subject: How to Train to Increase Striking Power [print this page] "How do I train to increase striking power?" is a common question I receive. So I'm going to give you some basic thoughts on how to do it.
1. You've got to have an all around solid training program. There is no single magic exercise, but if you're increasing your entire body's ability and practicing your technical ability in striking then you're going to get better.
2. You've got to do heavy leg and back work. Any properly thrown strike generates from the ground up. The stronger your thighs, hips and torso are, the greater the power you can generate. Punching is not just the arm; it should be the action of the whole body behind the arm.
3. Single limb exercises. I was going to say single arm exercises, but I had to re-think it. By doing compound exercises that work a single a limb at one time you teach the entirety of the body to contract and put its force behind a single limb. Isn't' this exactly what you should be doing when you strike something? One arm presses. One arm rows, One-legged squats, one leg deadlifts, and one arm deadlifts. All great whole body movements, teaching you to put everything behind a single focused movement.
4. Partial training. After the generation of the beginning power for striking a blow should always be loose until the last possible second. Then in the last instance before contact the body should become like iron and the strike should move through the target. Doing partial squats, deadlifts and overhead lifts radically increases your body's ability to demonstrate this concept. You massively improve your power at almost a fully extended range of motion. Which is where the last bit of power comes from in any strike. You also increase your tendon, ligament and overall core strength and contractile strength in a way that's specific to martial arts.
5. Isometrics. They build again, contractile ability but they also build speed and build the body's ability to unify behind a particular movement. Try this... have someone hold a heavy bag, punch it a few times to warm up and get the feel of how quickly you're moving. Now do an isometric move with them holding the bag and you pushing into it at the beginning of your punch, and at the extension of your punch. Hold each position for six seconds. Now step back, relax and punch the bag. See if you don't move faster. And see if you don't feel your whole body more together behind the punch.
These are some thoughts on how to hit harder for whatever art you might happen to participate in. Remember that nothing replaces skill practice, but to be truly great at martial arts you must meld together technical practice and physical training so that you have a greater vehicle with which to apply your techniques.
