A punch is a striking blow with the fist.[1] It is used in some martial arts and combat sports, 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.[2][3]
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 taekwondo 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.
[edit] Basic types
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.
| 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.[4] |
| Backfist | A backfist is performed by forming a fist and striking with the tops of the two largest knuckles.[5] A spinning backfist is performed when the attacker swivels 360 degrees before landing the punch, adding extra momentum to the attack. |
| Chambered Punch | A strike commonly performed in karate, kung fu, and tae kwon do, originating from a "chambered" position.[6] |
| Cross | Straight | A direct punch, like the jab, delivered with the rear hand.[7] |
| Jab | The jab is a straight blow delivered (generally from a distance) with the arm above the lead foot ... The punch is quick and explosive."[8][9] |
| Long fist | By tucking the fingertips against the bottom knuckle of each finger, a long fist is formed. They offer decreased strength but increased reach.[citation needed] |
| Hammer Fist | A compacted fist is brought down upon the target, usually using the side of the hand or wrist.[10] |
| Haymaker[citation needed] | 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. 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 in mixed martial arts as part of the "ground and pound" method, as the legs cannot be used to generate power.[citation needed] |
| Hook | A punch involving the use of turning to aim toward the side of the head or body.[11] |
| Overhand | A semi-circular and vertical punch thrown with the rear hand. It is usually when the opponent is bobbing or slipping. 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.[citation needed] |
| 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.[citation needed] |
| Superman punch | A superman punch or diving punch is a technique used in Muay Thai, full contact karate and mixed martial arts fighting. |
[edit] Styles
A boxer punches his opponent via jabbing.
[edit] 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 jab, cross, hook, and uppercut. For more information, see the article on "Boxing".
A karateka performing a 'reverse punch' or
gyaku zuki [edit] Karate
Punching techniques in Karate are called tsuki or zuki. Contact is made with the first two knuckles (seiken)[12]. 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.[13]
[edit] Records
The Guinness World Record for the most punches in one minute is held by Jim Fung's student, Robert Ardito, who performed 805 punches in one minute at the International Wing Chun Academy in Sydney on the 18th of March, 2009.[14]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/punch
- ^ "The Proper Way to Wrap Your Hands". Ringside.com. http://www.ringside.com/WrapYourHands.aspx. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
- ^ Ballard, Willie L. "Portable Hand Wrap" Mar 22. 1994. Retrieved on June 29, 2007.
- ^ "Checklist for increasing punching power". http://heavyfists.com/increase-punching-power. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
- ^ Oyama, Masutatsu. Classic Karate. New York: Sterling. pp. 16–17. ISBN 1-4027-1287-1.
- ^ Tkdtutor.com "Variations" Retrieved on June 29, 2007
- ^ John Scully. "Learn To Box Boxing Punches" Retrieved on June 29, 2007
- ^ "jab punch." Online Animation. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 29 June 2007 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/art-71117>.
- ^ All-Karate.com "Jab Punch" Retrieved on June 29, 2007.
- ^ Oyama, Masutatsu. Classic Karate. New York: Sterling. pp. 26. ISBN 1-4027-1287-1.
- ^ Physical-Arts.com "Hook Punch Technique" Retrieved on June 29, 2007
- ^ Oyama, Masutatsu. Classic Karate. New York: Sterling. pp. 13. ISBN 1-4027-1287-1.
- ^ Funakoshi, Gichin. Karate-Do Nyumon. New York: Kodansha International. pp. 51–52, 64–65. ISBN 4-7700-1891-6.
- ^ Wingchun.com.au "[Robert Ardito http://www.wingchun.com.au/updates/news/09-04-2009/punching-world-record-reclaimed-robert-ardito" Retrieve date unknown
[edit] External links
