.gif)
Punch (strike)
Encyclopedia
A punch is a striking
blow with the fist. It is the most commonly used attack in hand to hand combat. It is used in some martial arts and combat sport
s, most notably boxing
where it is the only type of technique allowed. In sports hand wraps or other padding such as gloves may be employed to protect athletes and practitioners from injuring themselves.
The use of punches varies between different martial arts and combat sports. Styles such as boxing
or Russian fist fighting utilize punches alone, while others such as kickboxing
or karate
may use punches as secondary to kicks. Others such as wrestling
and judo
do not utilize punches at all. There are many different types of punches and as a result, different styles encompass varying types of punching techniques.
This is not a comprehensive list of all punches, due to the large diversity of schools of practice whose techniques, employing arm, shoulder, hip and leg work, may invariably differ.
, cross
, hook
, and uppercut.
are called tsuki
or zuki. Contact is made with the first two knuckles (seiken). If any other part of the hand is used to strike with, such as the back of the fist (uraken) or the bottom of the fist (tetsui), then the blow is classified as a strike
(uchi).
Karate punches include the thrust punch oi-zuki made using the lead-hand, straight punch choku-zuki, reverse punch gyaku-zuki, made from the opposite hand, and many other variations.
's student, Robert Ardito, who performed 805 punches in one minute (more than 13 punches per second for a full minute) at the International Wing Chun Academy in Sydney on the 18th of March, 2009.
Strike (attack)
A strike is an attack with an inanimate object, such as a weapon, or with a part of the human body intended to cause an effect upon an opponent or to simply cause harm to an opponent. There are many different varieties of strikes...
blow with the fist. It is the most commonly used attack in hand to hand combat. It is used in some martial arts and combat sport
Combat sport
A Combat sport, also known as a Fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport where two combatants fight against each other using certain rules of engagement , typically with the aim of simulating parts of real hand to hand combat...
s, most notably boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
where it is the only type of technique allowed. In sports hand wraps or other padding such as gloves may be employed to protect athletes and practitioners from injuring themselves.
The use of punches varies between different martial arts and combat sports. Styles such as boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
or Russian fist fighting utilize punches alone, while others such as kickboxing
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
or karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
may use punches as secondary to kicks. Others such as wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
and judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
do not utilize punches at all. There are many different types of punches and as a result, different styles encompass varying types of punching techniques.
Basic types
| Name 1 | Name 2 | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Arm punch | Used in combat sports in which the body is not used for leverage, and the force of the punch comes from the arm. Arm punches are notably weaker than punches in which the whole body is used. Arm punches are intially intented to hit the same side of the face by which the arm is thrown from.For example, if a left punch is thrown, the fist will make direct contact on the left side of the face. This is commonly miscontrued for a hook, which in this case if you hit with the left you will hit the ride side of your opponent. | |
| Backfist | A backfist is performed by forming a fist and striking with the tops of the two largest knuckles. A spinning backfist is performed when the attacker swivels 360 degrees before landing the punch, adding extra momentum to the attack. The fighter will lunge and begin spinning toward the side of the opponent of which fist he or she will attack with. Simpler terms, go to the left, spin to the left and connect with the left fist and vice versa. | |
| Chambered Punch | A strike commonly performed in karate, kung fu, and tae kwon do, originating from a "chambered" position. | |
| Cross Cross (boxing) In boxing, a cross is a power-punch like the uppercut and hook. Compubox, a computerized punch scoring system, counts the cross as a power-punch.... |
Straight | A direct straight punch similar to the jab, except delivered with the rear hand. Power is generated through the rotation of the hips. |
| Jab Jab A jab is a type of punch used in the martial arts.Several variations of the jab exist, but every jab shares these characteristics: while in a fighting stance, the lead fist is thrown straight ahead and the arm is fully extended... |
The jab is a straight blow delivered (generally from a distance) with the arm above the lead foot ... The punch is quick and explosive." It is generally used for distraction, keeping distance, setting up, and defense. | |
| Long Fist Leopard Blow The "Leopard Blow," "leopard punch," or "leopard fist" is a common term for a specific type of striking blow, associated primarily with the Leopard Kung Fu substyle of the Five Animals in Chinese martial arts, though it is also used in styles such as Krav Maga, Choy Li Fut and Karate... |
By tucking the fingertips against the bottom knuckle of each finger, a long fist is formed. They offer decreased strength but increased reach. The striking surface is also narrower, which allows the fist to dig between ribs and other soft target areas. | |
| Hammer Fist | A compacted fist is brought down upon the target, usually using the side of the hand or wrist. | |
| Haymaker | A punch in which the arm is whipped sideways from the shoulder joint with minimal elbow bend. The name is derived from the motion, which mimics the action of manually cutting hay by swinging a scythe Scythe A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass, or reaping crops. It was largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia. The Grim Reaper is often depicted carrying or wielding a scythe... . The most frequent and effective cause of a one-punch knockout or kill. Since a haymaker's power is derived from weight transfer and momentum instead of muscle contraction, a long windup is required to generate sufficient force. Haymakers are frequently used from a mounted position Mount (grappling) The mount, or mounted position, is a dominant ground grappling position, where one combatant sits on the other combatants torso with the face pointing towards the opponent's head. This is very favourable for the top combatant in several ways... in mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be... as part of the "ground and pound" method, as the legs cannot be used to generate power. These punches pack power, but leave the person vulnerable to a counter punch during the wind up or if the haymaker misses generally when both combatants are standing. |
|
| Hook Hook (boxing) A hook is a punch in boxing. It is performed by turning the core muscles and back, thereby swinging the arm, which is bent at an angle near or at 90 degrees, in a horizontal arc into the opponent... |
A punch involving the use of turning to aim toward the side of the head or body. | |
| Overhand Drop (boxing) An overhand is a semi-circular and vertical punch thrown with the rear hand. It is usually when the opponent bobbing or slipping. The strategic utility of the drop relying on body weight can deliver a great deal of power.... |
A semi-circular and vertical punch thrown with the rear hand. It is usually when the opponent is bobbing Bobbing (boxing) Bobbing is one of the basic strategies of defensive boxing, executed by slightly moving the head to either side so that the opponent's punches slip by the boxer's head. You use the slip to evade swings, jabs, and straight punches. It can not be used with hooks as they move on the side level... or slipping Slipping Slipping is a technique used in boxing that is similar to bobbing. It is considered one of the four basic defensive strategies, along with blocking, holding, and clinching. It is performed by moving the head to either side so that the opponent's punches "slip" by the boxer. This technique is... . The strategic utility of the drop relying on body weight can deliver a great deal of power. |
|
| Shovel Hook | A close range punch that is halfway between a hook and an uppercut. Shovel hooks are most commonly used to strike the body at a 45 degree angle. For example, a liver shot can be done using a shovel hook. | |
| Uppercut | The fist is raised vertically towards the target, usually the head or upper body. Since most guards are held with the arms in a vertical position, the uppercut can be used to avoid the opponent's attempts at blocking. | |
| Upset Punch | Starts with the fist in the chambered position, with the palm facing downwards, delivered to the abdomen or solar plexus. | |
| Casting Punch | This is a punch used in Sambo Sambo (martial art) Sambo is a Russian martial art and combat sport. The word "SAMBO" is an acronym for SAMooborona Bez Oruzhiya, which literally translates as "self-defense without weapons". Sambo is relatively modern since its development began in the early 1920s by the Soviet Red Army to improve their hand to hand... and MMA Mixed martial arts Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be... that starts with a forward motion of the shoulders, which causes the bent arm to whip forward to the opponent. This punch can often cause the opponent to be put in a clinch if it misses at close range. |
|
| Superman punch Superman punch A superman punch, cobra punch, jumping punch or diving punch is a technique used in Muay Thai, full contact karate and mixed martial arts fighting... |
A superman punch or diving punch is a technique used in Muay Thai Muay Thai Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos... , full contact karate Karate is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,... and mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be... fighting. The striker will lunge toward the opponent pushing off with the back foot punching with the opposite arm of the leg used to push off with although there may be variations depending on the fighter. The pose should resemble that of Superman, hence the name. |
|
Styles
Boxing
In boxing, punches are classified according to the motion and direction of the strike; contact is always made with the knuckles. There are four primary punches in boxing: the jabJab
A jab is a type of punch used in the martial arts.Several variations of the jab exist, but every jab shares these characteristics: while in a fighting stance, the lead fist is thrown straight ahead and the arm is fully extended...
, cross
Cross (boxing)
In boxing, a cross is a power-punch like the uppercut and hook. Compubox, a computerized punch scoring system, counts the cross as a power-punch....
, hook
Hook (boxing)
A hook is a punch in boxing. It is performed by turning the core muscles and back, thereby swinging the arm, which is bent at an angle near or at 90 degrees, in a horizontal arc into the opponent...
, and uppercut.
Karate
Punching techniques in KarateKarate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
are called tsuki
Tsuki
, is the Japanese word for "thrust", coming from the verb , meaning "to thrust". It sounds the same as the Japanese word for "moon"/"month" .-Kendo:...
or zuki. Contact is made with the first two knuckles (seiken). If any other part of the hand is used to strike with, such as the back of the fist (uraken) or the bottom of the fist (tetsui), then the blow is classified as a strike
Strike (attack)
A strike is an attack with an inanimate object, such as a weapon, or with a part of the human body intended to cause an effect upon an opponent or to simply cause harm to an opponent. There are many different varieties of strikes...
(uchi).
Karate punches include the thrust punch oi-zuki made using the lead-hand, straight punch choku-zuki, reverse punch gyaku-zuki, made from the opposite hand, and many other variations.
Records
The Guinness World Record for the Most full contact punch strikes in one minute is held by Jim FungJim Fung
Jim Fung was a practitioner and teacher of Wing Chun kung fu and founder of the 'International Wing Chun Academy'. He had been training under his master, Tsui Seung Tin , since 1960...
's student, Robert Ardito, who performed 805 punches in one minute (more than 13 punches per second for a full minute) at the International Wing Chun Academy in Sydney on the 18th of March, 2009.