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Punch lesson 4 of 6 Rear hand

Uppercut

The punch that comes from underneath. It rises up the middle into the chin, driven by the legs, and it’s a close-range punch: it sneaks in where a guard can’t see it. Tori throws the rear uppercut.

Slow it down How it works

For entertainment only. A robot demo that explains how the punch works. It isn’t training or advice, so don’t try it on anyone. Disclaimer

Drawing: a sensei robot lands a uppercut on a sparring robot, and microchips fly from the impact.
Fist speed
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Impact, est.
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Now demonstrating

Uppercut

Slow motion

Frame by frame

Camera
Auto-pause after

    Keyboard, with the 3D view focused: Space pause and play, , and . step one frame back or forward, arrow keys turn the camera.

    Robot demo for entertainment only. Please don't try it on people, pets or yourself.

    At a glance

    What the uppercut is

    Rises from below, up the middle. Tori stands orthodox, with its left foot and left hand in front. A left-handed (southpaw) fighter mirrors everything on this page.

    Hand
    Rear hand here (Tori’s right); the lead uppercut is its mirror image
    Target
    The chin (it also works to the body)
    Range
    Short: close
    Path
    Rising, from chest height up the middle
    Power from
    The legs straightening and the hips turning
    Fist at impact
    Palm facing the puncher
    Pad call
    “6” for the rear uppercut, “5” for the lead, in many gyms

    The elbow stays bent the whole time. The fist doesn’t swing up from the hip; the body lifts it.

    Step by step

    What Tori does, frame by frame

    These are the same steps as the buttons under the 3D view. Freeze Tori on any of them, then turn the camera to look from every side.

    1. Guard. Hands up, knees soft.

    2. Dip. Tori bends its knees a little and drops its rear shoulder slightly, bringing the rear fist down to chest height. The fist stays close to the body; it doesn’t swing down low.

    3. Drive. The legs push up and the hips turn, and the fist rises through the middle with the elbow still bent.

    4. Land. The fist lands under the chin, palm facing Tori, elbow bent about 90°. The body finishes upright and the lead hand is still guarding the face.

    5. Return. The fist goes straight back to the chin.

    6. Reset. Knees soft, guard up, back in the stance.

    Diagram seen from the side: the path of Tori’s fist in the uppercut, from Tori on the left to Uke on the right. TORI UKE rear fist:rises up the middle legs drive
    Seen from the side: the fist drops only to chest height, then rises up and slightly forward into the chin, powered by the legs straightening.

    Watch it like a coach

    • Camera Side at ¼×: the knees bend in the dip and straighten in the drive.
    • Step frame by frame through Drive: the elbow angle barely changes; the body lifts the fist.
    • Camera Close-up: the palm faces Tori at impact.

    Where the power comes from

    From the floor to the fist

    A punch isn’t thrown by the arm alone. Each link passes the movement on to the next, from the feet up to the fist.

    1. Legs

      Straighten from the dip, driving upwards from the floor.

    2. Hips

      Turn towards the target, like a short cross.

    3. Shoulder

      Rises with the punch.

    4. Arm

      Stays bent: the body lifts it, so it isn’t an arm swing.

    Checkpoints

    What to look for in the demo

    Freeze Tori on Land and check each of these.

    • A small dip Knees bend a little; the fist goes no lower than the chest.
    • Elbow bent It isn’t a straight punch aimed upwards.
    • Up the middle Between the opponent’s gloves.
    • Palm towards you At impact the palm faces the puncher.
    • The other hand guards The lead hand stays at the face.
    • Balanced Finish upright over the feet; don’t jump.

    Common mistakes

    How the uppercut goes wrong

    Robots make these mistakes too, until someone updates their firmware.

    Dropping the hand to wind up

    Slow, obvious, and the face is open while the hand is down.

    What Tori does instead: Dip with the legs; the fist stays at chest height.

    Arm too straight

    The punch loses power and starts to reach.

    What Tori does instead: Keep the bend; stay close.

    Throwing from long range

    It lands short, or not at all.

    What Tori does instead: It’s a close-range punch: get inside first.

    Leaning back

    Power and balance go backwards.

    What Tori does instead: Finish upright, over the feet.

    The fist

    What a proper fist looks like

    Tori’s hands have real robot fingers. Watch them in the Close-up camera: the grip is loose in the guard and clenches at the moment of impact.

    A closed fist seen from the front: four curled fingers, the thumb folded across the index and middle fingers, and the first two knuckles marked as the striking surface. first two knuckles thumb outside, across the fingers

    Four things Tori’s hand gets right

    1. Fingers curled tight into the palm. No gaps between them.
    2. Thumb outside, folded across the middle of the index and middle fingers. Never tucked inside the fingers.
    3. Wrist straight, so the back of the hand lines up with the forearm.
    4. First two knuckles lead: the index and middle knuckles are the ones that land.

    In a fight (between robots)

    How it’s used, and how it’s stopped

    Punches are called by number on the pads in many gyms: 1 jab, 2 cross, 3 lead hook, and the uppercuts 5 and 6.

    Combinations

    • 1-2-6

      Jab, cross, rear uppercut.

    • 6-3

      Rear uppercut, then lead hook: up the middle, then round the side.

    • Slip-6

      Slip to the rear side and come up with the uppercut.

    • High guard

      Against a tight high guard, the uppercut goes up the gap between the elbows.

    How Uke could stop it

    • Shell

      Elbows in and gloves together close the gap in the middle.

    • Step back

      The uppercut is short, so distance beats it.

    • Push

      The rear hand pushes down on the rising arm.

    • Tilt

      Pull the chin back out of its path.

    A robot demo, not a class

    This page explains how the uppercut works so the animation makes sense. It isn’t a martial arts course, and it isn’t self-defense, fitness, medical or safety advice. Tori’s version is simplified and exaggerated for the camera. Don’t hit anyone. If you want to learn to box for real, learn in person from a qualified coach and check with a doctor first.

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