The punch — a two-handed jab to a football opponent’s jersey — is a key blocking technique for an offensive linemen.

This summer, the Rainbow Warriors spiked the punch.

At the suggestion of assistant coach Chris Naeole, the offensive linemen participated in boxing classes in the Waterhouse Athletic Training Facility.

“Anything that can increase hand speed and coordination with the offensive line is great,” offensive coordinator Brian Smith said. “Alternative methods of doing things are good.”

During each one-hour session, the players worked on their punch form, rapid-fire pace and balance. There were also some kick-boxing drills designed to improve footwork.

“It gave us good work,” center Asotui Eli said of each boxing lesson. “It was a good experience. It was nice to learn different techniques.”

When he was a UH center in the early 2000s, Smith recalled, “we did some stuff with heavy bags. But it was more O-line drills. It would have been good if we had some of that (boxing) training.”

Back then, the line coach, Mike Cavanaugh, implored — in a booming voice — for each blocker to “trust your technique” and to deliver punishing punches. UH head coach Nick Rolovich, who was a quarterback during the early part of Cavanaugh’s six-year UH tenure, sought training options for this team that would incorporate Cavanaugh’s mentality.

“A lot of people do yoga,” Rolovich said. “Our offensive mentality — what we want it to be — is different than yoga. When Cav was here, it was about that punch. You heard (former UH guard) Vince Manuwai punch shoulder pads in the stands. There was a lot of hand (power) involved.”

In pass protection, Rolovich said, “people can think of it as a defensive mind-set,” with blockers fending off pass rushers. Rolovich said the Warriors’ attitude is for the blockers to attack defenders on pass plays.

Right tackle RJ Hollis said the boxing tutorials “correlated with hand and feet coordination.”

Hollis added: “It was one of those things that helps you work on your skills when you’re not working on your skills.”

Smith noted the improved ferocity of the Warriors’ blocks. Smith said the newcomers, particularly freshman Kingjames Taylor, have benefited.

“Kingjames strikes it really well,” Smith said. Boxing “helps them really well with the quickness of the strike. … I think it builds some of the fundamentals we’re trying to develop, just in a different way.”

Right guard John Wa‘a said it is each player’s responsibility to transfer boxing techniques to blocking skills.

“They taught us basic things,” Wa‘a said. “What you put in is what you got out of it.”