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Going along with last week’s post about boxing being a full body workout, you can derive a lot of extra power by using your legs. I would say this applies most to uppercuts and hooks, but stepping into any punch definitely adds more power. While I lift a lot, my legs are exponentially more powerful than my arms. So I try to sink more into a squat and drive up through my legs, which allows me to channel some of my lower body strength into my upper body. The first time we did uppercuts with the focus mitts, I shocked the instructor with how much power I put into each punch. Although later, he said he knew he was in for it when I sank down before throwing the first punch. It’s important to not only know your strengths but to use them to your advantage.