How to punch harder and faster. How to punch correctly without injuring your hand

How to punch correctly? This topic is of interest to many, because, despite the fact that at the global level everyone strives for understanding, on the streets of cities life is seething and sometimes “hits you in the face.” Every person should be able to defend himself, especially if he is a man.

Of course, in some situations you can resolve the conflict by talking, but I personally have not found myself in such situations. A person must either win or leave offended. This is exactly what happens in life. They approach you, present you with something, and it may even be to increase your self-esteem. And here you are - it hits the nail on the head, and someone’s self-esteem has not increased, but fallen. You can settle some minor conflicts by talking - when you stepped on your foot, when you touched your shoulder, and then only if both people turned out to be adequate.

Well, now let's get down to business directly.

Which part of the fist should you hit?

There are people who believe that you should hit with the bones of the ring and little fingers, but I assure you that they are wrong. Either they have never fought, or they are just fools. I remember one guy tried to prove to me that you need to hit with the bones of your little and ring fingers, and that they are the strongest, and said that this is how the coach taught them. I don’t know how true this is, but it would be better for the guys to run away from such a coach before he cripples them. Moreover, this is a Thai boxing coach.

When I still didn’t know how to hit correctly, I was convinced by my own example that hitting with the ring and little fingers was not correct. I'll tell you a little story.

This was in my teens. My friends and I had a room on the technical floor of a nine-story building. There were many rooms there, and in principle it was possible to occupy them all, but we limited ourselves to one. Naturally, we first agreed with the plumbers for a bottle of vodka. They began to settle in, drag furniture there, and whatever else they wanted, and little by little the room became theirs. floor began to look like a room in an apartment. There were like 6 of us. They installed electricity there and did a lot of other things - in general, it was cool.

One day, a friend and I decided to make another table. The design of the table was simple. We had a kind of tabletop with canopies on one side. We simply screwed these canopies to the wall, and placed the legs under the other side when we raised the table. In general, we made a table, and we are sitting, proud. Then a third one comes, or there was one already, it doesn’t matter, the point is that we have some kind of conflict. As a result, we offended him in some way, and he decided to break our table, which we had been installing for a couple of hours. I lost my temper, ran up and hit him a couple of times. And due to inexperience, I hit him somewhere in the forehead or on the top of the head. The fact is that he fell while breaking the table and did not have time to get up yet. And I hit with the part of my fist where the little finger and ring fingers are located.

He came out, loudly knocking on the pipes, and hearing such noise, a neighbor from the top floor came out to investigate, who knew that we had a room there. We had to get out of those. floor, and understand the situation, and then I noticed that my fist began to swell. I thought it was a bruise, but it turned out to be a fracture. Only the next day I told my family that something was wrong with my arm, and we went to the hospital. The doctor said it was a fracture, injected me with painkillers and began to return the bone to its place. When he removed the plaster, he said that he had placed the bone incorrectly, and this happened because they turned up late. If memory serves, he offered to break it and install it again, but I refused.

After some time, a classmate who also did not know how to hit broke his little finger on the head of the same “comrade”. There is nothing to his head, but his other fingers are broken.

My uncle also broke his little finger in his youth due to inexperience. He too, he just hit it wrong. These are only the cases of fractures that I know of.

Of course, in a fight and while working on the bag, you still have to impact the more vulnerable parts of the fist, but the main thing is that there is no emphasis on these parts. Firstly, if you hit correctly, the blow will be stronger, since the impulse from the legs will pass through the hand in a straight line. Secondly, you will insure yourself against fractures.

My “homemade pear” was filled with sand and was slowly compacted. It happened that when I worked at the very bottom, the next day the top of the fist, namely the bones that go to the knuckles, really hurt, but there were no fractures.

You can also hit with your fist like a sledgehammer, but this option is more suitable for fighting on the ground. You hit with the side of your fist from the little finger side, but not with your finger, but with the edge. Also very interesting and...

You can also hit with the upper (back) part of your fist, and this blow can also be useful to you on the street.

How to make a fist correctly

It's time to talk about how to make a fist. There is nothing complicated here, but, nevertheless, difficulties may arise for people who are completely unprepared.

We see an open palm in front of us. Now we bend our fingers, placing the pads on the place where calluses often form. Place your fingers comfortably, and if necessary, slightly tighten the skin from the palm. There should be no discomfort or pain. Now wrap your fingers into a fist and place your thumb on your index and middle fingers. That's basically all - as you can see, nothing complicated.

If you realize that your fist is not clenched tightly, then clamp some object in your fist. This item will help you clench your fist tightly and increase the power of your blow. A lighter is perfect. And of course this is only used in the event of a street fight.

Types of punches to the head

There are the following types of punches to the head:

1. Straight
2. Side
3. Uppercut

Well, now I propose to look at each one in turn.

Direct hit. A direct blow is a short blow, unlike a side blow, and, accordingly, less time is needed to carry it out. The shortest path between two points is a straight line.

We will in turn divide the direct blow into a jab and a cross.

Jab - a straight blow with the left hand.

Cross - straight punch with the right hand.

If you are left-handed and stand in a right-handed stance, then the opposite will happen for you.

How to throw a jab? I'll try to explain it in a nutshell. Despite the fact that direct strikes are called straight, the trajectory of the hand moves along an arc. You stand in a stance, and at the same time as you step forward, send your fist towards the target. It should fly like lightning and return just as quickly to the temples or chin (depending on the style). Do not forget that during the strike you must send the shoulder along with your hand. The toe of the foot should point in the direction of the fist strike. The legs should be tense.

How to hit a cross? Along with sending your hand to the target, you should turn the toe of your right foot in the direction of the fist. The fist must also quickly reach the target, “sting” and return. During the strike, the shoulder should cover the chin, and the gaze should be from under the eyebrows.

Side impact. There is a right side kick, and a left side kick . The main mistake of beginners in mastering side kicks is strong abduction of the arm, that is, a swing. There should be no swing. Along with turning your body, your fist should fly away from your head towards the target.

Left side. The left side can be a powerful weapon, but you need to know how to use it. You can hit with a step and with two legs, which makes this blow incredibly powerful. But the main thing for you is to know the technique of a regular side kick. To do this, you need to charge yourself a little like a spring, wrapping your right leg and sitting down on your left leg, while turning your body a little. Next we straighten our legs, while we need to move our left foot to the toe, which will be directed towards the impact. The fist should be in a position as if you were holding a mug, or simply turned at a slight angle so as not to injure yourself. Don't throw a side punch, keeping the side of your fist facing you.

Right side. The right side kick technique is a little easier, but no less it needs to be practiced until it becomes automatic. It is fought in almost the same way as the right straight, but with a hook, and when sending your hand you need to turn the toe of your right foot. During training, pay attention to how the impulse comes from the legs and passes through the body. This is very important, because it is by feeling the blow that you can deliver a knockout blow.

Uppercut. Uppercuts to the head are blows from below and, accordingly, to the jaw. They are very helpful in boxing itself, but are practically useless on the street when you are without gloves. Hitting your jaw with your bare hand can hurt your fingers. The uppercut must be hit without swinging your hand - from the head, like all blows, but the body will help to accelerate. Don't forget about your feet, the toes of which should turn towards the fist when hitting.

If you are already hitting, then you need to hit hard and confidently, and preferably in a series and until the end, so that the opponent has no chance.

There is one interesting two stroke that can help you on the street. The cool thing is that you can start with your hands down.

To carry out a combination, you need to make sure that your opponent stands slightly to the side of you. He is in this position, firstly, he will not see you as a threat, and secondly, this is an excellent position for throwing a combination. For example, the enemy is standing on the left side. You make a slight twist with your pelvis moving to the right, and then the explosion comes. Due to the acceleration that we took with this turn, we increase the speed of the hand and, accordingly, the strength. The left hand rises from below and flies straight at the opponent’s head, and the blow is delivered with the back of the fist. We gain hand speed not only through acceleration with the body, but also through additional extension of the forearm. Raising our arm up, we first raise our elbow, and only then our forearm, and at the moment of impact, the arm should be almost completely straightened. But, together with the blow with the left hand, we turn the right leg, the toe of which will be directed towards the blow. The toe does not necessarily have to be directed towards the impact, but turned towards it. The main thing is to set the impulse with your foot. And this is only the first part of the blow.

The second part of the blow is the right side, which should be of destructive force. That is, as soon as the left hand has reached the target, it needs to be thrown a little to the side to accelerate the right one even more, and immediately after the first blow there is a second blow.

This is not a tricky, but quite interesting combination. But before you use it outside, practice on a punching bag.

Remember that the goal is a knockout, and the target points for a knockout are the chin and weights.

Body punches

You can hit a fist not only to the head, but also to the body. The best blows to the body are blows to the solar plexus and blows to the liver.

A liver strike is carried out with the left hand to the opponent’s right side. This is, in fact, a left side only on the body.

I think everyone knows where the solar plexus is. The solar plexus can be hit from different distances, but the optimal distance is the middle distance, when hitting with the back hand. At the same time, do not forget to turn your fist and leg.

1. You punch, but the whole body must work, since a blow is not only a movement of the hand, but a complex work of the body.
2. Do not forget that your teeth should always be clenched so that if they hit your jaw, it will remain in place.
3. Your goal is a knockout, and accordingly, the target points are the chin, weight and back of the head.
4. You must act like a machine - purposefully and unwaveringly, and if you see that your opponent has fallen, then the victory is yours, and you can go have tea. Don't kick...
5. You should always attack first. Whoever attacks first wins.
6. Don’t wait for a sign from above—regularly practice hitting the punching bag. Preparation ensures you are prepared.

That's all. I also want to offer several articles.

Here is a guide to striking for boxers, fighters and all those who want to deliver the right and strong blow! Learn the knockout punch now!

Before starting a conversation about a strong blow, it is necessary to master the theoretical foundations of the generation of energy by the human body. Then we will learn to place the body in the correct position so that all of your strength and all of your weight effectively “flows” into your blow. You will then learn proper striking techniques that will make your punches stronger. Lastly, I'll give you some tips on how to increase the damage of the hits you land on your opponent.

Basic theoretical principles of delivering a strong blow:

1. Speed ​​is not strength. Force is acceleration. That is, strength is not only speed. You need to have a weight that you will accelerate. A quick punch won't be powerful unless you put some of your body weight into it.

2. Move your body. Remember Bruce Lee's famous "inch punch" theory: moving your entire body weight one inch (2.54 cm) will have a greater effect than moving one arm one foot (30 cm). To obtain maximum force, the entire body must move during the impact. The difficulty is that you do not need to focus on moving the body weight over a long distance, it is important to move the body at the same time (explosive mode).

3. Use your feet. The largest muscles in the body will provide the most energy. Those who throw punches using only the weight of their arms will never achieve serious punching power.

4. Stay within your striking range. Even the hardest punch will be wasted if your arms straighten too much (you don't reach). Your punch will be stronger if your fist hits the target a little before your arm is fully extended. Don't stretch out!

5. Strike from different angles. Such blows will be stronger; There will be more opportunities for strikes and the damage from them will be greater.

Energy flow

• Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• The heel of the back foot (the right heel of a right-handed boxer) is always slightly raised.
• Upon impact, your feet will rotate (or twist) in the direction of impact.
• When throwing a series of punches, your feet will rotate (or twist) in one direction or another depending on which hand you punch with.
• When striking with the right hand, the heel of the right foot is raised while the left foot is completely on the floor. When hitting with your left hand, the opposite is true.
• When you throw your strongest punch, both feet should be firmly pressed to the floor. (We will break this rule later when we learn how to throw punches with rotation/twisting).

• Legs slightly bent at the knees.
• When striking, sit up slightly (body weight goes down), bending your knees.

• Rotate your hips towards your opponent as if you were throwing a hip strike.

BODY CASE

• Your torso should rotate with maximum amplitude and your punch will “fly” due to this rotation.
• Rotation of the body with a large amplitude and a small “reach” of the striking arm gives a stronger blow than a small rotation of the body with full straightening of the arm.
• Don't lean forward, don't try to "get" your opponent - instead, rotate your body!

• Keep your shoulders relaxed to increase speed and strength and conserve energy.
• When hitting, raise your shoulders higher - this will increase the force of the blow due to the work of the shoulder muscles.

FOREARMS

• At the beginning of the strike, the forearms are relaxed.
• When you throw your punch, your arms fly towards your opponent and straighten until they touch the opponent's body.
• Do not strike too long (do not try to reach the enemy), otherwise you will run into a counter strike.
• Do not pull your fist toward you before striking. This is called "telegraphing", which allows a skilled fighter to see the blow before it is thrown and deflect it.

HANDS

• When you are not striking, your hands are relaxed. You can form a fist, but you don't have to clench it.
• When you throw a punch, your fist turns into a brick that you deliver to your opponent.
• Your glove starts from your face and ends there.
• For straight punches, you move your fist horizontally before making contact. When delivering side blows to the body or head, the fist can stand vertically (“cup-shaped”).

• Exhale hard on every beat.
• The eyes are 100% ready. When striking, you need to look straight at the target.
• Lower your chin slightly to hide it behind the shoulder of your striking hand.

Everything I just described is called energy flow. You need to feel how the energy passes through your entire body from your feet to your fists. If one part of your body is lazy or you don't feel it participating in the strike, you need to train more so that that part also becomes actively involved in the process of striking.

Aiming

• Study the distance of all your strikes while standing still and then quickly stepping forward. Try to keep all your shots INSIDE this range.
• Shots from too long or too short a distance will not have maximum force.

Jab (straight left punch)

• A quick step forward will make this hit much stronger.
• Extend your throwing arm and lift your shoulder so you can really drive your jab into your opponent.
• Don't lean forward when throwing a jab. Save this for your next shot, the right cross.

Straight right or right cross

• Rotate your body, rotate your body and...rotate your body.
• The PERFECT target for this shot is not directly in front of you. I'll show you where she is. Do this: Extend your left arm as if throwing a jab. Extend your arm fully and leave it in this position. Now imagine that your opponent has ducked to the left of your jab and his face is now about 30 centimeters from your outstretched left hand. This space of 30 centimeters is the place where your right blow will be most powerful. Don't believe me? Try checking it on the bag. Stand not in the center of the bag, but slightly to the right and apply a right straight, rotating your body counterclockwise as much as possible. Do you feel the force of the blow? Great!

Left hook (left side)

• While throwing left side punches to the opponent's body, lower your elbow. If you throw a side kick to the head, raise your elbow.
• Learn to stop your side kick. You don't want it to fly through your opponent. Practice stopping this blow the moment your fist is directly in front of you. This will give that same “pop” from the blow (like from a whip) and will not allow you to “twist” your body.
• Well, forget to turn both feet so that they are facing to the side at the moment of delivering this blow.
• When throwing a left side kick, lower your right heel to the floor and lift your left to bring all the energy of your left leg into your strike.

Right hook

• When throwing a right side kick, shift your body weight from your back foot to your front foot and quickly move your head, bringing its weight into the blow, without taking your eyes away from where you are striking.
• When throwing a right hook, make sure that your head does not move to the side, but forward - directly towards your opponent. (This is not easy to do, but it will give your punch more power, although sometimes you will have to make a significant forward movement of your head for defensive purposes.)

Uppercut

• Forget everything you saw in the movie "Street Fighter".
• A real uppercut is a short and quick blow. The punch doesn't go all the way up, it actually goes forward.
• Imagine throwing a long right cross. Now make a new cross, but only now turn your fist so that your palm “looks” up. Now throw your right hand straight at your opponent's head.
• The uppercut does not have to be applied strictly from the bottom up, it is better to throw the arm from your waist diagonally upward. This blow is not vertical, it has a horizontal movement.

Striking

It is very important to learn how to hit hard. You can’t just strike hard when you feel like it. We must learn to seize the moment for such a blow. Your distance must be correct, not only for the first shot, but also for the next one.

When is the best time to hit hard?

• When the opponent hits himself. A counter strike always causes more damage.
• When the opponent does not expect the blow. This can be achieved by breaking through his defense or striking in a ragged rhythm. Fast boxers do this by throwing a very fast straight right or left hook.
• At an angle. Hitting at an angle can cause more damage, stun your opponent faster, or at least prevent him from preparing another hard blow.

Most common mistakes

• Lifting the foot off the floor. Lifting the foot during the strike removes almost all body weight from the strike.
• Trying to reach (pulling). Such a blow will not be strong. Moreover, you become an excellent target for a counter strike. If you hit in such a way that you have to reach too far to reach your opponent, you are limiting yourself to just that one strike, whereas striking with balance and poise allows you to hit in a series.
• They forget about the jab. If you don't jab, you'll never be able to prepare a really hard punch. Use your jab! A short, strong jab will stun your opponent (or distract him) and help you set up your signature hard punch.
• Episodes are too fast. What happens when you get excited in a fight and start throwing a lot of fast punches with just the weight of your arms, i.e. don't put the rest of your body weight into your punches at all? Of course, you have a lot of energy and your strikes all seem quite strong to you, however, over time, your arms will get tired and the force in your strikes will disappear completely.
• Telegraphing. Do not, under any circumstances, move your fist towards you before striking (as if swinging). So many boxers do this in the ring and their punches become predictable. Try standing at the bag without moving and throwing a punch at someone's unexpected command. You shouldn’t jump back and forth at a rhythm that is predictable for your opponent.
• Stay away from lifting weights. Trying to hit a powerful punch with the bench press is the same as trying to break the sprint speed record by lifting the barbell to develop your leg muscles. There are many conflicting articles written on the usefulness or otherwise of training with weights for hitting hard, but the science is simple: when you lift weights, your body becomes stronger with a slow movement (the punch is a fast movement). Moreover, training with weights will noticeably increase your strength in a very limited number of movement types. The body will develop unnatural muscle sizes that will have little endurance. If it were possible to build really strong and fast muscles for boxing, a great middleweight boxer could easily become a great heavyweight boxer, right?

Training for hitting hard

• Strike slowly. This is one of my favorite tips. I force my players to hit as hard as possible, but slowly - at half speed. Almost everyone I've coached has been surprised by the fact that when they hit slowly, the power of their punches is greater compared to the power of their fast punches. The reason is that no person's body can move faster than their arms. Usually the hand completes the blow before the body begins to rotate. Throwing slow punches allows you to engage your entire body in the punch and really helps make the punch really powerful. Exercise: Stand in a front stance next to the bag or opposite a partner with paws. Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width and alternate right and left crosses. It is important that before each blow the boxer pauses for two seconds, as if posing in front of a photographer. Try it! There are many exercises for developing speed, however, at this stage our goal is to hit slowly!
• Swimming is a great way to build strength throughout your entire body. There are not many exercises to develop strength and endurance that are as effective as swimming!
• Isometric exercises. Stand against a wall, bend over slightly and place your fist on the wall and push your fist as if your punch is stuck. Apply maximum effort for 10 seconds; then change hands. 15 reps and 3 sets per arm. This exercise trains the body's ability to conserve energy. It's as if you force your body to become a rubber band - as soon as the obstacle in the path of the fist disappears - BAM!

To learn to hit harder, you must be willing to forget everything you know and try something new. Like anything else, there is always room for improvement in boxing. Boxers who think they know everything will never learn to punch harder. Keep an open mind and pay attention to techniques and strategies that you have never used yourself, and you will achieve results. Respect other people's striking techniques and explore the possibility of incorporating them into your own.

Sometimes a punch has serious meaning. We all remember well that fighting is not good from childhood from the instructions of our mothers and grandmothers, but situations in life are different. For example, for self-defense purposes, it is necessary to know how to punch correctly without injuring your hand. In addition, today many guys and girls are interested in hand-to-hand combat techniques. There are even women world boxing champions. In any case, even if we consider only the issue of self-defense, the information provided in the article will be useful.

Fist strikes can be divided into three types: direct, side and In all cases, you should know how to punch in order to incapacitate your opponent without injuring your hand.

Naturally, knowledge alone will not be enough, and it is necessary to maintain good physical shape. It is not at all necessary to spend whole days in the gym, intensely doing gymnastics and/or weightlifting. You can do simple physical exercises at home, right? Guys often ask, This is a good question, because a fighter must be strong, just like, in principle, any person who is friends with

There are many ways, but to get started, just start doing push-ups from the floor on your fists, staying longer in the starting position at the top. This way you can really strengthen your hands. You can also simply stand on your fists in the push-up position and place your feet, for example, on a windowsill or table. In this case, the surface gradually becomes more and more rigid, right up to asphalt. Just don’t forget about common sense in any matter, so as not to injure your hands in a hurry long before meeting a potential enemy!

Traditionally, people who practice martial arts fill their fists using the so-called "makiwara". This is a special simulator that you can make yourself or buy. In particular, it can be a wall cushion with rubber crumbs inside or a log dug into the ground, wrapped in layers of straw. You can even pin stacked newspapers to the wall and stuff your fists on them. But already at this stage you should know how to punch correctly so as not to injure your hands. Let's consider the nuances that will help make the blow stronger, but safer for us:

• By making a fist incorrectly, you put your fingers at risk of bruising, dislocation, and even fracture. Under no circumstances should the thumb be placed inward. It should be located outside the folded fist. Otherwise, when you apply it, you will almost certainly injure it. That is, four fingers need to be folded (bent), as it were, with the bent thumb attached to them.

• You need to clench your fist very tightly and hit with a flat surface, but not with your knuckles. The blow should fall on a plane, and not on a separate finger, and the hand should be a direct extension of the forearm. Otherwise there is a risk of injury.

• The blows are delivered not through the strength of the arms, but with the simultaneous use of the hip, shoulder and arm. That is, strength is achieved through body weight.

• You should not fully extend your elbow when striking, so as not to waste energy and put your arm in a vulnerable position.

You can learn how to punch correctly by looking at boxing techniques. Let's assume that the blow will be delivered with the right hand. This means that the right leg should stand firmly on the surface (floor, earth), firmly resting on it. From such an emphasis, starting from the waist, you should turn the body, transferring energy to the shoulder, forearm and, accordingly, to a tightly clenched fist.

From the above information it can be seen that the main work must be done by the body. Therefore, you can’t do without training here. A trained body reacts automatically in stressful situations. It is better, of course, that we never need information about how to punch correctly, but even from the point of view of the benefits of physical exercise, preparation will not harm anyone.

Every boy should be able to protect himself on the street. Not everyone can do this, so the question of how to learn to hit is very important among teenagers. For many, professional fighters from various combat sports are the standard of strength, skill and ability to stand up for themselves. But let's face it: these strong and courageous men worked very hard to achieve results. For them, the gym was their home, a way of life. If you want to achieve the same results, then exercise regularly.

In order to simply be able to repel an attack or stand up for others, it will be enough to follow a few tips from professional fighters.

So, let's start with the fact that all beginners make the same mistake. They hit the target not by poking, but by pushing. Many rely on their strength or their weight. But in any case, such a blow will not be effective.

What is the correct strike?

The correct blow is a hand flying towards the target, which should be relaxed. And only at the very end the fist tenses and becomes like a stone. It's not difficult to learn. The easiest way is shadowboxing with small dumbbells in your hands. These exercises stretch the arm muscles and strengthen the hand muscles, which are responsible for the strength of the fist.

There is another exercise that will teach you:

1. Take the correct stance: bend your left arm at the elbow so that it is at the ribs and the fist is at shoulder level. Now, turning to the right, swing your elbow to the right side. The swing should not be long. As soon as your elbow reaches the level of your eyes, begin to release it down to its original position.
2. Now bend your elbow ninety degrees. Rotate your body while keeping your elbow in place. Once the body has reached halfway, throw the elbow out, but only from the shoulder. That is, the swing should take place due to the movement of the body, and not the arm itself. Then return the elbow to its original position.
3. Get into a fighting stance - hands at the jaw, elbows pressed to the body. Hit the head with your left hand. Note that the movement is transmitted from the shoulder, that is, it goes in front of the elbow. In this case, the latter performs a translational-lifting movement. That is, the forearm will eventually take a horizontal position. The blow should be quick and sharp.

During a side impact, the fist must be directed diagonally. With the left hand it is applied according to the pattern to the right - diagonally - up, or downwards. If you hit the target, immediately return your elbow to its original position. We noticed that the elbow plays an important role during impact. It is he who gives the direction of movement, it is he who helps establish the reflex of the reverse movement of the hands in order to protect your face from an oncoming blow.

Use these exercises every day for several approaches, in less than a month you will feel that your strike is becoming harder, faster and more accurate. This is where training and perseverance are key.

Learn punching techniques to punch harder. You won't succeed with bad technique. And the correct technique will not only make your strike stronger, but also more effective, that is, you will spend less energy on its execution.

Place your feet and legs correctly. Your legs and feet are the anchors of your weight. They should not only help you maintain balance, but also allow you to transfer the energy of the blow from your hips to your upper body, all the way to your fist. Here are some simple tips:

• Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. If in doubt, set them even a little wider.
• Lift the heel of your back foot off the floor and keep it elevated.
• Point your toes where you are going to hit. If your toes are not pointing in the direction of your target, your kick will be significantly weaker.
• Keep your knees bent. When you punch, you can straighten your knees, giving your punch extra power.