How To Throw An Uppercut
The uppercut (both lead and rear) is a brutal power punch and is a key component to any focus mitt drills or heavy bag workouts you add into your regime.
Why throw padwork into your regime? It's great for building cardio and conditioning.
Once you've got your jab, straight right and left hook down pat it's time to learn how to throw an uppercut - you must learn these three punches first to grasp hip rotation.
Read and utilize the technique below and record yourself performing uppercuts, although it may feel right it's not until you review your tape that you pick up on many of the little mistakes I'll discuss below.
Before We Delve Straight Into The Mechanics Of The Uppercut...
You Must Stay Loose
Your muscle mass can work for you or it can work against you when it comes to boxing, particularly in sparring.
Staying tense and stiff in your movements will cause you to fatigue extremely quick, even if you're throwing minimal punches!
On the other hand if you relax and focus on staying loose and free-flowing in your movement your muscles will remain relaxed to an extent, allowing you to implement your fast footwork and explosive attacks without fear of running out of gas.
You Can't Afford To Neglect Lower Body Mobility
Boxing is a game of footwork, with constant movement in and out, pivots, slips, rolls and cutting off of the ring you need to ensure your lower body flexibility and mobility are sufficient.
If your calves, quads and hamstrings are overly tight you'll find your movement extremely limiting.
At the same time, if your hip flexors are overly tight from working an office job and neglecting your mobility work you'll likely find your power is lacking too.
Your power comes through the hip rotation as you extend your arm, not through your arm itself.
Loose hips = better rotation. Better rotation = increased power.
Uppercut Technique
In terms of transferring weight, rotating the hips and pivoting your feet the left (lead) uppercut resembles the left (lead) hook. The right (rear) uppercut resembles your right cross.
The arm movement to throw the punch is the only aspect that differs.
The Lead (Left) Uppercut
- Begin with your gloves tucked in front of your face, elbows pointing down.
- Drop your left shoulder slightly as you drive through your hips as you twist them to the right while pivoting on your front (left) foot.
- Your left glove should drop down a couple of inches your before firing to your adversaries chin or your training partners focus mitt.
- As soon as your lead uppercut connects with the focus mitt, opponent or heavy bag loop it back immediately and return in front of your face with elbows tucked in position.
The Rear (Right) Uppercut
- Begin with your gloves tucked in front of your face, elbows pointing down.
- Pivot on your rear foot as you drop your right shoulder slightly and drive through your hips.
- Your right glove should drop down a couple of inches your before firing to your adversaries chin or your training partners focus mitt.
- Ensure your left glove is guarding firmly positioned against your cheek to protect yourself in case of a counter.
- As soon as your rear uppercut connects with the focus mitt, opponent or heavy bag loop it back immediately and return in front of your face with elbows tucked in position.
Common Mistakes When Throwing The Uppercut
Lowering Your Hand Excessively Before Throwing The Uppercut
Your shoulder and glove should only drop ever so slightly before powering through with your uppercut as the power is coming through your body... not your arm.
This is the most common mistake I see when guys are throwing both single shots and combos with uppercuts - they drop there glove down as low as they can and try and explode up from there.
The need to wind up an uppercut excessively to gain more power is also a result of incorrect punching technique too, as above you must pivot on your lead leg (for a lead uppercut) or rear leg (for a rear uppercut) as you rotate your hips to draw power into uppercut - you will NEVER be able to match the power your whole body can generate by winding up your arm to throw an arm based punch.
Your punches should not be telegraphed (aka. your adversary should not see them coming). The #1 way to telegraph an uppercut is to drop your glove down in preparation - this clearly shows what you're about to do and will likely result in you eating a counter punch (a right hand over the top for example).
Failing To Pivot For Power
As you rotate your hips to the right while firing the lead uppercut with your left hand you must pivot on your front foot in order to maintain your balance and channel your power into your left hook.
A wild lead uppercut thrown from the arm without any hip rotation or front foot pivot will not only lack the power that the uppercut is notorious for, but you're also likely going to end off balance - particularly if you miss the pad or mitt.
Dropping Your Opposite Hand While Punching
While one glove is extending to punch the other should always be resting against the side of your cheek, protecting your chin.
It's often not until you review footage of yourself hitting your jab, cross, hooks and uppercut that you discover your opposite hand is dipping down while you're throwing the punch.
Boxing with your hands down is a bad habit (and hard to get out of!) so by ensuring your opposite hand is glued to your cheek from day 1 will save you having to eradicate this bad habit.
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