7 Reasons Why I Love (and teach) the Overhand Punch

 

7 Reasons Why I Love the Overhand Punch

It has been "Fight Finisher" week at our club and in going through tons of footage, I was somewhat surprised to notice just how much the overhand punch (right hand for orthodox fighters, left for southpaws) makes an appearance in fight finishing combinations. I've always thought it was more common in MMA - and it probably still is - but very prevalent in boxing as well. Here are some reasons as to why I think that it is and why I like to teach it to my students:

1. 
   Power - For some, the overhand is the single most powerful punch in their arsenal. It's got a bit of a wind-up and you generally want to drop your weight downward into the punch. It's not designed to to be a quick, touching type of punch. It is designed to knock someone out!
2. Can dodge and hit at the same time - Whether it's always intentional or not, you will also see overhands land while the other fighter is throwing a punch that misses. This is because you want to dip your left/lead shoulder and move your head offline as part of the overhand. Plus it travels at a downward trajectory, often coming over the opponent's right hand.
3. Sets up lead hand strike nicely - Again, since we are dipping our lead/left shoulder, pulling our head offline, and dropping our weight down, it puts that weight onto the lead foot and thus, charges up power from that side, where you can follow that overhand with a powerful punch to the body. Or go upstairs with a hook or lead uppercut.
4. Good against many defensive fighters - If you're fighting an opponent who likes to cover, you can sometimes sneak that overhand punch in over their guard or at the very least, get their hands a little higher so you can throw that lead hand to the body (see above). If you're fighting someone who likes to dip down a lot, you might have a better chance of making contact with that right hand if it's coming at a downward trajectory. Same kind of thing if someone tries to slip your right hand inside. Since the overhand can also travel at an outside arc, a slip that would get you out of the way of a cross will likely not work against the overhand.
5. Good against taller fighter - While I just mentioned that this punch can be effective against an opponent who dips down, it can also be a great weapon against a taller fighter too. The overhand does not have to land at a higher impact point but because it does take that higher trajectory, it can  naturally hit a taller target. Someone with a significant height advantage may also be less agile and less likely to counter it, if you've gotten inside. And since they are fighting someone shorter, it's going to likely be easier for you to get their hands lower than normal, setting them up for an overhand.
6. Can be deceptive - Your opponent may see your rear/right hand move and expect a cross (happened to me) and thus, not defend it properly (see #4). But better yet, because you drop your weight down and dip the shoulder, your opponent may think you are throwing something low and bring their hands down. We see this in MMA all the time. Jab to the head, jab to the body, overhand punch. After throwing that jab to the body, your opponent sees you start to dip down again and think another body jab is coming but nope! Quite the opposite!!
7. Common in street fights - Of course not relevant to boxing but oftentimes when you see untrained people slug it out on the street, they will throw wild, windmill type punches resembling overhands. You don't want to throw yours that way and I certainly don't want you getting into street fights but if it ever does happen to you, it's good to have some familiarity with the punch so that you know what it is as well as how to defend it.

Of course no punch or strategy is perfect and the overhand does have some drawbacks to it as well. It can take a while to land and your right/rear side is pretty open. Missing can definitely put you in a vulnerable position too. If you're fighting someone with good footwork and reaction time, it can be harder and riskier to land unless you can time it while they are throwing a punch or set it up cleverly. 

If you are working on the heavy bag or mitts, it can definitely feel a little awkward at first too. Make sure to rotate your wrist all the way so that your palm is facing out. If you are right-handed, your right palm is turned completely to the right, pinning the shoulder to your cheek. This gets you power, a cleaner landing point and it helps protect the rear/right side of your jaw. As always, keep the non-punching hand up, guarding your face, and be especially conscious of it on the overhand.

Just like with anything else, you've got to practice and you've got to practice it the right way. Let me know if you have any questions and happy training!!