PUNCH HARDER WITH BOXING SCIENCE

Most boxers and combat athletes crave the ability to punch / strike harder….
Having the knockout power to dominate their opponents or have the ability to
change the fight in a single blow.
Many believe that you’re born with it or you’re not… there is an element of truth in
that punching relies on genetics. However, the skill and technique of punching is
the biggest contributor to a hard punch. This is developed from hours of learning
your craft in the boxing gym….

However, are you maximising your potential?

As well as technique and skill, there are physical characteristics that contribute to a
hard punch. We can help improve our punch force by developing characteristics
using optimal strength and conditioning training methods….
• Improve the physical qualities which contribute to a hard punch
• Improve the speed and quality of movement
• Reduce the likelihood of injury and improve robustness.

Over the past four years at Boxing Science, we’ve invested our time to research
what physical qualities contribute to a hard punch, and the different types of
training that help. Using our battery of fitness tests, we are able to compare
physical characteristics of boxers and determine key contributors to boxing
performance.

We found that lower limb force production had a strong relationship with
estimated punch force and that lower-limb force production also had strong
relationships with age and body mass, however weak relationship with
competitive experience.

Our data analysis suggested that traditional boxing methods are ineffective at
getting boxers forceful and fast, and that there's a need for strength training to
assist in the development of punch force. This guide will help you make a few
changes and adding a few things to your training to help power up your punch.

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WILL WEIGHTS MAKE ME SLOW?
Traditional boxing coaches state that adding weights to a boxers’ training regime
will slow them down. Whilst contemporary S&C coaches believe in the benefits of
strength, speed and explosiveness.
Both beliefs are correct – doing bodybuilding and powerlifting training methods can
result in unnecessary muscle mass and slow contractile properties.
However, S&C can be massively beneficial for Boxing when done correctly.
At Boxing Science, we carefully structure our programmes so our boxers are
avoiding bulking up and becoming slow as we aim for adaptations in strength,
speed and explosiveness. Here is the science that sets the foundations for our
strength programmes.

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THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE PUNCH
Punching hard is highly dependent on fantastic technique, skill, and timing,
forged by thousands of hours of practice, as well as optimal genetics.

Studies have suggested that punching forces in amateur boxing are around 2500
N… If you weigh 70 kg (11 stone or 154 lbs), you’ll exert about 700 N of force just
stood still. That makes punching force about 3.5 times body mass. To make that
even more impressive your punch takes around six-hundredths of a second (~60
ms) to throw.

Furthermore, nearly all boxing coaches will coach you to use your lower-body and
rotation of your core to deliver punches – and there is a backlog of research that
supports this.

So in order to produce fast and explosive punches… we need to develop force

and transfer it through the body as fast as possible!

HOW IS THIS FORCE GENERATED?
Punching hard relies on the Impulse-Momentum relationship- which states that
Impulse (Force x Time) is equal to Momentum (Mass x Velocity). To punch harder,
a boxer must increase their momentum. Broken down, it looks like this:

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A boxer can improve their momentum by increasing their mass, however, a boxer
is limited by the amount of mass they can gain, due to weight category
restrictions.
In consideration, we primarily aim to improve IMPULSE and increase the rate of
force development (RFD). This is often developed through skill, technique and
genetic factors. However, these are physical characteristics that can be developed
through a range of strength and conditioning training methods.
Our testing shows a strong relationship between lower-limb force production and
estimated punch force – this was determined through jump tests and medicine ball
throws. Suggesting the higher you jump, the harder you can punch! This
becomes a key factor in our training aims.
This not as simple of just lifting weights to get stronger. At Boxing Science, we
carefully structure our programs using a range of methods across different training
phases. This includes resistance training, movement drills, maximal strength
training, Olympic lifting, plyometrics and sprint protocols.
CAN WE STILL IMPROVE MOMENTUM?
Despite being limited to weight categories, boxers can still increase the momentum
of the punch through improving ‘Effective Mass’.
Effective mass is a full body SNAP on punching impact, and the creation of
massive amounts of force and tension through the core, shoulders and arms.
This is often developed through skill and technique of a punch, but S&C training
methods such as Olympic lifting, plyometrics and core training can help improve
this.

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HOW IS THIS FORCE TRANSFERRED?

From research, we know that force is generated from the floor, and transferred
through the core, shoulders, arms and finally to the fist and the target. The
transfer of force through the body is known as the Kinetic Chain.
In the kinetic chain, hip and torso rotation are key, and a boxer must have
sufficient movement, strength and mobility to achieve this.
The most important link in the Kinetic Chain is arguably the core muscles – as core
rotation plays a big role in transferring force from the lower-body through to the fist.

In fact, our testing results suggest that the lean muscle of the core is the biggest
contributor to punch force – meaning the stronger your core, the harder your
punch!
Core strength also plays an important role in generating effective mass, this is
known as the ‘snap’ of a punch. This makes developing lean muscle, strength and
stability of the core is a key focus point to our S&C programs at Boxing Science.

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In consideration of the research, Boxing Science place
importance on the following areas:

Having excellent movement and mobility, allowing for fluid and rapid rotation of
the lower and upper body.

Improving the rate of force development through a range strength and

conditioning training methods.

Improving strength and speed of the lower-body.

Increasing the strength, stability and lean mass of the core muscles.

Improving Effective Mass to achieve an effective SNAP on impact, at the end

range of punches.

Now we know the key things that contribute to a hard punch, let’s explore some
of the key ways we can quickly and easily build a harder punch…

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 STEP 1 – MOVE BETTER
For every athlete that we work with, mobility and movement training will be the very
first step on their Boxing Science journey. Before we even lift a weight, we need to
ensure that athletes have the foundational movement skills to perform exercises
correctly. This makes sure we achieve better results and avoid injury.

However, it’s not just for the beginning of a program - mobility training plays a big
role throughout all of our programs as it carries many benefits…

• It allows for better, more fluid and faster rotation through the kinetic chain.
• It allows the lower body to produce more force during punching motion, leading
to a harder punch.
• It can help to reduce and prevent injury in boxers, which is important for long
term development.

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MOBILITY ISSUES IN BOXING
Due to the intense and repetitive nature of Boxing, and sport in general, athletes
become tight in certain muscle groups and underactive in others. This can create
muscular imbalances, that can negatively affect performance and even cause
injuries.

Want to know more about our training?

We post 100’s of hours of FREE content on YouTube …

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These are the key areas we focus on at Boxing Science, the
causations from the demands of the sport and how they may
affect performance.

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 ADD THIS STEP TO YOUR TRAINING
Below are a series of exercises that target the key focus areas of mobility training in
boxing. These exercises are easy to do, require no equipment and can be done
anywhere – so can be integrated into various areas of your training. Ideally, we’d
advise you to put these exercises in your warm-up routine.

Eagles
• Lay on your side with arms and legs straight
• Rotate the upper body to open up the chest
and bring the top shoulder to the floor.
• At the same time, bring the top knee close to
the floor on the opposite side. Pause and
return to start position.
Yoga Press Up
• Begin in a press up position, with the hands
underneath the shoulders, and the core tight.
• Descend whilst keeping the elbows in, and
core tight.
• Pike the hips to the ceiling, and aim to
alternately touch the heels to the floor 2-3
times, before repeating the cycle.
Spiderman to Twist
• Begin in a press up position
• Place the left foot next to the left hand, and drop
the back knee so it is slightly off the floor.
• Rotate the left hand up and round, brushing the
shoulder as it passes, pause, return to the centre
and repeat on the opposite side.
Squat to Press
• Hold a small weight (2.5 – 5 kg) at the chest.
• Descend slowly into a squat, keeping the chest
up, knees wide, and heels on the ground,
pressing the weight out at the same time.
• Pause, then stand back up, bringing the weight
back in.
Lunge and Rotate

• Stand with feet roughly hip width apart. Take a
big step forward, at the same time as flexing at
both knees.
• Rotate the upper body over the front knee,
keeping the lower body still, and the hips, knees
and feet in line.
• Return the upper body to the centre, then stand back

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 STEP 2 – GET STRONGER
We have already stated that punching hard relies on producing high amounts of
force in very short amount of time. Therefore, a boxer’s priority should be to
improve the amount of force that they can produce, and the rate at which they can
produce it.

Our strength training methods are simple, effective and evidence based. In our
research; we know that the lean mass of the core and lower-limb force production
are important contributors to the punch. We also understand the importance of the
upper-body, and the limitations caused by functional movement issues of boxers.

This provides the generic training aims of our strength and conditioning programs.

You might have seen on our social media some of the advanced training methods
we use to help improve a boxers’ strength, speed and explosiveness; including
plyometrics, velocity based training and Olympic lifting. However, all athletes start
with the basic S&C methods to improve foundational strength – and this is what we
will introduce to you in this e-book.

Our traditional S&C programs include the foundational movements for strength;
Squat, Hinge (Deadlift variations), Upper body Push and Pull, and Single Leg
Exercises.

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 ADD THIS TO YOUR TRAINING
Here is the start of the Boxing Science strength and conditioning journey – and will
provide the foundations for strength training. We use the exercises below to unlock
your movement potential and activate the desired muscle groups to prepare more
intense strength training. Spend 3-4 weeks on these exercises following boxing
sessions before moving onto more advanced exercises in separate S&C sessions.

Goblet Squat
• Hold a dumbbell at contact with the chest and upper
body, feet shoulder width apart.
• Descend into the squat until hips are below knees –
balance on the heels, push knees wide whilst keeping
an upright torso.
• Stand back up quickly, driving through the heels.


Prisoner Good Morning
• Place the hands on the back of the head and interlock

the fingers, pinning the elbows and shoulders back.
• Bend the knees slightly, then hinge and send the hips
backwards, keeping the back straight and knees fixed.

Strict Press Ups

• With hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart,
squeeze the shoulder blades together, and engage
the core to maintain a straight back
• Press up, keeping the elbows in to the ribcage and
the core engaged, before slowly lowering back
down to the start position.

TRX Row

• Set up with the feet, hips and shoulders all in a
straight line, grabbing on to the TRX handles.
• Row and rotate the hands in towards the armpits,
squeezing the shoulder blades together, before slowly
lowering back down to the start position.

Overhead Reverse Lunge

• Begin with the feet hip width apart, and a
broomstick held overhead with the arms in a Y
position. Perform a reverse lunge, flexing at the
back knee until it is just off the floor.
• Keep the feet, hips and knees in line, pause,
then return to the start position.


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At Boxing Science, we’re fortunate to work with some of the biggest

names in UK boxing. We’re proud of the reputation we have built and
that we’re now engaging with 1000’s of coaches and athletes across the
world.

Due to our Sheffield location, any were frustrated that they couldn’t take
part in the Boxing Science training methods.
To solve this problem, we launched the ‘Train Like A Champion’
program; The 'Blueprint To Elite Performance' – a series of
programmes that have been accessed by 100’s of coaches in over 25
countries worldwide.

• S&C programs with detailed exercise demonstrations,

• Running programmes to achieve world level fitness for boxing
• Movement and mobility programmes to enhance movement and
flow
• Nutrition guides to make weight better than ever before.

You can now access ALL of these

products in the Train Like a
Champion membership, along with
access to a range of coaching video
workshops and an extensive exercise
library.

CLICK HERE TO FIND

OUT MORE.



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 STEP 3 – STRONGER CORE

From our research – we know that the lean mass of the core is the biggest physical
contributor to punching force. The core must also be strong enough to transfer
energy from the floor, through the trunk and into the fist during a punch, and
must be strong enough to allow a boxer to fully rotate their hips and torso into a
punch and optimally transfer force, through the kinetic chain.
The most effective way to improve this is through compound lifts such as squats
and deadlifts. However, there are muscular imbalances within the core
musculature created by the demands of boxing. Therefore, we focus on exercises
specific to improve and challenge core strength, stability, stretch-shortening cycle
and speed.

BOXING SCIENCE CORE TRAINING PHILOSOPHY

Traditional boxing core training usually focusses on spine flexion (e.g. sit ups),
slight extension (e.g. dorsal raises) and rotation (e.g. Russian twists) to condition
the core. However, we want to focus on stability to avoid poor positions and
potential increased stress on the spine.
The main role of the core is to actually resist motion around the torso, and
stabilise the trunk. The picture on the left demonstrates the four pillars to our core
training.
Always keep the ‘exercise focus’ in mind. For example, if an ‘anti-rotation’ exercise
is being performed, the coach needs to observe whether athletes are resisting
rotation effectively.

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ADD THIS STEP TO YOUR TRAINING
These four core exercises below will be a fantastic addition to your training. Each
exercise develops a different pillar of the Boxing Science core training philosophy,
and similar to the movement program, requires little / no equipment and can be easily
done anywhere. We’d suggest to perform this as a circuit and add this at the end of
your boxing sessions.

Plank Row

• In a press up position, with the hands
slightly wider than shoulder width, perform

slow touches of the opposite hand to the

opposite shoulder.

• Ensure that the entire body remains still,

and the core remains tight.


Straight Arm Straight Leg Sit Ups
• With the core engaged, feet together, and
hands up towards the ceiling, sit up, while
keeping the spine neutral.
• Slowly descend for 3 seconds, before
repeating the movement. This can be
progressed by the addition of weight, as
shown here.


Rotational Plank
• Start in a plank position, with elbows under
shoulders and arms perpendicular to the
body. Pivot on the feet and rotate the body
outwards.
• Raise arm to the ceiling and resist the hips
from lowering to the floor.




Leg Lowers
• With the core engaged, and the lower back
against
the
floor, lower the legs and the
arms out slowly, pause, then return to the
start position, challenging the core through
extension.
• This exercise can be progressed by the
addition of weight, as shown here.


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 STEP 4 – PUNCH SPECIFIC EXERCISES
The majority of our S&C program is quite generic as we look to focus on the
physical adaptations. We want exercises that require us to generate the most force
in a short amount of time; therefore we need a higher external load in order to
achieve these adaptations.

That’s why we use exercises such as the Squat and the Deadlift as we know that
these are the most effective exercises to help improve rate of force development.

However, this is just producing force through these movements. At Boxing

Science, we want our athletes to benefit these improvements in RFD through the
punching action. Therefore, we use punch specific exercises.

POWER UP YOUR PUNCH

At Boxing Science, we use punch specific exercises as part of an explosive warm-
up and core supersets during S&C sessions, as well as becoming a key exercise
during the taper phase. We also use them in technical training, sparring and
competition warm up routines to help fire a boxer up and make them feel strong,
sharp and powerful.

The desired outcomes of punch specific training are improved hand speed,
punching strength and effective mass. We select exercises that promote the kinetic
chain sequencing from foot to fist – coaching and cueing forceful hip and core
rotation.

TOP 6 PUNCH SPECIFIC EXERCISES

Check out the video demo by Danny Wilson as he explains the benefits of the
range of punch specific exercises we use at Boxing Science

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ADD THIS STEP TO YOUR TRAINING
The best thing about punch specific S&C training is that it can be integrated into
your program at various points for a range of benefits. Mostly, we use them as part
of our extended warm-up – pairing them with an explosive jump exercise. We also
do pair them up with a rotational core exercise to fire up the core muscles before
punch specific movements. You can also add these to your warm-ups for technical
training and competition.

Medicine Ball Punches

• Use a 3-5 kg medicine ball, start in a boxing stance with the ball
in your back hand, held close to your shoulder
• Drive through the floor, rotating the foot, hip and torso and
extend the shoulder and arm to throw the ball in a punching
motion
• Make sure feet stay fixed to the ground and avoid from leaning
over the front foot

Banded Shadow Box

• Place a mini-band around the knees, and encourage a boxer to
work on multidirectional movement, pushing out with their knees
against the band.
• The resistance band increases recruitment of the legs and hips,
allowing them to get more involved to produce more force in
rotation, creating a harder punch.
• When the bands are taken off, the boxer can punch harder, and
move faster.

Landmine Punches
• Set up a landmine, and stand in a boxing stance, holding the bar
in the backhand, so that the top of the barbell is just above the
rear shoulder.
• Drive through the floor, rotating the foot, hip and torso and
extend the shoulder and arm to accelerate the barbell in a
punching motion.
• Snap and hold the bar for two seconds at the top, with tension
through the entire body, before slowly lowering the bar and
resetting.

That is the final step on your way to PUNCH HARDER….

Now it’s about putting it all together into a programme…..

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YOUR 4-WEEK KICKSTART PROGRAMME
Here we have put together your kick start S&C programme for Boxing. This will
help you build the strength and movement foundations in any training environment,
preparing you for a full S&C programme…

MOBILITY WARM-UP – 5 MINS

Eagles 10 Reps Each Side

Yoga Press Ups 10 Reps
Spiderman to Twist 8 Reps Each Side
Squat to Press 10 Reps
Lunge and Twist 8 Reps Each Side

STRENGTH PROGRAMME – 30 MINS

Perform these exercises as supersets (two exercises paired) or trisets

(three exercises). Rest 45-60 secs after each superset. Note down what
weight you perform on each lift, try to progress steadily each week.

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4

Goblet Squat 10 x 3 10 x 4 12 x 3 12 x 4
Landmine Punch 6 e.s. x 3 6 e.s. x 4 6 e.s. x 3 6 e.s. x 4
(MB Punch As Alternative)

Prisoner Good Morning 12 x 3 12 x 4 15 x 3 15 x 4

Plank Row 8 e.s. x 3 10 e.s. x 4 10 e.s. x 3 12 e.s. x 4

Strict Press Ups 10 x 3 10 x 4 12 x 3 12 x 4

Straight Leg Sit Ups 10 x 3 10 x 4 12 x 3 12 x 4

Overhead Lunge 8 e.s. x 3 10 e.s. x 4 12 e.s. x 3 12 e.s. x 4

Rotational Plank 6 e.s. x 3 6 e.s. x 4 8 e.s. x 3 8 e.s. x 4
Leg Lowers 10s. x 3 10. x 4 12. x 3 12. x 3

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Want to take your training to the NEXT LEVEL?!

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The wait is finally over... and the Boxing Science Online Membership is
HERE! We've worked so hard to put 100's of hours of world class
content together and can't wait to share it with you all....

Why Have We Started This Membership?

Our methods are evidence-based and super-effective. However, many
coaches and athletes may find difficulty in integrating them into training
schedules.

This maybe down to people feeling under-confident , or not having the

facilities, time or money to perform these training methods

In our BRAND NEW online membership services, we give YOU the

guidance, education and information for you to utilise the Boxing
Science methods in YOUR training environment.

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 Access to a range of coaching
workshops in S&C, Nutrition,
Physiology and Psychology, delivered
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can help unlock your potential.

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Like A Champion Programmes.

This includes 10-week strength, running,

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and will support you on your journey to
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 LEARN MORE WITH BOXING SCIENCE
Boxing Science have produced 100s of hours of FREE content
available, to help you improve boxing performance TODAY.

Training tips, exercise tutorials, boxing updates, previews,

training highlights and in depth articles are all available, for
free, from the following sources.

www.boxingscience.co.uk

@wilson_boxingscience @boxingscience

www.facebook.com/BoxingSci

Visit our YouTube Channel

We’re always happy to answer any of your training questions,

If you have anything in particular you want help with, please
don’t hesitate in getting in touch via our e-mail.

[email protected]

See you soon.

The Team
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