I'm trying to work on power

[SBleeder]

If you did a decent weight training regimen on top of your skills training, you'd probably be stronger and hit harder.

I'm not saying disregard technique. But if you've exhausted every other option, it's time to look elsewhere, otherwise you're not going to be improving.

I'm improving just fine without the weights, and I hit harder than plenty of guys who use weights.

And frankly, even if I wanted to use weights, I don't have the TIME. My gymwork lasts 2.5 hours, 6 days a week, and my roadwork lasts roughly 45 minutes, 7 days a week. All of it is spent either conditioning, or, more importantly, actually improving my skills as a boxer.

They are from an entirely different era of boxers when nobody had any clue how to train properly and were still doing all calisthenics and roadwork. Times change. It's time to get with them.

LOL. And yet, all of them hit harder and were better fighters than anyone in this "modern" generation of cross-trainers and powerlifters.

Shannon Briggs took exposed head shots for 12 rounds from a 250 pound, weight-trained Vitali Klitschko, without even hitting the canvas.

Liston, at 215, would have splattered Briggs' brains on the canvas with half as many shots.

Then they aren't doing it right. Distance Running can affect leg strength and power, but not the other way around.

Cyclists squat and deadlift all the time, and it doesn't affect their times.

Olympic Sprinters and Marathon runners squat and it doesn't slow them down.

In fact it makes them stronger, faster and more explosive.

We're not talking about bodybuilding, we're talking about strength training. Alas, your stories about the guys in your gym are likely 100% bullshyt to further your anti-weight and pro-stone age training agenda.

Guess what? Boxing is not cycling, sprinting, or marathon running. It's a highly technical sport, and there's a reason why the degree of both skill and power has declined as training methods have "improved".

[greynotsoold]

It doesn't really matter how strong you are, and it only matters a bit more how hard you hit. punching power derives from balance, which leads to good technique, and then you need timing. That involves being smart enough to get a guy to open himself up, so that you can effectively deliver your power to him. If you really want to double, hell, quadruple the power in your punches, improve your counterpunching abilities. You catch him (1) with no opportunity to defend as he (2) moves into a (3) clean shot that you land with (4) all your weight going forward.
By the way it is real easy to overwork your legs. A lot of old time fighters and trainers advised against running, jumping rope and sparring on the same days. I used to train some MMA guys- they wanted to learn to 'strike'- and they'd jump rope, then go out and run while waiting to get in the ring and they'd come back with dead legs.

[Vitez]

The way I see it boxers have pretty thin legs and big upper torso however not quite like bodybuilders.

I think it's about the intelligence....fighters that are born with certain type of intelligence will punch hard.

I think that because even Emanuel S. said that some boxer should punch hard but they don't...

[gaz26]

Kinetic chaining, timing and punching with intent!!!.................punching power starts at the feet, then the legs, then the hips, then shoulders then the snap as u turn ur hand over it is called kinetic chaining..... work on explosiveness with plyometrics and remember ur whole body moves in tandem to generate then deliver power, so bench pressing doesn't really work but watch fighters train and u will see them lift weights over their heads but start by using the legs and then explode to full extension, this would be called a cheat rep if body building but that lower body to upper body chaining is what u want to work on, timing is key to any ko artist, the hardest puncher in the world wouldn't ko any one if they didn't time their shots well, same goes for accuracy too...also one of the most overlooked parts of ko power is 'meaning it!! i mean committing and punching with intent...also hitting the heavy bag works and u need to learn to punch thru the target but not hang ur shots, but instead learn to use natural rebound to repel ur hand back to a guarding position...u really need to focus on all parts of ur punching to truely improve power and remember strength doesn't equal power, nor does speed!!! believe it or not speed doesn't equal power but acceleration does and u get this by turning ur hips a fraction of a second b4 moving ur hand!! watch any ko punch in slow motion and i guarantee u will see what i mean!! feet drive into the floor exploding the hips and then upper body etc...remember leverage is where power is increased not muscle strength, and balance is key...alot of info but worth remembering these points, they are from a pro trainer and helped me and various pro's a lot....good luck

[Spartacus Sully]

Any one reccommending heavy lifting to improve your punch should at the very least know that when you lift heavy, you train your fast twitch muscles to respond to heavy loads.

with out proper light weight explosive plyometrics, to train your fast twitch muscles to activate under light loads, they pretty much work as nothing but extra weight when you throw a punch.

for any one using an olympic lifting type rountine to improve their punch, a plyo rountine is a must.

as well id also like to note that muscle given right training can act like diffrent muscle, given explosive light weight plyometrics you can make fast twitch muslces respond under light loads like slow twitch muscles, just as given the same plyometrics can make slow twitch contract just as fast as fast twitch.

though the maximal force to muscle size ratio is most oftenly greater for fast twitch muscles, just as stamina to muscle size ratio is greater in slow twitch.

[theproof]

sometimes timing is power. learninc to turn you shots over. not everyone though. the punch that hurts is the one you don't see. not sayin to put up a mirage so the opponent doesn't see it. a lot goes into power. every fighter that had all this power and all these KO's eventually got ko'd themselves. tyson, forman, hearns, hamed, zarate, zamora, the beast, lewis etc. try not throwing your shots hard as you can. sometimes when and where the punch lands is important. if you are concentration on just power you are losing out on the chance to develope other skillz. what you want to do is be good AT EVERYTHING. WORK ON WEAKNESSES. YOU WILL GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL WHEN YOU CAN BRING EVERY ASPECT OF FIGHTING TO THE TABLE. BREAKING A GUYS WILL AND THE KO'S WILL COME. in a world of millions of fighters who had power. how many are legends. better conditioning and being a student of the game. placing shots will bring about a punch that the bro in front of you will notice. knowledge is power. let your shots go. punch through the opponent.

[saunterer]

The force starts from your toe up your legs, whips out from your shoulders and follows your fist out to the point of impact. So, it is very necessary to have a strong leg.
Spread your legs a little bit wider than shoulder position. When it doubt, go a little wider.The back foot heel is always lifted up. Keep your feet on the ground! Anchored feet give you more power. Lifting your feet while punching is like punching while you're hanging from a rope. Your feet will pivot and your toes turn to point in the direction of your punch.
______
gym nj

[Ringo]

After my long posting layoff, I just threw in my .2 cents on another thread. This one, though, demands my attention.

First - this is an absolutely age-old debate. No one will get it 100% right, because no 2 people are exactly the same. So, take everything I'm about to say with a grain. Maybe 2 grains. After all, I'm a smaller dude.

The "Knockout Equation": Speed + Torque = Knockout

More specifically: More efficienct speed + localized body torque = higher % chance of power delivery per punch.

Wait, Ringo...wtf? Right?

Think of this whole process as 'developing the turn.' You want to develop the turn in your body to recruit as much power as you can - whether it's a knockout left hook or the overhand right.

Here's the skinny - Efficient speed is a form of explosive speed. It's the kind of speed sprinters have in the first 2.5 steps out of the block combined with the power of an NBA players' vertical as soon as he leaves the ground. Sometimes it's referred to as 'initiation speed,' or explosiveness' (I don't like calling it 'explosiveness,' because that term gets misused). Developing this kind of speed comes from specific exercises - things like jumping lateral lunges, box jumps, and agility ladder drills. Even swinging a heavy baseball bat or short-stroked sledgehammer (note - swing the hammer INTO something, don't just swing it. Hilarity will ensue) will develop that initial, short-fused incorporation of fast twitch muscle fiber. You want to 'get to the turn' as quickly as possible because the faster you get to 'the turn,' the more energy you retain for the life of the punch (more clearly explained - a punch that takes forever to connect loses 1/2 of the equation - speed).

Localized body torque isn't terribly difficult to explain. When you throw a power punch, you need to be at maximum torque when you snap your punch. This will sound wonky, but the first step in this is increasing your flexibility. If you can't get your ligaments to cooperate with you (knees, hip flexors), then you chop a lot of your torque because you simply can't get the range of motion you need. So, step one - work on some flexibility. Second, when it comes to torque, you need to train your body to 'load up,' when fast twitch fibers are engaged. Retention and transfer of energy are basically the entirety of torque. Exercises like medicine ball slams, cable twists, and (again) swinging a heavy bat or hammer really work on this area.

Example workout for speed/torque:
10x lateral lunges (moving forward)
10x Medicine ball slams

10x Hammer swings (each side)
10x even-footed long jumps (back and forth)

Each of these workouts would be done in no-rest fashion. That is, go straight from 10 lunges to 10 slams, then rest. Repeat x3 or 4. Do these workouts AFTER your normal workout, or substitute them in for your last 2, one to two times per week, depending on your training volume.

NOTE - NONE of these are a substitute for poor technique. Never stop working the fundamentals and do NOT lose your form for the sake of muscular development.

Hope it helps.

[HughJass]

your born with power like the guys said work technique technique technique