The first thing a noob in a street fight does is cock his arm back and swing over the top with all his might. At best, this is ineffective. At worst, it’ll get your teeth knocked out. Luckily, boxing trainer Steve Petramale—with 30 years of experience in the fight game—is here to explain the right way to do it. Practice these pointers and potentially save yourself a few grand in dental work.
Checkpoints
Hands
“Your left hand should be about four to six inches in front of your left shoulder, knuckles parallel to the ceiling. Your right hand should be by your right ear, about three inches away, with your right elbow glued to your ribs.”
Feet
“They should be planted at least shoulder-width apart, maybe even a little wider. Your weight should be isolated on the balls of your feet.”
Knees
“Your knees should be bent. This keeps your hips down and helps you put them into the punch.”
Core
“Relax! The more you tighten up, the more you restrict the connection between your legs and arms.”
Hips
“That right hip should be back, with the left hip pointed toward your target. When you turn into the punch, the hips shouldn’t make a full rotation. That’s a mistake a lot of people make, and you lose a lot of power that way.”
How to throw it
1. Press your weight into the balls of your feet. The turn starts with your right foot serving as the pivot point.
2. Your right hip and shoulder turn toward your target, with the power coming from your legs.
3. Your right hand starts with your knuckles pointed up but turns over as you throw it toward your target.
Pro tip
“Less is more,” Petramale says. “If you’re balanced and relaxed, the fundamentals take over. It doesn’t take a lot of muscle and power to knock a guy out.”
