The Kinetic Chain Principle

The Kinetic Chain Principle (KCP) is highly relevant to boxing, as good movement is essential for success in the sport. Boxers must be able to move quickly and efficiently in order to evade punches, set up their own attacks, and maintain a strong defensive posture.

One key aspect of good movement in boxing is the ability to transfer power effectively from the lower body to the upper body. This involves the use of the kinetic chain, as the movement of the legs and hips can influence the movement of the upper body and arms. For example, a boxer who is able to generate power from their legs and hips will be able to throw more powerful punches.

In addition to transferring power, the kinetic chain principle can also be used to improve balance and stability in boxing. By maintaining proper alignment and balance throughout the body, a boxer can be more difficult to knock off balance or throw off their game plan.

The KCP describes human movement as a sequence of links between different parts of the body, and states that movement from one part of the body affects others in a functional sequence. For example:

1. Ground

2. Legs

3. Hips

4. Trunk

5. Shoulder

6. Elbow

7. Wrist

This is useful for assessing human movement. For example, many boxers move without hip rotation, due to lack of awareness, low hip flexibility or improper foot positioning. This means there is a missing link in the chain:

1. Ground

2. Legs

3. ?

4. Trunk

5. Shoulder

6. Elbow

7. Wrist

Ideally, since acceleration is typically the aim of most sports, movements should begin from the core of the body and spread in sequence to the more distal parts. Movements that do not engage all parts of the body in proper sequence can lead to low performance or injury.

This principle can also be used to assess body segments, ensuring that each segment performs its function of stability or mobility. For example:

1. Foot (Stabilizer)

2. Ankle (Mobile)

3. Knee (Stabilizer)

4. Hip (Mobile)

5. Lumbar Spine (Stabilizer)

6. Thoracic Spine (Mobile)

7. Scapular-Thoracic Joint (Stabilizer)

8. Gleno-Humeral Joint (Mobile)

If the foot is unstable, this may result in instability throughout the rest of the body. The same goes for the knee, the lumbar spine, and the scapular-thoracic joint of the shoulder.

Overall, the kinetic chain principle is highly relevant to describing good movement in boxing, as it helps to understand how the body's movements are linked together and how they can be used to improve power, balance, and stability in the sport.

References

Physiopedia, n.d. Kinetic Chain. [online] Physiopedia. Available at: <https://www.physio-pedia.com/Kinetic_Chain#:~:text=The%20kinetic%20chain%20(sometimes%20called,used%20to%20describe%20human%20movement.&text=He%20proposed%20that%20rigid%2C%20overlapping,joint%20in%20the%20kinetic%20link.> [Accessed 13 October 2021].