This is an ideal exercise to let off steam, release any frustrations and reduce stress while working on your body, writes Gary Dawkins.
1. Creates a more flexible and subtle body.
2. Improves total body strength and power.
3. Develops muscle tone: The art of throwing multiple punch combinations involves total-body, large muscle group synergy - legs, core, arms.
4. A premium exercise modality to destruct body fat: The use of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) combined with repetitive high volume, low resistance, muscle movement actions, makes for a potent combination for reducing body fat and weight.
5. Improves the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
Mind-body fit:
Develops spatial awareness, balance and co-ordination - involving eye-hand-leg co-ordination and the development of reactive movement strategies.
How to do?
To build up your punching power and speed on a punching bag, first practise your boxing stance:
1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, one slightly in front of the other, knees slightly bent. Your rear arm and leg should be your dominant side (so whichever arm you write and/or throw with).
2. Bring fists up, one slightly in front of the other.
The punch combination
Jab - jab - cross (1-2-3)
1. From the boxing stance, the first action is a push from the front foot which in turn rotates the upper-body slightly so that the hips and shoulders will align with the opponent.
2. As the rotation is taking place, the lead arm is thrust out, ensuring that the lead arm elbow follows the same line as the fist. I.e., there is no lateral movement of the elbow at all, whatsoever!
3. As the lead arm is moving towards the target it accelerates. As the fist approaches the target (having covered about 75% of the distance to the target) it rotates inwards, so that the palm is facing down towards the floor. At the last moment, the fist clenches and “snaps” on to the target.
4. The fist returns along the same line as before, returning to the “home” position as per the stance.
