How to Do a Taekwondo Front and Back Punch

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By Charles Pearson
eHow Contributing Writer

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Do a Taekwondo Front and Back Punch

Great for beginning Taekwondo students. The punch is the bread-and-butter of most fighting styles and Taekwondo is no different. Punches are the most common strike used in Taekwondo, as they are quick, easy, and effective. However, many beginning students throw improper punches that are ineffective or actually damaging to their hands, wrists, and arms. Correctly throwing the front and back punch is essential for any Taekwondo student.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

A physician's approval

Getting Into a Front Stance

Step 1

Stand with your feet directly beneath your shoulders. Your left foot should be beneath your left shoulder and your right foot beneath your right shoulder.
Step 2

Move one of your feet forward. This will be called your front foot.
Step 3

Make sure that your front foot is moved into a position where you are able to easily maintain your balance. Have a partner push you gently from the front to test and see if your balance is strong.
Step 4

Bend your knees until you are in a comfortable stance in which you are unlikely to lose your balance.
Step 5

Turn your body slightly away from the side that your front foot is on in order to protect yourself better.

Proper Arm and Hand Positioning

Step 1

Bend your front arm. Your front arm is whatever arm is on the same side as your front leg. Make sure that your front arm elbow is pointing roughly towards the floor, while your wrist and hand is facing roughly towards the ceiling/sky. Repeat this step with your back arm.
Step 2

Bend each finger on your front hand until each finger is buried into your palm. Your fist should be tight enough that nothing can fit into your fist and a finger shouldn't be able to be pushed in between the fingers. Repeat this step for your back hand.
Step 3

Curl and bend your thumb underneath the bottom part of your fist. This is the part of the fist that is on the opposite side of your knuckles. Do this for both hands.
Step 4

Straighten your wrist as much as possible in order to prevent injury to your wrist. Imagine a line travelling from your knuckles, through your hand, to your wrist and through your forearm.
Step 5

Tighten your fists and loosen your arms. Tightening your fist will increase the power of your punch and minimize damage, while loosening your arms will increase speed and also allow you to block quickly. Holding your arms and hands in this way is called the ready position.

Front Punch Execution

Step 1

Begin turning your forearm with your fist.
Step 2

Straighten your arm out while moving your fist in the direction of your target. Use a real or imaginary target.
Step 3

Maintain the imaginary line in step 4 of section 2. Make sure that upon the impact of your target that your arm is straight, your fist is tight and your knuckles are parallel to the ground.
Step 4

Strike your real or imaginary target as if you are trying to punch through that target. Tighten your arm at the end in order to maximize power and minimize the potential for injury.
Step 5

Completely reverse the motion that you made with your front arm, returning your front arm back to the ready position.

Back Punch Execution

Step 1

Follow steps 1 and 2 of section 3 with your back hand while simultaneously performing step 5 of section 3 with your front hand.
Step 2

Turn your body so that the shoulder on the same side as your front foot is turning towards the side that the front foot is on. The shoulder on the side of your back foot should slowly turn towards your opponent.
Step 3

Rotate your hips suddenly in order to maximize the power of your back punch. Also follow step 3 of section 3.
Step 4

Follow step 4 of section 3 with your back arm.
Step 5

Follow step 5 of section 3 with your back arm.