Photo Tutorial: How to Throw a Reverse Punch

Reverse Punch Starting Stance

You can practice throwing a reverse punch from more than one kind of stance. For our martial arts training purposes here, start off in a fighting stance. If you're left-handed, then your right hand would likely be in the forward position and everything would be reversed from there. That said, almost all martial arts styles practice throwing reverse punches with both hands.

Starting to Punch

Your front foot- in this case, the left foot- will move forward into a front stance or forward stance. Then begin to move your back hand (in this case right hand) forward. As you do this, your left hand will move back to chamber, particularly if you're doing a kata or hyung. As both arms do this, the hands begin to twist. The striking hand will start to turn in the direction of the palm being down- the final punching position- while the other hand will move so that when it comes back to chamber, the palm will be up. Also important to note is the fact that a lot of power is generated from the hips. So the practitioner's hips will begin to twist with the punch.

When sparring, to bring the non-punching hand back into chamber would be foolish. Rather, it would stay up to help block strikes from your opponent.

Final Step of the Reverse Punch

Here is the final step for throwing a reverse punch. At the last moment, the striking hand turns exactly into place with the palm down and the other hand moves into chamber. Again, the non-striking hand would stay up when sparring to help block rather than go to chamber. The practitioner's hips have moved so that his body now faces forward in a front or forward stance.