A lot of young guys complain about being weak punchers. Recently, I was talking to a guy named Ron. Only half joking, he claimed that on a bad day he couldn’t squash a grape. He really really believed the old saying “punchers are born, not made”.
I don’t like that old saying. It doesn’t tell the whole story, and I think it gives people an excuse to fail. I would rather see people succeed.
I truly believe that champions are born, not made — Freddy Roach
If, like Ron, you think you’ll never increase your punching power, you’re wrong. Stop worrying about old sayings and start taking actions that get you closer to where you want to be.
Obviously, athleticism isn’t a trait equally shared by all of us. Some people are naturals; others aren’t. But if you don’t have “it“, that doesn’t mean you just give up.
What silly old sayings like “punchers are born…” don’t tell you is: 99% of the people who practice punching are operating nowhere near their full potential.
Just because you don’t have an inner Mike Tyson waiting to burst out at any moment doesn’t mean you can’t make dramatic improvements in your skill level. On the contrary, you can increase your punching power by working at it like it’s your job.
Your punching technique is flawed. Improve it and increase your punching power
Guess what? Your punching technique is not perfect. How do I know this? I know because there are plenty of professional boxers, and even some world champions, who have imperfect technique. They got where they are today on talent, luck, and ambition.
If world-class fighters have noticeably poor technique, it stands to reason that you do too. Improve your technique and you increase the power of your punch. It’s that simple.
The key to getting better is specialization. If you are a jack of all trades (someone who tries to do everything equally well), you will master nothing. It takes practice and self awareness to learn a skill. Without attention to detail, you won’t improve.
A jack of all trades won’t master anything
Take your strongest punch — the one you would use if your life depended on it — and break it down. Examine it with an open mind; I’ll bet there are ways you can improve it. Perhaps you’re not pivoting properly, or maybe you don’t step into the punch.
Find out where your weakness originates and work to correct it. Check out how to increase your punching power for a handy checklist covering proper technique.
Imagine if you started a month ago, you’d have four weeks’ worth of practice sessions under your belt already. Don’t you think your strongest punch would be even stronger now?
If you are unfamiliar with proper punching technique, you need to stop complaining and start learning. There are lessons available to everyone if you take the time to seek them out. Here are some options for you:
- Coaching at a boxing or martial arts gym. Boxing trainers have to charge for their services, but anyone who is serious about improving can find a way to afford it — even if it’s only a single lesson.
- Instructional videos sold at Amazon.com or other sites are a great way to improve at home when you don’t have access to a trainer.
- Watch free YouTube boxing instructional videos anytime you are online.
- Engage in some self-coaching, going over the things you already know in front of a mirror.
- Take videos of yourself to help your self-coaching.
Whatever choice you make, don’t sit around feeling hopeless. You can and will improve if you take positive steps to fix your problems. Remember Ron, the kid I mentioned who was depressed about his lack of punching power? Well there’s good news: he is practicing his straight right and getting it dialed in. He’s happy with his progress and he’s getting better day by day. You can do the same. Good luck!
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