How do I strengthen my uppercut? [Recovered from August 06, 2004]

[Chris Nagel]

How do I strengthen my uppercut?

Is there any way I can strengthen my uppercut or lowercuts to the stomach on the heavy bag? How else can I strenghten it?

A few ways ,Some added power can be gained with weighted gloves or hand weights but dont go there until you get the technique absolutley perfect and your fist strong and tight enough each time so you never damage them. First get your technique down so you can utilize full body weight into the shot with leg lift and hip turn.

Try this one first,(Its mainly for when its on and your opponent is caught a little more square on to you than usual and is committing to a few rear straight shots or he is trying to catch you as you head to his inside.
Tie the back of your bag up so it lays at a 45% angle . now stand just out of distance from it so you cant hit the bag ,In normal stance left foot forward ,now go to square shouldered as you bend down at the hips so your head is on its way down near your hip level (always look up keeping your eyes on his elbows and take your head around to the left like your ducking a shot or going around and under a jab;just as you step in at a 45% angle under the nose of the bag and as your left foot lands out to the side, your head is comming up (your visualizing on the out side of his right cross ,straight or jab)and as your head comes up your right leg steps or slides into centre which gets your right hand into contact range and you upper cut as that leg straightens out.
Thats power, timing and technique.(you need em all).
Practice both ways around it works whatever stance the other fella is in,except you'll find that on occasions you can go under with your rear leg; like switching as you go under.
Your head goes through a half circle with your step like this > U . So you are avoiding, hiding the shot by readjusting so you get off the rear arm with a hip turn and leg straighten for the added power.

You can of course just do the original move and come over his right arm with a left bomb as you rise, in that case you step in a touch further with the left and your right leg actually slides around to your rear as the overhand bomb lands, for the power;(In this case visualise fighting a southy and going under his lead.)

would anybody like post a picture of that being done? Because I see how that would work out in my head but if I saw a picture it would make it easier for me to put it into action.

would anybody like post a picture of that being done? Because I see how that would work out in my head but if I saw a picture it would make it easier for me to put it into action.

I sure couldnt ,Im hopless at getting pictures into here.
But try this ; stand up against anything,heavy bag or even a door jamb. place your right fist to the 45% angle like inbetween a uppercut and a hook ,against it. now with out moving your arm just turn that back heel in and you will see it adds to the movement and power by your body weight; thats what you can drop onto the end of a shot depending ,of course on where you want to end up after the shot.