Become Fighter
How to throw an uppercut
A rising punch that travels up the middle, thrown from a small dip in the legs.
An uppercut rises from below toward the chin or the centre of the body. It works at close range, where straight punches and hooks have little room.
The power comes from the legs. You dip slightly, then push up and rotate. The fist stays close to your body. Do not drop the hand low and swing it up.
Key points
- Dip the knees slightly to load the legs before the punch.
- Keep the punch short and close to your body.
- Push through the legs and turn the hip on the punching side.
- Palm faces you at the finish, with a slightly bent wrist kept firm.
- Keep your other hand on your cheek and your chin tucked.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Dropping the hand low before punching. Dip the knees instead. The hand starts at your cheek and stays close to your body.
- Leaning back as the punch rises. Keep your head over your hips. If you lean, you have reached too far.
- Throwing from too far away. Uppercuts need close range. Step in first or throw them only when close.
- Swinging a big loop. Keep it short. The fist rises in a tight line.
Combinations that use it
- 5-2: Lead uppercut, Cross
- 1-6-3: Jab, Rear uppercut, Lead hook
- 1-2-5-2: Jab, Cross, Lead uppercut, Cross
- 6-3-2: Rear uppercut, Lead hook, Cross
Related techniques
The rest is in the app
The step-by-step breakdown, the timed drill with the coach calling the shots and the quiz are part of Become Fighter Pro, where this lesson sits in the Building your boxing module of Boxing fundamentals.
Coming soon to the App Store and Google Play.
More from Building your boxing
Combat sports training is hard on the body. Warm up, stay within your limits and check with a doctor first if you have a health condition. Practise in a clear space and stop if you feel pain or dizziness. Learn partner work only under a qualified coach.