Contributing factors to punching power in Boxing : A narrative review summarizing determinant factors of punching power in boxing and means of improving them

Sammanfattning: Power is a complex area to study and is dependent on a great multitude of factors. Despite this, power-development is of interest in boxing. The purpose of this literature study was to analyze various factors that contribute to punching power in the sport of boxing and to provide a basis for improving it. Original and review articles ranging from the years 1963 to 2017 were retrieved from various databases (e.g., PubMed and Google Scholar). Out of 145 reviewed titles and abstracts, 79 of those met the criteria and were included in this review. Only articles related to power-development were included. The contributing components that were analyzed in this study were the following: force production, velocity production, high velocity strength, stretch shortening cycle, intention, and inter-intramuscular skill & coordination. Additionally, systematic planning strategies such as periodization and mixed methods approach were analyzed. It was concluded that all components are interdependent and positively affect the upper -and lower body power-production of athletes (and punching power consequently). Further empirical research on boxing-specific power development is still required.