What muscle is your punch muscle?

Question

i have been in martial arts for 2 years now and just recently started wait training, what muscles should I work out to increase my punching power.

Answer 1

Shoulders and triceps.

Answer 2

Anyone who names specific muscle groups isn't wrong but they aren't right either. Your whole body, maybe minus a few small muscle groups goes into any punch. If you just trained the so called "punch" muscles you would most likely knock yourself over if you powerfully hit something equivalent or greater than your own weight. Legs, back, etc. are all a part of punching. Not mention channeling power through your core.

There is a symbiosis that occurs when every monition and body contraction is timed correctly and this is the source of real striking power. Overall the legs and core muscles are most important but of course your mental conviction and stamina are important factors too. Explosive exercises are best for striking because your intention is not to gain size or just power. You want to gain speed. If you just gain mass it can actually slow you down.  You really should ask an experienced trainer who can tailor a specific program for your goals. You wouldn't train to be a power lifter if you want to be a boxer right?

"Functional Training for Athletes at all Levels" by James C Radcliffe

Is a great book to check out. The exercises you need to do might not seem like they have a lot to do with punching but they really do.  

Answer 3

shoulders, triceps, core muscles and back. mostly ur triceps and shoulders though. i wouldnt advise just working one muscle group. work ur whole body cos u need every muscle in ur body when fighting

Answer 4

If you have access to a pulley system, then set it up so you are getting resistance while making a punching motion.  That way you can get all of those muscle groups involved at the same time.

Answer 5

i don't know what the muscles are called but i know how to train them.

start off like a push-up, but move your hands so that they are the width of your body, not shoulders, body. then slide them down until they are half down your rib cage.

These are tough, train every 2-3 days, start easy, probably 8-12 reps every 3 day

Answer 6

the focus should be put on coordinating your entire body into the punch, instead of just conditioning the arm. that is the one of the keys to true power.

it takes a high level of skill to coordinate your body properly so all of the force is released into the opponent, not just some of the force.

Answer 7

hips and torso so that means put your *** into it

Answer 8

Hips (Glutes!), Shoulders, Traps, Triceps

Answer 9

No one muscle does it all.  That's like asking which muscle is your walk muscle.  The punch starts in the shoulder so I'd have to say that's the most important muscle in the punch in general.

Answer 10

Punches start with the pivot of the foot, then the twist of the hip, the shoulder, then the arm.

Anyone who says the shoulder does most of the work is wrong.

Answer 11

starts from your hip/torso.

Answer 12

The power from a Karate punch doesn’t come from muscle alone.  It comes from the entire body.  If you want to develop Karate power with weights concentrate on full-body strength movements like the squat and deadlift.  Strong legs and hips are an asset to Karate.  Also, being careful not to jerk and hurt yourself, incorporate quick, explosive movements into lifts such as the clean and jerk.  This will develop explosive power which is different from brute strength.        

Answer 13

Uh... it depends on the punch. For a normal punch I would say... mainly the triceps and pectorals. Of course it takes many more muscles but those are the main ones. More muscles will be used if you put your hips into it.