How to Punch Harder

Co-authored by Asher Smiley

Last Updated: July 22, 2024 Fact Checked

If you have ever been in a fight, you probably have thought up many things to worry about. "Does the attacker know any martial arts?" "Is the attacker concealing a weapon?" Have you asked yourself, "Are my attacks going to be powerful enough to end the fight quickly with me the victor?" Have you also asked yourself "How can I make my strikes powerful?" This article can show you how!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Master the Punching Technique

Download Article

Do you see golfers hitting insane tee shots with bad technique? Do you see Major Leaguers hitting towering home runs with bad technique? Do you see swimmers carving through water at breakneck speeds with bad technique? We didn't think so either. The right punching technique will not only make your punches harder; it will make them more efficient, meaning less energy gets packed into a bigger punch you will have to practice.^{[1]
X
Research source}
2
Get your feet and legs in the right position. Your feet and legs are the anchors of your weight. They keep you balanced, but allow you to transfer power from your lower body to your upper body, right through to your fist. Here are some quick tips for you to consider when using your feet and legs.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Place your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. When in doubt, place them apart a little further.
- Lift your back foot heel up, and keep it lifted. Don't be "flat" footed.
- Point your toes in the direction of your punch. Pointing your feet away from your target will deliver a less forceful punch.
- Keep your knees bent. When you punch, your knees can then extend, giving your punch extra power.
Advertisement
3
Move your hips and torso to generate power. Try it - hitting an object without moving your hips or your torso. It's not a very strong punch, is it? Now try moving your hips and torso when you punch. It's at least twice as forceful as the first punch, right? Think about it: professional golfers, tennis players, and baseball players all use their hips and torso to generate extra power. There's no reason why you shouldn't, too.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Use your hips to swing your torso back. Think of it like cocking a gun. Then unload by reversing your hip movement, swinging your torso towards the target.
Breathing out, or exhaling, will help loosen your muscles right before contact. If you're having trouble exhaling before you punch, make a noise as you punch. Martial artists do this all the time to ensure that they've exhaled.^{[4]
X
Research source}
You lean slightly and tuck your head so that your head is out of the way from counterattack; keeping it still would just make it easier to target. Keep your target in sight to direct your hand to punch. This is a natural guiding method for your hand.
6
Streamline your arm and fist. Aside from the power you generate from your hips, proper arm and fist technique is the most important part of a successful punch. Here are some tips you can use to make sure you're getting the most out of your arm and fist.
- Keep both your arm and fist relaxed until immediately before contact. As you feel contact with the opponent, tighten your fist. A relaxed fist will travel better through the air, but a tight fist will deliver more of a punch.
- Punch straight with your arm, not with an arc. You might be tempted to trace a long arc with your punch, but don't: Remember that your power comes from your hips and torso, not from the path of the arm.
- Don't cock back your hand or arm. This is called "telegraphing," or showing the opponent what you're going to be doing before you do it.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
7
Aim where it hurts the most. If you're going to aim, it's best to aim for the right places — places where you'll inflict the most damage:^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Chin
- Temple
- Solar plexus
- Ribs
Boxing and martial arts are good to help make yourself move faster and be more flexible and stronger.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Strengthen Your Muscles

Download Article

Not so heavy that you have no more knuckles after your workout, but not so light that you blast the bag away with your first strike. It's one of those "Goldilocks And The Three Bears” situations: not too much, not too little, just right.^{[7]
X
Research source}
Use the tips outlined above about how to improve your technique, and practice them on the punching bag. Remember to really put your hips into each punch.^{[8]
X
Research source}
Don't use dumbbells that are challenging for you to lift. Start with 5 or 10 lbs., or perhaps 15 lbs. if you lift weights regularly.
4
Practice jabbing the air with the dumbbells. Punching with dumbbells will increase your speed and shoulder endurance as well as building strength when you deliver the punch.
- Start off by doing 12-15 reps of punches on one hand, and then switch to the other hand. Try to shoot for 10 sets on each hand; do this daily.
- Remember to not overtrain your dominant hand at the expense of the other. If you have an obvious weakness in one hand, focus on training that hand. In a fight, a smart opponent will try to exploit your weak side. Not giving him an exploitation point will make you a stronger fighter.
- Gradually increase the weight as you become accustomed to the lower weight. Increase your weight will make your arm-strength and speed increase without trying you will get knocked out.
- Never punch a punching bag with dumbbell weights in your hand. Only air-jab with weights in your hand.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Shadow Boxing

Download Article

Shadow boxing will increase the speed of your punches. The more speed you have, the more power you'll get.^{[9]
X
Research source}

^{[10]
X
Research source} Try 5 minutes and 2 minutes of rest will do. Repeat 5 times in a row.
For example, straight punches, uppercuts, jabs and hooks.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

Why are my punches so weak?

Asher Smiley
Self Defense Trainer
Asher Smiley is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Krav Maga Revolution in Petaluma, California. Asher has earned a Tier 1 Instructor Certification in the American Krav Maga system. In 2017, he trained with the International Kapap Federation Combat Krav Maga International, completing their 7 day tactical seminar and the 8 day CKMI instructor course.

Asher Smiley

Self Defense Trainer

Expert Answer

You likely just need practice! The more you punch, the harder you'll be able to hit.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 20 Helpful 11
Question

Can I punch a wall to practice?

Asher Smiley
Self Defense Trainer
Asher Smiley is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Krav Maga Revolution in Petaluma, California. Asher has earned a Tier 1 Instructor Certification in the American Krav Maga system. In 2017, he trained with the International Kapap Federation Combat Krav Maga International, completing their 7 day tactical seminar and the 8 day CKMI instructor course.

Asher Smiley

Self Defense Trainer

Expert Answer

I wouldn't recommend it. With practice, you might get to a place where you can hit very hard things, like a wall, but don't just hit your wall as hard as you can if you've never punched before.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 17 Helpful 13

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Reader Videos

Submit a Video Tip!

Share a quick video tip and help bring articles to life with your friendly advice. Your insights could make a real difference and help millions of people!

Submit a Video

Tips

With the dumbbells, you may raise the weights if you aren't getting a good workout. If you can punch into the air with 10 or 15 extra pounds on each hand and not get a workout, you can probably break someone's teeth out with one blow. So, raising the weight isn't entirely necessary unless you plan to punch a hole in an armored vehicle.

Thanks
Helpful 30 Not Helpful 0
Clench your fist at the last moment.

Thanks
Helpful 25 Not Helpful 2
Be sure to warm up/stretch any relevant muscles to avoid painful pulling or spraining.

Thanks
Helpful 18 Not Helpful 3

Show More Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees. Rotate your body as you punch to put the full power of your core behind each strike.
Punching should be like a snake striking, with a snap at the end. You can get better at this if you practice snapping a towel.

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

Know your strength. You will punch with more force, so don't go hitting your friends with the same force as you did before you did this workout, or they will get hurt and you will have one less friend.

Thanks
Helpful 314 Not Helpful 59
Remember: Do not punch anything with the dumbbells.

Thanks
Helpful 248 Not Helpful 51
Also remember not to extend your arm out all the way as this could lead to serious damage to your elbows.

Thanks
Helpful 202 Not Helpful 47
Hold on to the dumbbells tight enough so that they don't fly out of your hand and get into that expensive china when you jab. Use some gloves if your hands get sweaty, so the sweat doesn't lubricate the dumbbell out of your hand.

Thanks
Helpful 164 Not Helpful 43