Weight transfer/body shots

[Token7]

Hello all, I've been putting a heavy focus on body shots recently specifically hooks to the body and have been working on it with my trainer but I will be the first one to say the coaching I get isn't sound like some of the advice you can get on the forums. (yes everyone isn't lucky enough to be training with a world class trainer, unfortunately:icon_twis)

So anyone want to break down how to get correct punching power and leverage on body shots?

And to be clear I went over some of threads in the past about correct weight transfers,hips,leverage but I found it for mostly shots to the head....not sure if it's the same to the body or slightly different.

 

[a guy]

No one has an answer for him? What the fuck guys. We're letting the troll threads take over by ignoring the real ones.

In my opinion, there isn't a whole lot that's different on a larger level about hitting the body in terms of mechanics. You bend your knees more to get lower, but throwing the punches is pretty much the same. What changes mostly is the targeting and thus the angle your punches come from. It takes a good understanding of where you need to hit, since your optimal targets aren't as easy to just see as when punching the head. Shots to the liver, solar plexus and spleen are gonna do a lot more damage than shots to the stomach. Your punches need to be adjusted to hit these targets as cleanly as possible while avoiding the opponent's arms and elbows. For example, this is why liver strikes tend to travel along a more upward trajectory so they can really dig in. And to produce that effect, people tend to keep their head over their lead hip as they throw it.

I've posted before that one of my favorite ways to hit the body is a right hook under the opponent's jab. It's essentially the same thing as a cross counter, but to the body. Just slip your head inside and bend your knees as you throw a right hook. It's really great for shorter fighters especially. It's not hard to get power on as long as you bend your knees and the other guy isn't likely to see the punch that hits him. It's out of his eye line. That's another key to hitting the body. If you can do it when the guy can't see it or catch him breathing at a bad time it'll be much more effective.

 

[Hagelslag2]

What a guy says. Make sure that you don't start punching with your arms just because you change the angle and keep making use of the rotation of your body.

 

[Kickzilla]

No one has an answer for him? What the fuck guys. We're letting the troll threads take over by ignoring the real ones.

In my opinion, there isn't a whole lot that's different on a larger level about hitting the body in terms of mechanics. You bend your knees more to get lower, but throwing the punches is pretty much the same. What changes mostly is the targeting and thus the angle your punches come from. It takes a good understanding of where you need to hit, since your optimal targets aren't as easy to just see as when punching the head. Shots to the liver, solar plexus and spleen are gonna do a lot more damage than shots to the stomach. Your punches need to be adjusted to hit these targets as cleanly as possible while avoiding the opponent's arms and elbows. For example, this is why liver strikes tend to travel along a more upward trajectory so they can really dig in. And to produce that effect, people tend to keep their head over their lead hip as they throw it.

I've posted before that one of my favorite ways to hit the body is a right hook under the opponent's jab. It's essentially the same thing as a cross counter, but to the body. Just slip your head inside and bend your knees as you throw a right hook. It's really great for shorter fighters especially. It's not hard to get power on as long as you bend your knees and the other guy isn't likely to see the punch that hits him. It's out of his eye line. That's another key to hitting the body. If you can do it when the guy can't see it or catch him breathing at a bad time it'll be much more effective.

Oooh, right hook under the jab huh. I guess by slipping inside you might also be covering against a straight right, that's interesting... (also reminds me of a variation of an overhand right too for shorter guys).

And yeah I concur with what you said I really don't think it's as mystical or as complicated as some people make it sound or create the difficulty in their head. I also think because of those more awkward targets it's a matter of just throwing them more but I personally find the most difficult aspect of inside body shots aren't the mechanics but the positioning and set up (i.e: being close to the guy at the right angle and distance while having covered for any counter offensive by your opponent). So I think stance, distance, and positioning become a bigger issue with close in body shots because you can't execute them without being in position.

 

[a guy]

Oooh, right hook under the jab huh. I guess by slipping inside you might also be covering against a straight right, that's interesting... (also reminds me of a variation of an overhand right too for shorter guys).

And yeah I concur with what you said I really don't think it's as mystical or as complicated as some people make it sound or create the difficulty in their head. I also think because of those more awkward targets it's a matter of just throwing them more but I personally find the most difficult aspect of inside body shots aren't the mechanics but the positioning and set up (i.e: being close to the guy at the right angle and distance while having covered for any counter offensive by your opponent). So I think stance, distance, and positioning become a bigger issue with close in body shots because you can't execute them without being in position.

Well said. It can be very hard to get a guy to stand still in range to be hit while you're in position to hit him. This is why you barely see close ranged body punches in MMA. The other guy is typically booking it out if range or grabbing you by the time you're in position.

 

[nottingham90]

Eusebio Pedroza can really dig a body shot although many never even heard of him.