Mastering Body Punches: Technique, Power, and Footwork Essentials

Body Punches: lower your level, especially when throwing a straight punch to the body! If you’re punching low usually you want to be dropping your weight down (squatting) at least a little. Staying completely upright means your chin is much more exposed (since your punching hand now has to travel below the level of your face), that you have less range and that you lose some of your power (with a straight punch especially, since the punch is now hitting your opponent’s body at an angle instead of straight on).

Keep your other hand up, protecting your chin. You can see in the photo above how, if black shorts had blocked the body punch with his right arm, he would have a wide open opportunity for a left hook to white short’s chin.

Commonly missed when starting out: punch as you’re lowering your level, not after. It should feel like a slight squat and pivot simultaneously, while still keeping weight on both feet. Remember to pivot, not lean.

Foot work: don’t be bouncy, don’t be flat-footed. You want to be on the balls of your feet and light, but not so bouncy that you don’t have a firm connection to the ground (which is what allows you to dig in for powerful strikes, or plant and hold your ground when being attacked). 

A good measure is this: without bouncing, you should feel like you can hop or take off into a sprint at a moment’s notice. You should feel just as ready to fire a leg up into an explosive teep or kick as you are to dig into the ground with a pivot powering a heavy rear cross (a ‘2’ punch).