How to throw a lead uppercut
A short upward punch from the lead hand that splits a high guard from underneath.
Action
Dip slightly at the knees — a small drop, not a lunge — and let the lead shoulder sink with them. From there drive the lead fist upward in a vertical line toward the chin, palm facing you, knuckles leading. The legs and hips push the punch up; the arm only guides it. The rear hand never leaves the chin, and the fist comes straight back down into the guard after it lands.
When to use
Inside fighting, when the opponent leans in, or when a high guard is covering the face but leaving the line underneath open. Classic setups: after a body shot that doubles her over, or slipping inside the jab and rising with the uppercut.
Advantages
It is the shortest route to the chin from inside range, and it travels on a line the guard does not cover — high gloves are almost blind to it. Because it is thrown by the lead hand, it is also the fastest uppercut you own and the easiest to hide behind a jab.
Limits
You have to be close — it does almost nothing from outside — and dropping your level puts your own head on the line for hooks. If it misses, the recovery is longer than a jab's because the punch starts from a bent-knee position.