Biomechanics Of Throwing A Punch With The Dominant Arm

Copyright (c) 2013 Scott McKinney, MS

There are three important elements of throwing a punch; these elements are power, speed, and accuracy. When throwing a punch good form is what allows the maximum amount of force to be transferred from the body to the target; while strength and conditioning are important, proper form is what makes or breaks a fighter.

Throwing a punch encompasses many muscles; from the extensors of the metatarsals to the gastrocnemius, up the legs and back to rotate the hips, all the while the body being stabilized by the core muscles like the spinae erectus and abdominal muscles, and transferred through the arm through its many planes of movement.

The basic form of a punch with a fighter's dominant arm or a "cross punch", is performed as followed: First it is very important that the fighters body remains relatively relaxed throughout the process, not doing so only hinders the movements when antagonistic muscles oppose the forces necessary to strike an opponent. It is also important to be aware of the idea of bone alignment; this is where the fighter will derive much of his/her power with the combination of leverage by using the entire body. The physics behind the punch can be explained as leverage that begins at the back foot moving up the back leg, rotating the hips (which turn the upper body and the shoulder), bringing the arm forward with the shoulders in addition to the momentum and reaching out with the arm. (It is important to note that leverage can be easily lost at the joints if they are too tense, too relaxed, or there is improper bone alignment)

Steps: (Right Hand Dominant)

1) Fighter begins with knees bent (approx. 60°) dominant leg back and feet shoulder width apart. Arms abducted at shoulder anteriorly and elbows are in flexion (70-80°)

2) Fighter begins movement by pushing off of the right foot, extending the leg and rotating the hips

3) This will rotate the shoulder as the body's core stabilizes allowing minimal movement.

4) The fighter extends the arm (to no less than 5° of extension) and snaps back. (Similar to snapping a towel)

5) The fighter returns to the initial stance.

ABDUCTOR DIGITI MINIMI, ABDUCTOR POLLICIS BREVIS Importance To movement: making the fist

ABDUCTOR POLLICIS LONGUS Importance to movement: Movement of hands

ADDUCTOR POLLICIS Importance to movement: making fist

ANCONEUS Importance to movement: Aids in form and striking

BICEPS BRACHII Importance to movement: Aids in form and striking

BRACHIALIS Importance to movement: aids in form and striking

BRACHIORADIALIS Importance to movement: Aids in form and striking

CORACOBRACHIALIS Importance to movement: Aids in form and striking

DELTOID Importance to movement: Aids in form and striking, stabilizes arm as shoulders rotate

EXTENSOR CARPI RADIALIS BREVIS Importance to movement: Stabilizes wrist during contact

EXTENSOR CARPI RADIALIS LONGUS Importance to movement: Stabilizes wrist during contact

EXTENSOR CARPI ULNARIS Importance to movement: Stabilizes wrist during contact

EXTENSOR DIGITI MINIMI Importance to movement: stability of wrist

EXTENSOR DIGITORUM Importance to movement: stability of wrist

EXTENSOR INDICIS Importance to movement: wrist stability

EXTENSOR POLLICIS BREVIS Importance to movement: stability of wrist

EXTENSOR POLLICIS LONGUS Importance to movement: stability of wrist

FLEXOR CARPI RADIALIS Importance to movement: stability of wrist

FLEXOR CARPI ULNARIS Importance to movement: stability of wrist

FLEXOR DIGITORUM PROFUNDUS Importance to movement: Make fist

FLEXOR DIGITI MINIMI BREVIS Importance to movement: make fist

FLEXOR DIGITORUM SUPERFICIALIS Importance to movement: making fist

FLEXOR POLLICIS BREVIS Importance to movement: making the fist

FLEXOR POLLICIS LONGUS Importance to movement: making fist

INFRASPINATUS Importance to movement: stabilizes arm during movement

INTEROSSEOUS MUSCLES, DORSAL Importance to movement: stabilizes wrist and fingers

INTEROSSEOUS MUSCLES, PALMAR Importance to movement: stabilizes wrist and fingers

LATISSIMUS DORSI Importance to movement: aids in rotation of trunk and stabilization

LEVATOR SCAPULAE Importance to movement: aids in form, strike, and stability

OPPONENS DIGITI MINIMI Importance to movement: fist and stability

OPPONENS POLLICIS Importance to movement: fist and stability of fist

PALMARIS LONGUS Importance to movement: stability during strike

PECTORALIS MAJOR Importance to movement: aids in striking

PECTORALIS MINOR Importance to movement: stabilizes during strike

PRONATOR QUADRATUS Importance to movement: wrist stability

PRONATOR TERES Importance to movement: aids in striking and stability

RHOMBOID MAJOR AND MINOR Importance to movement: aids in stance and stability of upper body

SERRATUS ANTERIOR Importance to movement: stabilizes

SUBSCAPULARIS Importance to movement: striking

SUPINATOR Importance to movement: rotation of forearm throughout strike

SUPRASPINATUS Importance To movement: Aids in striking

TERES MAJOR Importance to movement: aids in striking

TERES MINOR Importance to movement: aids in striking

TRAPEZIUS Importance to movement: aids in striking and stability of shoulders

TRICEPS BRACHII Importance to movement: very important in the flexion of the striking arm

ADDUCTOR BREVIS Importance to movement: stability

ADDUCTOR LONGUS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force

ADDUCTOR MAGNUS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force

SARTORIUS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force

BICEP FEMORIS SHORT HEAD Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force

TIBIALIS ANTERIOR Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force

GASTROCNEMIUS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force, and initial push-off

GLUTEUS MAXIMUS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force, and initial push-off

GLUTEUS MEDIAS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force, and initial push-off, and stability

GLUTEUS MINIMUS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force, and initial push-off, and stability

FLEXOR DIGITORUM LONGUS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force, and initial push-off, and stability

TIBIALIS POSTERIOR Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force, and initial push-off, and stability

GRACILIS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force, and initial push-off, and stability

LLIOPSOAS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force, and initial push-off, and stability

PIRIFORMIS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force, and initial push-off, and stability

QUADRATIS FEMORIS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force, and initial push-off, and stability

TENSOR FASCIA LATA Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force, and initial push-off, and stability

SOLEUS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force, and initial push-off, and stability

VASTUS LATERALIS, MEDIALIS, INTERMEDIUS Importance to movement: aids in transfer of force, and initial push-off, and stability

OTHER MUSCLES: These are not all of the muscles used in the action of a punch, shown above is a variety of muscle that contribute to the actions of a punch from each area of the body. There are other major contributors such as the biceps femoris, and semitendinosus; as well as stabilizers such as the abdominals and spinae erectus.

OUTCOME OF MOTOR FUNCTION PERFORMED: The outcome of this motor function is to quickly and accurately put as much force on an object as possible with the dominant hand of the fighter. The ability to create this explosive force is derived from using leverage and other mechanical advantages of the body. The transfer of power from the legs, through the hips, up the trunk, through the shoulders and out the arm is the leverage the fighter uses. By keeping the bones as aligned as possible the fighter is able to be more efficient in their transfer of force. As stated before speed, accuracy, and power are very important elements in this movement. Increasing anyone of these elements will improve the skill as long as one element is not negatively affected by increasing another. With many physical activities; cardio respiratory fitness, muscle strength and endurance, neuromuscular efficiency, and flexibility can all be improved to increase the performance of this skill.

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