By
Neill Ryan
There
has always been some discussion about exactly how big punching power is
generated, the truth of the matter is that the power in a punch starts
from the feet. If you
have ever pushed a broken down car up the road the road then you will
know what I mean.
In order to develop the leverage to push the heavy car forward you need
to drive off your feet which need to be firmly planted into the ground
to give that drive. If your feet slip or are in the wrong position,
then you immediately lose power and the car comes to a halt.
The
power in a punch works in exactly the same way - if your feet are not
firmly on the ground and in the right position then you will never be
able to achieve full force. It is necessary to maintain a good solid
stance which is not too wide or too narrow - if your feet are too close
together then you will push yourself off balance when you connect with
your opponent and will not be able to drive off to generate maximum
power.
There
are many boxing
footwork drills which you can practice to develop the the
ability to maintain a proper stance. One of which involves a simple
rope tied to both feet which does not let you stretch much more than
shoulder width apart - elastic rope can be used to give a little more
freedom but it should serve to restrict the movement beyond over
stretching.
By using the rope regularly and going through normal training and
sparring you will automatically develop good boxing footwork and a
stance which maximises power.
When
practicing boxing
footwork drills as well as normal drills you should ALWAYS
be aware of what your feet are doing it is this awareness that will
improve you dramatically.
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