Snapping your punches develops your speed, timing, and range estimation, and trains you to get your hands back in front of your face -- all of which you will need to have under your belt if you ever hope to throw heavy without getting your face torn off.
Speed -- the punch has to be fast to make the POP! noise.
Timing -- learning to flex and release at the moment of impact, transfers the force of the punch to the target. Think of it like snapping a wet towel; you can break the skin with a snapped wet towel, but it would take you a while to abrade the skin by rubbing it with the same wet towel. You can deliver a very hard "snapped" punch once your timing comes together.
Range Estimation -- if your estimation of distance is off by even an inch, the punch won't make that POP! and the snap will feel weak or will miss completely. When you've learned to consistently deliver the snap on a moving bag or opponent, you will unconsciously know your own range and you will feel your opponent -- or yourself -- moving into it.
EDIT: Once you can feel your range and make the punches snap on the move, you will have control over the exact fraction of a second and fraction of an inch at which the punch makes contact. This kind of kinetic focus is critical in throwing a devastating heavy punch.
Once you have speed, timing, a feel for range, and are in the habit of pulling your gloves back to your face after every punch, THEN you can start learning how to throw heavy. Throwing heavy means punching differently, but it requires all of the above skills.
Speed -- the punch has to be fast to make the POP! noise.
Timing -- learning to flex and release at the moment of impact, transfers the force of the punch to the target. Think of it like snapping a wet towel; you can break the skin with a snapped wet towel, but it would take you a while to abrade the skin by rubbing it with the same wet towel. You can deliver a very hard "snapped" punch once your timing comes together.
Range Estimation -- if your estimation of distance is off by even an inch, the punch won't make that POP! and the snap will feel weak or will miss completely. When you've learned to consistently deliver the snap on a moving bag or opponent, you will unconsciously know your own range and you will feel your opponent -- or yourself -- moving into it.
EDIT: Once you can feel your range and make the punches snap on the move, you will have control over the exact fraction of a second and fraction of an inch at which the punch makes contact. This kind of kinetic focus is critical in throwing a devastating heavy punch.
Once you have speed, timing, a feel for range, and are in the habit of pulling your gloves back to your face after every punch, THEN you can start learning how to throw heavy. Throwing heavy means punching differently, but it requires all of the above skills.
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