Learn the superman punch in kickboxing: fake a kick, leap forward, throw the rear straight. With build-up, common mistakes, landing and safety rules.
The honest answer: the superman punch is a rear-hand straight that you combine with a kick feint and a leap forward. You pretend to kick, lift the knee, leap forward and drive the rear arm straight at the head. Your opponent looks down, and the fist comes from above.
What research says is limited: there is no study on the superman punch itself; everything is practice standard. For the rear-hand straight, though, there are data from related sports. A review of 23 studies in striking sports found that the rear-hand straight punch produces the highest force, with values of about 989 to 5009 N [2]. In 17 elite boxers, rear-hand straights produced higher peak force and punch speed than lead-hand straights, while lead-hand punches finished faster [1]. That is boxing, so a transfer, but it explains why the rear hand is the weapon.
Realistically you need a few weeks until the straight sits and more weeks until you land it safely with the leap (experience, not a study). This guide does not replace supervised training.
Worth knowing: the superman punch is not a beginner punch. It assumes a stable stance, a secure straight and a feel for distance. If you try it too early, you mainly practise standing open. Plan it as an addition, not as a foundation.
Throw ten straights per side on a pad from your stance. Milestone: hip and shoulder rotate, the elbow stays inside, the hand returns to the chin.
Lift the front knee into an indicated kick without leaping and set it down again. Milestone: hands stay up, you do not lose balance.
After the feint, place the front foot half a step ahead and pull the back foot after it. No high jump. Milestone: you arrive in a wider stance without stumbling.
Combine step and straight: the punch lands as the front foot touches the floor. Milestone: five repetitions where punch and landing come together.
Attach the superman punch to a jab or a leg movement and go straight back to guard. Milestone: you are back in your stance two seconds after the punch.
The leap is the risk: landing unprepared loads knees and ankles. Practise the landing without a punch, on a non-slip floor, and only after warming up.
A punch to the head is a head hit. In professional MMA, concussion rates are 14.7 to 16.1 per 100 athlete-exposures according to a systematic review [4]. That is another sport, but it indicates that head hits are serious.
Never practise the superman punch at full power on a partner's head. Pads, bag, and in sparring only controlled, with a coach, mouthguard and agreed intensity. If you feel dizzy, sick or confused after a hit, stop immediately and get checked. This guide does not replace supervised training.
The superman punch works best against opponents who watch for kicks. An analysis of 96 elite K-1 fights found that kicks were a relevant part of success: for each successful low rear-leg roundhouse to the lead leg, the odds of winning rose by 12.6 % [3]. If you keep working the leg, you make the superman punch more credible. That is a hint from an observational study, not proof for the superman punch itself.
A superman punch is a rear-hand straight thrown after a kick feint with a step or leap forward. Your opponent sees a leg coming, and the fist comes from above.
It is a normal straight; the rules depend on the federation and rule set. Check the rules of your competition before you plan it.
Not proven. The rear-hand straight produces the highest force in striking sports [2], but whether the leap adds power has not been studied. It mainly brings surprise and reach.
Expect a few weeks until a safe landing and months until use in sparring. That is experience, not a study.
As a rule of thumb two short sessions per week: landing and straight separately first, then the connection. Too many repetitions with tired legs make the landing unsafe. There is no study on this.
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