How To Block An Uppercut

The Breakdown

You primary objective while defending yourself from an uppercut is to protect your head and prevent your opponent from punching down the middle. Gabriel explains how his favorite method, not only protects your head from uppercuts, but also straight shots down the middle, and swinging hooks from the side.

"When I twist my body, I am doing two things. One is that I'm creating more protection for myself, but I'm also winding up for a counter shot. You shouldn't only be thinking about blocking. Incorporating the hips allows for quick and powerful counter-shots."

Technique Overview

• Block the space up the middle
• Connect your hands to your head
• Twist your body for more protection
• Cross your elbow to the middle
• Stay tight
• Think about your counter shot

About The Series

The Striking Basics series is all about the fundamentals. Gabriel Varga and Hayabusa developed this series to provide value to all fitness combat practitioners. Whether you have aspirations to compete or not, this series is for you. We cover a range of techniques, such as the Jab, Cross, Hook, Breathing, kicks, and more. If you're a coach who wants to inspire students to have a stronger grasp on the fundamentals, consider sharing this series.