Punching power is not entirely natural as it also depends on your athletic abilities. You need to train hard for this aspect of fighting, just as you would with any other fighting style.
You might have seen in movies that Bruce Lee could punch through a wooden board lying on his chest, while the average person would just hurt their knuckles while breaking the board. This natural strength can be acquired to some extent by practicing. However, it’s very difficult for an average person to have the kind of power that Bruce Lee had.
And it’s also not natural to block punches or kicks, as you would need a lot of training for this too. This is not a natural fighting style and you will have to train yourself extensively to achieve the speed and agility required to do so.
How Hard Can an Average Person Punch?
An average, untrained human being hits with approximately 50 to 80 pounds of force when he punches (it depends on gender, weight, and other factors). As you get in better shape, these numbers go up and males usually hit harder than females.
Is Punching Power Natural/Genetic?
It is definitely not “natural” in the sense that you are either born with this ability or without it. Boxing happens to be an acquired skill and different aspects of boxing, punching power included, improved through proper training.
Also, genetics only determine the potential you have for punching power, but you are the one who needs to work hard to get it better. Punching power is just like anything else – if you practice enough, your muscles will remember what to do even when you are tired or exhausted.
But don’t forget there are genetic limitations that can affect how powerful each punch will be.
How to increase punching power?
Following are the ways you can increase your punching power.
1) Be in a good stance while fighting
The stance is the most important aspect of this type of fighting. Your lower body should be stable and not shaking, your core needs to be tight, your shoulders strong and the chin needs to be tucked in. Also, your fists should always be slightly curved, as it would increase the chances of landing a punch.
2) Train yourself properly
The training is necessary for the development of punching power. You need to add some resistance when you train, whether it is an iron rod or a punching bag, to increase your strength and speed.
3) Be in a balanced way
As opposed to what many people think, you don’t need to be super strong or super fast to land a punch. You just need to be well balanced and have some weight behind you.
4) Learn proper punching techniques
Although it is very important, the mechanics of throwing a punch are not that complicated and you can always ask a trainer for assistance.
5) Increase your overall body strength
As we already mentioned, punching power is not entirely natural and you need to train for it. But how hard can an average person punch? Workouts that will increase your chest, back, and other muscles would be helpful.
6) Practice
Of course, you can also use weights or other tools to improve your punching power, but hitting something is the best method for this.
Your weight training should be focused on overall strength and not just one muscle group. There are many different workouts you can do and we advise you to experiment a little with lifting weights, if possible.
Beginner vs. pro in punching:
Beginner:
An untrained person hits with approximately 50 – 80 pounds of force when he punches. This is the average punching power for an untrained person.
If you get into better shape, these numbers go up and males usually hit harder than females.
Professional:
A professional boxer hits with approximately 700 pounds of force when he punches. This is the average punching power for a pro boxer.
Speed and Agility:
You won’t be able to punch that hard if your feet are not properly trained. Professional boxers are extremely agile and quick.
Professional boxers are able to hit harder because they are trained to be agile enough to dodge punches coming from other angles too. Don’t forget that if you are slow, your opponent will have no trouble hitting you too often.
How to measure punching power?
Generally, punching power is measured by the weight of the glove multiplied by the speed at which it was thrown.
For example, if you wear a 12 oz glove and you throw your jab at 20 mph, that will be 36 lbs of impact force. If you increase both things, you can see how fast it goes up.
Can you lose punching power?
Punching power can be lost if you have a bad stance, don’t train enough, have a weak weight, or don’t train your agility.
What causes you to lose punching power?
The following are some of the causes that led to losing punching power.
Age:
As you age, your cardio decreases and you become generally weaker. After the age of thirty, it gets really hard to recover when you are tired.
Tiredness:
If you get tired during a fight, your punches will be weaker than usual. Lower blood pressure doesn’t help either.
Stance:
Your stance needs to be perfect to deliver a powerful punch. If you are too tired, your stance will also be bad which makes it hard for you to throw punches in general.
Muscles:
If muscles are not trained enough they become weaker over time. It is very important to keep the same pace of training throughout your life if you want to retain perfect punching power.
Strength:
Although it is true that some people have just better genetics for punching power, most people need to train in order to keep the strength in their arms and legs.
It is also a good idea to do some proprioceptive exercises so your muscles can become better at transmitting force from your arms and legs through your body.
Conclusion:
Your punching power comes from hard work and training. There are some genetic limitations, but you can always become better if you train more and pay attention to your stance and other aspects.
