Force of a Punch to exceed the Max Static Friction Force

AI Thread Summary
The average professional boxer's punch force ranges from 500 to 750 pounds, yet they can absorb hits without losing footing due to the dynamics of force and friction. The coefficient of static friction between rubber shoes and concrete is around 0.85, but a boxer's stance can increase the normal force, allowing them to maintain stability. The brief duration of the punch's force means that inertia plays a significant role, as the force from the ground is sustained longer than the punch itself. Additionally, the complexity of biomechanics and energy transfer is crucial in understanding the impact of a punch. Overall, the interplay between force, friction, and inertia explains why boxers can withstand powerful hits without being knocked off balance.
h1a8
Messages
86
Reaction score
4
I heard that the average professional boxer's force of punch is between 500-750lb.

If the coefficient of static friction of rubber (from shoes) to say concrete is at most 0.85 then why can boxers get hit (especially in the chest) without losing footing?

Does it have something to do with the stance to increase the normal force? Or is it that when the boxer does not lose footing, the striking force was LESS than the normal force?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
h1a8 said:
I heard that the average professional boxer's force of punch is between 500-750lb.

If the coefficient of static friction of rubber (from shoes) to say concrete is at most 0.85 then why can boxers get hit (especially in the chest) without losing footing?

Does it have something to do with the stance to increase the normal force? Or is it that when the boxer does not lose footing, the striking force was LESS than the normal force?
A boxer can lean in or be pushed back without having his feet move. The force of the punch is brief. The force from the floor can be longer lasting.
 
I would guess that the boxer's mass (intertia) must also play a role, and that a boxer standing on ice (say zero friction) could still deliver a significant fraction of that punch force.

The physical key is the time element. If the maximum force lasts only a very short time, then inertia plays a bigger role. For longer times, then friction plays a bigger role.

See if can find a plot of a boxing punch force versus time.

If you include the bio metrics, it becomes very complicated. http://boxingscience.co.uk/explosive-training-boxing/
 
No, one also needs to consider the duration or distance over which the force is applied - which also makes the force itself pretty meaningless.

Momentum or energy transfer would be more useful.
 
I have recently been really interested in the derivation of Hamiltons Principle. On my research I found that with the term ##m \cdot \frac{d}{dt} (\frac{dr}{dt} \cdot \delta r) = 0## (1) one may derivate ##\delta \int (T - V) dt = 0## (2). The derivation itself I understood quiet good, but what I don't understand is where the equation (1) came from, because in my research it was just given and not derived from anywhere. Does anybody know where (1) comes from or why from it the...
Back
Top