's almost the same motion, although you won't be throwing a big, looping punch when you fight... I hope not, anyway! Best of luck...

Answer 3

It's mostly a physics problem. Even a non-fighter type can learn, with minimal effort, how to generate at the very least 3 and a half times their body weight into a simple straight punch. That means a person weighing only 100 pounds can exert 350 pounds of force concentrated into an area the size of a fist. The secret is in the legs and learning to utilize your whole body while remaining centered. I've witnessed a lot of so called blackbelts in motion who seem totally unable to grasp this.

Answer 4

First, if you want to punch twice as hard, you probably need more than 1.5x harder punches.

But here's some moves that should help
Press A + B
Tap X 3 times quickly
Hold back for 2 seconds the forward + A
Remember that blocking is only effective against regular attacks, but not any fireball-type projectiles and throws.

Answer 5

I can only suggest a few simple things that i know help my students reach their true potential but every ones potential is different. Most people stop long before they reach that point by believing they cant do it, if you do that that will be true, if you believe you can you will (with the right help).

Remember your power & speed depend greatley on your balance & how you transfer power from the ground through your body into the strike. Try thinking about pulling the hand back after you strike twice as fast as the strike itself, this will trick your body into tensing on the return rather than the strike this enables you to relax more when strikeing. That will allow you hit your target faster & transfer more energy through your body freely.

Improving speed & staying relaxed takes practice & is a fine line but after many times you will find your true potential. Good luck & dont ever limit yourself by what other say you cannot do.

Answer 6

Let me understand your question...you want to be able to "punch 1 1/2 as hard " as you do now so you can still get whipped by guys that can hit twice as hard as you and are twice as strong.

Nope, I don't think there is anyone smart enough to tell you how you can do that. Just do the math, it does not add up. You say you know as much as "they", but "they" are far stronger and faster as well as much better street fighters. What all that means is that you should not mess with them! Perhaps you have already been hit in the head too many times. Try something less taxing, like juggling.

Answer 7

Try training your punches with like heavy boxing gloves on... Or they even have weights that you can wrap around your arms. Maybe even try some light dumbells or something. Just keep going till you're worn out.... then at that point force yourself to do more.
Then you can lose the weights, and hopefully your arms will be able to move a lot quicker, which should increase the force of your hits.

Answer 8

Enroll in a good school that teaches a striking are (Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Shaolin Boxing, Tang Soo Do, etc.). Listen to your instructor & practice, practice, practice.

Answer 9

Practice Tae Kwon Do to build your power and speed is key. The faster and harder you hit is key.

Answer 10

there's this thing that grabs you from you're arm it's like a string every time you try to punch it holds you back , i sow this in a Japanese anime but i don't remember what's it called, it hope it helps . I'll send you the name once i remember it !