DIFFERENCES IN LEAD AND REAR HAND PUNCHING FORCES, DELIVERED AT MAXIMAL SPEED RELATIVE TO MAXIMAL FORCE, BY AMATEUR BOXERS

Abstract

Six male competitive amateur boxers (mean ± SD age: 24.6 ± 3.3 years; height 1.82 ± 0.05 m; mass: 73.3 ± 19.0 kg) participated. Straight lead and rear hand punches at maximal speed or force were thrown in tum to the head and body of a calibrated boxing dynamometer designed with the sport-specific requirements in mind (Smith et al. 2000). Punches were thrown either singularly or in two/three punch combinations in a prescribed sequence from an audio cue. Punching force for the maximal speed punches with the lead hand to the head and body were significantly lower (p < 0.001) compared to the rear hand (Head: lead 2082 ± 62 N vs rear 2623 ± 100 N; Body: lead 1869± 42 N vs rear 2359 ± 67 N). Rear and lead hand punches delivered for maximum force were greater.