As you can imagine, a decent punch is the most crucial thing for a boxer to have. Without it, they’re probably in the wrong sport.

A punch ideally needs to be just as quick as it is powerful, and one without the other may not be effective against an opponent.

Having a powerful punch is very important because it instills the confidence needed to deliver a knockout, particularly when you’re trailing on points or struggling in a match.

However, to deliver a power punch comes down to a few main factors.

Speed, weight, and timing.

You can read our article ‘How to get a knockout punch?’ here.

In this blog post, we will give a core chest workout, which by incorporating weight training and strength conditioning into a workout will not only improve endurance but may also increase punching power.

Bench Press / Dumbell Press x4 Sets

Bench pressing can help improve punching power as the movement patterns of a bench press are similar to those of a straight punch.

Starting with the bench press to your workout is great as it will allow you to lift your maximum while your muscles are fresh.

Usually, it is only your 2nd or 3rd set when you can lift your personal best. So this is when you want to go for it and get a spot if need be.

The bench press and dumbell press are quite similar movement exercises, yet will hit the muscles differently, that it’s good to alternate the chest day sessions.

The bench press with the long Olympic bar will allow you to be able to push your maximum lift. Whereas dumbells being individual weights also rely on controlling and stability of each hand.

Before beginning, make sure to warm up and stretch your arms and chest.

With every set, always try to aim for 10 good lifts, going all the way down to the chest. Half lifts will not achieve anything. Usually, a good starting mark for men is 60kg, but if your not used to it or haven’t done it before, go lighter.

And the benchmark (no pun intended) is reaching a 100kg lift. So do a total of 4 sets and push your highest on your third and drop back down on the last set.

Incline Bench Press / Dumbell Press

Now, make your way to the incline bench. This is very similar to the flat bench, but as it is in an incline and you’ve already pushed your maximum you’re find you won’t lift as much.

So, reduce the weight and focus on reaching 10 lifts per set rather than a maximum.

Pec Deck

You will probably feel pretty pumped now, now let’s use some of the machines. The pec deck is a nice machine as you can do in a seated position, and it will target the muscles correctly. Still aim to do 4 sets of 10.

Cable Crossovers

It’s good to mix up the exercises to hit the muscles differently and to keep the workout from getting boring. By using the cable machines, place a handle grip to each side at the top location and select a sensible lifting weight.

This exercise is crucial to do with the right form, so don’t over strain. Grab both sides of the handles and put a foot forward to get in to a solid stance. Then, pull the weights so the handles meet in front of you.

Tricep and Bicep Workout

Now you’ve fully trained your chest muscle group, finish the session with tricep, and then bicep exercises.

Here are a list of exercises to try:

• Cable Pull Down
• Bicep Curls

Final Thoughts

As for any martial artist or combat sports enthusiast, it’s important to add strength and conditioning in to your training routine, as it will benefit you in many ways.

However, don’t let it become your main training, work it around your discipline sessions so they both work hand in hand together.

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