Piston

I'm a TKD practitioner and I'm interested in making my hand strikes better. I've asked similar questions like this in the past and was told to do boxing. I attended a seminar by Herol "Bomber" Graham a multi-titled middleweight british boxer for those who don't know. I found that the boxing method of generating power, whilst very effective, relies on using one's legs for generating power hampering my kicks. I also found that a little too much of it is very ring specific, for example when performing a hook one can generate much more power if the fist is help vertically, as it tenses up the biceps and triceps as opposed to horizontally. However this comes at the cost of reduced stability in one's wrist and you lose the more concentrated damage from using only the two front knuckles when punching horizontally. Of course when you're wearing a boxing glove both points are moot.

I did learn some fantastic drills from the seminar and also that boxing just isn't for me, so any suggestions on how to improve my hands?

P.S I've benn meaning to ask this for sometime, when throwing a "superman" or jumping punch how should you shift your feet? Whenever I watch someone on UFC do it they do a funny thing with their feet that I miss.

kurt_myers0369

Try something besides TKD... duh

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Piston

Yeeeess.....but what oh so helpful person?

kurt_myers0369

Seriously, TKD punching techniques are kinda shaky... have you considered muay thai? If I were you I would consider switching to muay thai exclusively, TKD can make a base good base for it. And you'll get alot from it besides the punching techniques, ie. clinch techniques. Not to mention the best conditioning you'll ever get. Sorry if I came off as a dick, but TKD is not getting a good reputation from my experiences recently. Check out the thread I just started "Why I hate TKD". Im not trying to bag on your art but check out what this TKD instructor is trying to pull with me. Laters!

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kurt_myers0369

Oh, on the superman punch, the funny thing with their feet is a little flicking motion to make the opponent think "knee". It gets them looking low when the punch comes high and cleans their clock. (also a muy thai technique) When you're about to jump you shift your back leg back just a little, then leap and shove it forward like you're going to throw a flying knee. When you cock back for the punch throw your leg back at the same time you deliver. This motion will add alot of power to the punch.

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Piston

We have the superman punch in ITF TKD, I love it just bopping someone on the head when they least expect it, thanks for the tip.

As for MT I used to spar with a friend who trained in it and I have nothing but respect for it. However I do find the angles of attack somewhat limited, his kicks where often very predictable and he got frustrated that I didn't stand there and just eat his kicks like an MT guy...Not that I'd want to eat one of his kicks one time he walloped me so hard I swore I was gonna be pissing blood....But I give as good as I get hehe.

kuk sool won

Kurt telling someone to change their art is pretty pathetic advise, no offense but thats not what he is asking. I find the best way to generate power in your punches is, as usual, with a heavy bag. Whilst practicing punching add in your kick and your'll soon realise what punches you can throw from your particular stance. In reality its all about what suits your stance and style, something you can't really give pointers to over the internet.

However Kurt you are indeed correct about the 'superman', you got to watch out when using that technique though because if you time it poorly you can leap right into one of your opponents attacks and the result is rather nasty.

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3mptin3ss

boxing is awesome for building hand skills, and its an awesome art by itself. but you are correct piston in that tkd kicks and boxing punches dont work well together. but thats why muay thai kicks are differnt than tkd ones, mt kicks are meant to work along with boxing type punches. the stances are very different.

Tom Yum

Kurt, that's a solid recommendation. Good points + pos. rep

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Maxx

That's one of tha major challenges about cross training in various arts... often the methods of execution of one are are alien when applied to another art. Boxing and tkd are good examples of this.

My suggestion is to break down both arts... find out where they have similarities, especially in the way that they move and build from there.

As some of the others have mentioned as well, muay thai is an excellent way to learn bridge the gap between both arts... but there is one thing above all else that I would suggest... Savate.

A good friend of mine who was well versed in savate once said that boxers box. TKD stylists kick. Muay thai kicks and punches... but does not box. Savate boxes with all 4 limbs. Taking nothing away from the other arts, savate would probably be an excellent cross training tool for you to learn how to blend punch and kick techniques seamlessly.

And as for boxing, look around... every person who you talk to about boxing is going to have a different view of it. It is in no way as structured as tkd so you may even come across contradictory info from different sources.

3mptin3ss

yeah savate is a good art. very versatile art, lots of mobility. authentic savate is badass. i have a little bit of experience with savate. luckily one of the instructors at the mma gym i train at is a former savate champion, as well as a multiple time french kickboxing champion. savate uses elbows and knees as well. sport savate is a bit different though, as they adhere to strict rules like keeping kicks above waist, and no elbows and knees.

GranFire

Put on your gloves and punch on the bag.

Check your technique along the way, do 2 min rounds, then step up to three (OK, that's the cardio/stamina thing) do a few rounds with kicking and punching...

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jeff5

Well I was going to say boxing as well! But you've kind of explored that. Another good style for hand techniques that might fit in with your TKD structure is Kenpo.

Piston

I've heard a lot of good things about Kenpo, but I only know a little about it. Care to educate me?

Slavez3ro

U can always go and read up on something this site has alot of good techniques developing your body and all that.

http://www.rosstraining.com/articles.html

Hope there is something usefull for u !!!!!!!!!!!!!!