Relaxation theory of power debunked - Adrenalin Rush excerts 66% more force in a punch

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So any instructor telling you that relaxation makes you punch harder than when tensed (high on adrenalin), is incorrect:

 
I think you're confusing relaxed with meaning easy going or lacking energy.

"Relaxed" when we say it in boxing context just means "loose" and not being stiff. Being energized and loose/smooth and controlled is the way to go.
 
"Relaxed" when we say it in boxing context just means "loose" and not being stiff. Being energized
and loose/smooth and controlled is the way to go.

And you think this is compatible with being high on natural adrenalin?
 
And you think this is compatible with being high on natural adrenalin?

Yeah I do.

Watch the YCM sparring vid #4 and you'll see an example of him on adrenaline while punching with good mechanics while also loose so he moves quickly and fluidly. It's right at the end of the video, the last 10 seconds

Also, the most devastating punches you see in boxing are mostly not via adrenaline, although they can be. Most of them are timed and controlled perfectly by an absolute master, and those are the most brutal. Plenty of hot-heads in boxing, but they're not the guys at the top. If you're tough and hotheaded, it can drive you all the way up to gatekeeper status... if you're tougher than the trillions of other guys doing the same thing.
 
My boxing coach told a student who said I punch hard, that I will punch even harder when I am relaxed. I have never found this to be the case after 3 years of taking out anger on mitts compared to when I'm in a more natural state.

When I'm pissed, I punch FAR harder
 
My boxing coach told a student who said I punch hard, that I will punch even harder when I am relaxed. I have never found this to be the case after 3 years of taking out anger on mitts compared to when I'm in a more natural state.

When I'm pissed, I punch FAR harder

It's true you punch harder when fear is going through you or when you have a fight/flight reaction (adrenaline).

What you want to do while learning is not always be in that state because it reduces your motor control and makes you a lot clumsier and reduces your accuracy, etc. Adrenaline also exhausts you so it reduces your gas. You cant keep up through a fight on adrenaline-- it's burning a lot of your reserves.

Train controlled and efficient, and when you need to fight, the extra power will be there without you needing to summon it, it will be automatic once you are in actual danger (such as a fight).

Learn to punch hard without needing adrenaline, then if and when you do get a spike you'll punch all that much harder without having to think about it.

----

One more thing-- punching your hardest is probably the least important thing in a fight. Especially in the way that it reduces and dulls all your other valuable attributes so you end up getting worked by the other guy unless he's a lot worse than you.

Being efficient and working on efficiency while training is what the smart, effective fighters do. Mindless brawlers are a dime a million and they fall by the millions.

Do you think boxers are always punching their hardest? They aren't. They do when the moment presents itself, unless they're dumb.
 
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Do you think boxers are always punching their hardest? They aren't. They do when the moment presents itself, unless they're dumb.

Of course not, but the claim was about power only.. The subject tested was clearly tensed when he produced natural adrenalin and then punched, and it was 60% harder.

I do believe it's possible to generate power from relaxation and no adrenalin rush, but I strongly disagree that it will generate more
 
So any instructor telling you that relaxation makes you punch harder than when tensed (high on adrenalin), is incorrect:



You have no fucking clue what you're talking about.

Certain parts of your body need to be tense at certain times. Muscle contraction requires tension by fucking definition. Nobody has ever argued this. Adrenaline will let you hit harder, no shit. What you don't understand because you don't know shit about boxing is that the ability to relax quickly is an essential aspect of every sport. Rate of muscle relaxation is as important for speed and power as rate of muscle contraction. This is not talking about being a limp noodle, but about muscles "turning off" when they don't need to be doing anything. The longer they take to do that, the slower, weaker and less efficient you are.

The need to relax is not a myth. You and your sports "science" video are not smarter than every top boxing coach in the world. There's actual literature on this stuff. Maybe box for more than a week and read a real fucking study before you mouth off about shit you don't understand.
 
In every sport there is an active relaxation period. Even in soccer our coaches were talking about active rest when the ball is in a trow in - what body position to take and how to calm down our breathing. Even at a period of the game we would be asked to play low tempo. For example - play first half at a low tempo, just pass the ball around and be compact structure, and then the 2nd half explode with direct football, lots of pressing and quick counter attacks. That is youth level of football. Now think about it in professional level.

The ability to relax muscles and calm down breathing is important in for every endurance based sport.
 
You have no fucking clue what you're talking about.

Certain parts of your body need to be tense at certain times. Muscle contraction requires tension by fucking definition. Nobody has ever argued this. Adrenaline will let you hit harder, no shit. What you don't understand because you don't know shit about boxing is that the ability to relax quickly is an essential aspect of every sport. Rate of muscle relaxation is as important for speed and power as rate of muscle contraction. This is not talking about being a limp noodle, but about muscles "turning off" when they don't need to be doing anything. The longer they take to do that, the slower, weaker and less efficient you are.

The need to relax is not a myth. You and your sports "science" video are not smarter than every top boxing coach in the world. There's actual literature on this stuff. Maybe box for more than a week and read a real fucking study before you mouth off about shit you don't understand.


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Definitely makes you punch harder.
Until you crash and get destroyed.
 
I personnally think the exact opposite. Stress, adrenaline or whatever making the" fighter" ( and moreover the "athlete" ) less "cool" decrease the quality of any movement.
 
There are a few factors at play here. Some of which have already been covered:
1. Their math is wrong. increasing from 600 to 1000 is a 66.6% increase. Not 60%. Sorry, that just bugs me.
2. They are not covering the psychological effects that lead up to a natural adrenaline increase. Those can be extremely powerful.
3. Being loose with regard to power is referring to the antagonistic muscles. Antagonists are the muscles that work in opposition to the intended movement. Any tension in those muscles will slow movement and will reduce power. Think about extending your arm. Your triceps contract causing your arm to extend. Any tension in your bicep would work in opposition to that extension. The bicep must me fully relaxed if you're going to get maximal effort from the triceps. Try driving your car with the brake off and then with the brake on. Same effect.

What we don't know:
Obviously the adrenaline increase causes increased effort in the contracting muscles. Does it also increase tension in the antagonist? Probably so. Apparently the increase in the contraction is disproportionately higher than the tension increase in the antagonist and therefore is capable of overcoming the tension in the antagonist. It's doubtful that increased adrenaline causes improved relaxation of the antagonist. That's just illogical. But, we really don't know.

What we also don't know:
Did the power increase result from increased acceleration (speed), increased muscular tension, or increased body commitment (mass) involved at impact?

Important to note:

Obviously a major adrenaline rush results in the ability to deliver more power. BUT, AND THIS IS A BIG BUT, that adrenaline rush has very debilitating after effects. For a fighter in the ring that can spell big trouble in a long fight. If you utilize a maximal adrenaline rush early on you better finish the job or you may pay the price later.

In summary:
As others have said above, full muscular tension is required at (actually just before) impact and through impact to transfer power into a target. We also know that full relaxation of the antagonists is necessary for maximal effort, movement speed, and acceleration. A motivational adrenaline increase will increase power transfer into a target.

Conclusion:
My conclusion is that one should use the motivational adrenaline increase judiciously and strategically during competition. It works, just like most fighters already intuitively knew. It would be useful to train oneself to utilize that motivational adrenaline increase along with training that results in subconscious/automatic relaxation of the antagonists. The result could possibly result in tactical and practical utilization of the adrenaline increase.

You are missing the fact that it can be switched on and off by an experienced guy.
 
For comparison, HW boxer Frank Bruno (huge guy) in 1985 averaged 920 pounds of force. Less than the MMA guy on natural adrenalin
 
Btw, isnt it unlikely that he hit 1000 right on the mark? Do they round off the numbers?
 
Another benefit is that you need less acceleration when adrenalized. Try it yourself. Cut down on the swing and it will still be hard as fuck
 
There was a strong man contestant who was famous for having his wife slap him in the face and yell at him before each section. Hilarious stuff.
 
Being relaxed absolutely increases power.
The key to power is to be loose, like a whip, and at millisecond of impact, everything tenses up to create a brick wall, and then back to being loose.
Being tight and swinging for the fences will not be anywhere close to as effective as throwing strikes the way u are supposed to.
Also, a powerful punch is not necessarily the same as a damaging punch. A punch at 50% power the opponent does not see will be much more damaging than a punch at 100% power that ur opponent can see coming.
 
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