Snap in a punch?

[DavidWei]

Hey guys, today my sanda coach told me to put more snap into my punches. Does this mean that i should pull back once i make contact? If so, how do you pull back on contact ad punch through your opponent at the same time? Also, i thought the only punch that was really supposed to "snap" was the jab?

 

[Kickzilla]

when you throw the hook, cross, or uppercut think about where that force is generating from. the legs, hips, torso.

"throw" those punches from your hips as if your arms can only move when you drive the hips.

When you feel the distinction you'll notice there's almost a ballistic feel to when your shooting your shoulder out. Keep the arm loose and just focus on connecting not power. For me anyway that's what helped me understand how to "snap" punches.

It's also typically an analogy suited to straight punches. usually "driving" through the target for body hooks and hooks, and "shooting" for uppercuts.

but imo to distill it to simpler things its about your mechanics and the proper biomechanics of the punches you're throwing will correctly allow for that snap.

 

[pheonix5]

Punching through the opponent is about distancing, meaning if he were to step back he would still get hit. So it's a footwork thing. Think about hitting a heavy bag. If it's a thud your punch is pushy. If it's a "thwack" it's snappy.

 

[Zephyros]

Simply put, it's about proper form. A lot of beginners - particularly on the heavy bag, want to hit it HARD. But ignore all the little things that they've been taught, or don't have the muscle coordination to throw a technique properly - they start pushing, or tensing to create a feeling of power, which isn't proper form.

 

[DavidWei]

So you should snap all of your punches as in pulling them back when they make contact? Kinda like a whip?

 

[Nuclearlandmine]

So you should snap all of your punches as in pulling them back when they make contact? Kinda like a whip?

I think you pulling the punches back just before it make contact, so the whip effect is much more pronounced. Although keep in mind try not to let your head get closer to your opponent as you doing so.

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

Your best bet would be to ask someone who is not only competent, but good at snapping their punches. You should ask your coach how to do it (is there some reason he wont break it down for you?)

 

[DavidWei]

Your best bet would be to ask someone who is not only competent, but good at snapping their punches. You should ask your coach how to do it (is there some reason he wont break it down for you?)

Um... not really. He just told me to pull my punches back faster so I could get through my combinations faster. Also, I love the guy but I would say his strong suit is in the area of kicking and wrestling.

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

Um... not really. He just told me to pull my punches back faster so I could get through my combinations faster. Also, I love the guy but I would say his strong suit is in the area of kicking and wrestling.

Well that's certainly what happens when you snap your punches (a symptom of), but not the formula for it per se.

I forget who I was watching a tutorial by, it was either Jeff Mayweather or some other very accomplished technical boxer. He says you have to really rotate your fist-- not just shove it in and out-- and that's what makes the snap

 

[panamaican]

People use the whip analogy and it's a good one. But the term I see most often in kinetic linking.

Getting snap into your punches is about getting the proper transfer of power from your legs, through your hips, and out through your arms. When it's done properly, your arms almost move on their own - snapping out like the end of whip.

A simple tool to help learn that feeling is to throw punches with your arms handing loosely at your side. Get into your stance but instead of holding your arm in guard, let hang them loosely by your sides, like strings of spaghetti. Now throw a punch with your legs, hips and core.

If you're getting proper power transfer, your arm should start to swing just from the momentum your lower body is generating. That's the core principle in generating snap. If you can get your arms to swing out and then pull them back with just the power from your legs and hips then you can move on to practicing with your hands up in guard.

The difference is that you must be loose enough to let your arms snap out with your hips power but controlled enough to not lose your guard. But one step at a time. Proper power transference is the key.

EDIT: This is the same regardless of what punch you're throwing - jabs, crosses, hooks, overhands, uppercuts, etc. The only difference (well, not the only difference) is what path the arm travels. Combine that with information from a thread that sinister made a while back about how to properly form a fist and what knuckles to land with and you have your basics for punching technique.

 

[DavidWei]

Are there any drills to train the snap in your punches?

 

[panamaican]

Are there any drills to train the snap in your punches?

I suggested one in my post.

But if you want snap in your punch, you need snap in your hips. So, if you don't like the drill I suggested, look for drills that focus on snapping your hips at and any from your opponent.

 

[PeterPain]

These:
Double end bag.

 

[Ramsey Dewey]

Any chance you can post a video?

By the way, I'm impressed that you correctly called it sanda instead of sanshou like almost everyone else on Sherdog. Where do you train?

Most of the sanda fighters I've trained with and fought have a somewhat different punching method than you usually see in western boxing. So your coach might be talking about a different issue than what's being addressed in this thread so far.

 

[Patman]

Two tips:

- The "pull-back" in a punch should not really be a voluntary movement. You should throw your punches in a way that your hand almost comes back to you in a natural recoil. When I "snap" a punch, my hand comes almost all the way back to me automatically, and the only thing I have to be conscious of is placing it back in a defensive position.

-Power comes from (in order) the legs, torso (twisting), the shoulders, and then the arms. This is how I work on this: I move my legs and torso and shoulders as if I'm throwing a punch, but I keep my hands on my chin. So I'm basically excluding the arms from the movement. Most people (naturally) try to generate most of the power in reverse order, starting with the arms.

 

[Old Cat]

Punch out drills. Do a crap load of punches mimicking the feel below.

Loose shoulders are the key. The snap is by the shoulder. The release and contraction at the end. It might feel like a roll depending on the punch. Start light get the feel of your shoulder releasing.