Increasing Punching Power for MMA Fighters
How to Fight on the Feet Using Better MMA Striking Technique
Mixed martial arts is considered by many to be the pinnacle of combat sports because MMA fighters must learn how to fight as a boxer, kickboxer, wrestler, and submission grappler. But the reality is that MMA fight training often leads to a watering down of each discipline and an overall loss of technique. This can be very apparent in the stand-up game and, by learning how to fight more like a boxer, many MMA fighters could substantially improve their punching power.
Protect the Chin: Keep the Fight Gloves Up and the Chin In
Keeping the fight gloves up and the chin down is one of boxing’s most fundamental contributions to fight training. One clean shot on the chin and it’s lights out. Many high-profile MMA fights have ended because a fighter came out with their unprotected chin on display and their fight gloves down by their waist. Anybody remember Rampage Jackson’s KO victory over Chuck Liddell? Boxers around the world are still shaking their heads.
How to Fight Like a Boxer - Move in Circles
The typical beginning MMA fighter reacts to being hit by moving straight back away from the attack. That leads to one place – jammed into the corner, ropes, or cage and absorbing punishment from the opponent’s flurrying fight gloves. Experienced boxers and MMA fighters learn how to fight by moving in circles so that they’re constantly stepping out of their opponent’s line of attack and always keeping an escape route open.
Never Be Flatfooted in an MMA Fight
Footwork is one of the most important elements of the stand up portion of an MMA fight. Landing punches and dodging attacks requires mobility, something a flatfooted MMA fighter doesn’t have. In fight training, emphasizing staying light and on the balls of the feet enables explosive movements and quick changes of direction.
Use Fast, Sharp Techniques for Maximum Punching Power
Speed is the predominant factor in generating punching power in fight training. A fast, clean punch packs more power than a slower, heavier one. Any introductory physics textbook will say that the formula for kinetic energy is 1/2 mass multiplied by velocity squared. In MMA fighter’s terms, doubling the speed of your fight gloves will quadruple the power behind them.
Use Straight-Line Punches on the Outside
There’s a reason that overhand haymakers aren’t a technique commonly taught to boxers during their fight training – good boxers see them from a mile away and will dodge or block almost every time. On the outside, the straight-line punches – the jab and the cross – are the MMA fighter’s most effective weapon because they’re quick to reach their target and leave the opponent with less time to react.
Uppercuts and Hooks at Close Range
For MMA fighters, curving punches like hooks and (especially) uppercuts are most effective at close range when the fighters are locked up and there’s less distance to cover. The hook can also be used on the outside, but with correct technique. Again, one must learn how to fight like a boxer. A hook should be tight, not a large swinging motion. It travels in a straight line until the very end of the technique, when it quickly curves in towards its target.
Striking From the Hips Means Knockout Punching Power
Ask any boxer where their punching power comes from and they’ll give the same answer - from the hips. It’s the basis of the famous “Joe Louis hip swivel”. Watch a boxer’s lower body - every punch is accompanied by a hip twist in the direction of the punch. Good strikers don’t just punch with the arm and shoulder muscles, they use the whole body to generate punching power.
Power is Rooted in the Feet
During fight training, an MMA fighter learns that his feet are his foundation. They provide the purchase point for making the swiveling motion with the hips. For maximum punching power, both feet should be set solidly (but not flatfooted). Boxing and MMA fight trainers often talk about “squashing the bug” when throwing a punch. This refers to the twisting motion of the ball of the foot on the floor, which provides that extra bit of punching power – enough to turn a sting into a knockout.
MMA fighter Phillip Schranz
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