The Evolution of the Uppercut


Technique Review 

When we look at upper cuts, remember the old style of boxing? This type of motions? People were doing this type of technique, of strike? Well, first of all, it was like fencing.

Video transcript

Hi everyone. Welcome to this weeks technique review. When we look at upper cuts, remember the old style of boxing? This type of motions? People were doing this type of technique, of strike? Well, first of all, it was like fencing. So the root of this was fencing. So instead of spearing your heart with a blade, I make your nose bleed or I hit your chin, make you groggy a little bit; don’t look at my girlfriend any more. That’s more or less, yes? Then it became a sport. If I hit you in your face many times I injure my fist. Especially on your teeth and because there was no Colgate there was no Crest and also no antibiotics, probably I have gangrene and then I cannot fight any more because my arms have been amputated. So, it’s obvious, that when we are talking about strike, this strike is a rather fast, not so powerful, rather fast. In the same concept of the motion forward like in the fencing. This was the sort of straight attack with a clenched fist, turned over, partly upper cut.

Then came the attacks that close the range. Can we do something like this at closer range? Obviously, it’s not powerful. What to do at the close range? So instead of doing straight attacks that you need the range, you need to do circular attacks. So circular attacks with the elbow. Circular yes, this one joint. Circular attack with the fists with the open hand. The hooks and the upper cuts will talk later in another review about the hooks.

Now we talk about upper cut. So the upper cut has to bring the head upwards and back because the joint is here. Upper cuts should hit backwards and up. So the upper cut of today, this type of actions, are relevant. Obviously, with modern day, shorter range, not that one. If I see that the opponent is moving away, yes, I can continue, but the basic is short range.

The upper cut as we have seen several times in the different clips that we have, can start from the passive just hit, or from the ready. If I’m ready, and I want to do it, to a target, to hit a target that more less deliverable to the face, how can I do it? I have to go down first. Somehow, I have to go down with the body, a little bit with the arm, and then I can get up. Then I can hit the target from below. If not, if my fist is the same level of the target, how can I hit the target from below? Impossible.

If I’m passive stance, obviously from here I can hit the target from below because I’m rising. If I want to hit the head of an enemy, visualize a head here. I need to hit the head of the enemy. This is with the fist would be the first hit. The first attack that can hit the head will be from below from here. Any other attack, longer circle, the elbow. First, the problem is closer to the target. Obviously, that’s the earliest hit that I can do.

Please remember, that any attack has to start at the surface and continue twenty centimeters, let’s say, fifteen centimeters, in. Something around 8 inches. 6 inches. 5 inches in. Then you can cause some damage. Definitely, we have to pass and if I’m from this position hitting a target, which is at the same level as my face something like this. Obviously, I went up to increase the level of my own head if the chin is at level of my chin. That’s the idea.

Also, remember, there’s difference between Krav Maga and boxing. Boxing you can attack like this. Bingham can be forward. Krav Maga we attack with the two knuckles. If I attack with the two knuckles, they have to be closer to target. If I attack this way, with the thumb towards me, then pinky is towards the target. Then we got the problems with breaking the fist or we may break the fist. When we think about upper cut, as I said from here. To do the upper cut as an initial attack, the opening attack, will be less efficient, usually. There is some sort of telegraphing here. Maybe to continue after sort of a defense, part of defense, lowering yourself when we do this.

To start from this position, please stay away from me, and from here you do a upper cut, may be reasonable. This is the direction that preparation for this type of upper cut. If I’m with hands down, I said, obviously, we can start immediately with upper cut when the target is rather close to us. Then we say, how can we continue with an upper cut? Meaning, how to continue with a strike after an upper cut.

For example, if I strike up I after I can strike down, like a fluid attacks like this one. Example, I opened with a straight upper cut hammer. That’s an example for this one. Obviously, after another attack. Then, combination of attacks that will be with up and down. You hit with an elbow. You can hit with the hammer. You can hit with an upper cut. You can hit with an elbow and then an upper cut. So, whether, it’s left, right, or right, left combination, or is combination two times, 2 attacks with the same hand. Up and down for example. Or down and up for example. This is about combining attacks.

I would like to draw your attention towards the last thing. Can we compare an upper cut to a kick? Definitely, yes. For example, if you think about hitting target backwards, with a regular kick backwards, this one. Look where the heel is. Look where the elbow, where the knee is, this one. Or closer, that one. You see, the main joint, the big joint is down and the tool is up. Is the same. Main joint, the elbow compared to the knee. Knee is down, heel or fist is up. Obviously, we can always compare hands and legs although its opposite directional movement. Thank you guys. All the best.

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