Put your shoulders into your punches

Being able to control your shoulders independently from your arms and chest is one of those details that separates a novice from a more experienced fighter. Your shoulders aren’t simply along for the ride when you punch. Learning to control them and use them when appropriate can add power and reach to your punches while also helping protect your chin.

A simple way to feel this is to relax your arms and shoulders completely. Shrug your shoulders toward your ears without tensing your arms, then drop them. Next, move your shoulders forward and backward while keeping the rest of your upper body relaxed. The thing to notice is that you can move your shoulders independently of your arms and chest. In a sense, they’re their own limb, and learning to control them that way gives you another tool both offensively and defensively.

What Should Your Shoulder Do When You Punch?

When you throw a punch, rotating your torso and driving your shoulder into the punch can do three things: add power, extend your reach and help keep you defended.

The rotation brings more of your body into the motion rather than relying only on your arm, while driving the shoulder forward extends the distance your punch can travel. At the same time, your shoulder comes toward your chin, helping protect it while you’re attacking.

That last part is particularly important against counter-strikes intended to land at the same time as your punch. Those can be very difficult to defend because you’re attacking at the exact moment your opponent is trying to hit you. Using your shoulder properly means part of your defense is already built into the punch.

Shoulder Control Matters More Than Just Moving Your Shoulder

The goal isn’t to force your shoulder forward every time you move or punch. Being able to use the shoulder as part of your punch is important, but it isn’t something you always need to do. The key is being able to control it independently and apply it when appropriate.

That’s why the simple shoulder exercise above is useful. You’re not practicing power; you’re learning to actually feel and control a part of your body that newer fighters often aren’t consciously using yet.

Using Your Shoulder for Defense

Sometimes you may want to use the shoulder on its own defensively. The shoulder roll is probably the best-known example, think Floyd Mayweather, where the shoulder helps cover the chin and defend against an incoming punch. But you don’t need to be doing a full shoulder roll for the shoulder to contribute to your defense. Even while throwing your own punches, bringing the shoulder toward your chin can help keep you protected against counters.

Your Shoulders Can Be Offensive Too

Shoulder control isn’t limited to punching and defense. In a clinch, for example, you can sometimes use the shoulder offensively to surprise your opponent, create space for an elbow or help advance your grappling position. That’s ultimately why learning to control your shoulders independently matters. It isn’t one specific trick or technique. It gives you another part of your body that you can intentionally use for striking, defending and creating position rather than simply letting it move along with everything else.

At FightFit, we work on details like these one-on-one because small adjustments to how you move can change several parts of your technique at once. Our trainers come to you with the equipment, and your training is built around your experience level and goals.

Watch just a minute of this video to get a quick look at actively controlling your shoulders.

– Matt, owner of FightFit Personal Trainers, Los Angeles

Book an Intro Session: $100