I don't animate, but I want to mention some things that might help, hopefully.

• The fist that is performing the jab may look better with the same or similar color as the fist or glove. Here, it is the same color as the hair, which may confuse people as being an "anime" effect, and not a "punch".
• The trail effects that the jab leaves behind seperates from the fist in multiple sections, I think this style suits better for wind or vapor.
• The trails are also not seen coming back to the fist when the hand is pulled back to the body. This implies that the fist never returns.

Well, we're just seeing different things, there's not much else to say. Lookup Ralph from KOF, he has a move like this and it's crystal  clear.

Mind giving an explanation as to why?  I'd love to improve it if I could, but I see something different than you.

I  can't make out that she's punching is what I'm trying to say.

I mean aside from punching?  There's really two different animations in there; one is just a punch, and the other has what should be evocative of a series of multiple jabs, but I just decided not to post two different ones.

This is good!

The animation is smooth but I don't think it conveys what you're trying to convey.