# Mechanics of a punch?



## Nabakatsu (Oct 16, 2009)

What are the mechanics of a punch for you?!
how do you break down your punching to the smallest detail?!
for me, I use a quick blast of tricep energy in conjuction with pushing my shoulder forward and pulling a little with my wrist, pulling both shoulder back and tucked, and popping the wrist up and into place.. 

Anyways, just trying to get the ball rolling!
The more the information the better, thanks in advance!


----------



## K-man (Oct 16, 2009)

Everything starts from the hips.  :asian:


----------



## chinaboxer (Oct 16, 2009)

nice question, the wing chun vertical punch is a pretty amazing concept and something i find not only fascinating on an artistic level but also based on sound physics and science. here's a three part video i did on the subject of the "body mechanics" to the wing chun punch...

part 1
http://www.thechinaboxer.com/2009/09/08/punch-body-mechanics-part-1/

part 2
http://www.thechinaboxer.com/2009/09/08/punch-body-mechanics-part-2/

part 3
http://www.thechinaboxer.com/2009/09/08/punch-body-mechanics-part-3/


----------



## dungeonworks (Oct 16, 2009)

Emin Boztepe has a good You Tube clip on this subject.  He even explains how to get your spine/back muscles into it too.


----------



## qwksilver61 (Oct 16, 2009)

for me no hips,incoming force/knees initiate the turn..... speed....slap....smack...wall bag....two man sets...understand the turnstile theory.....advance with body mass...adapt to your enemy..yield,borrow, return, follow....basic shitski............


----------



## chinaboxer (Oct 16, 2009)

dungeonworks said:


> Emin Boztepe has a good You Tube clip on this subject.  He even explains how to get your spine/back muscles into it too.


thanks for the link, i have never studied with Emin but he has some very good points that i 100% agree with in the video. but there is one thing that i don't agree with because it didn't make any sense to me, and that's the stance he uses at 2:22 in the video.

the reason i bring this up, there is a new student at Hawkins Cheung's, he's a really nice guy and trains very hard, he is a German, 32, who had a ving tsun school in Germany under Leung Ting. He's been with us for a few months now, and the number one thing he's having difficulty with is that same stance i saw Emin do. now mind you, that he is built even bigger, stronger and as fast as Emin and i enjoy training with him.

But that stance makes is very easy to move him around, why? because since his feet are basically on one line (like you're on a skateboard) your hips want to face that direction and not forwards, but his shoulders are turned forwards to face the opponent, so the bottom and top triangles are "offset" sort of speak. i instantly saw that in Emin's video at 2:22. 

he also places almost all his weight on the back leg, which i'm guessing is how he was taught. in this position, he has to constantly "pivot" because he can't hold pressure in that stance coming from "off center" so he has no other choice but to shift and try and elbow. this also makes him very vulnerable to a grapplers takedown. so he has no choice but to attack, attack, attack! because he can't "hold pressure" and defend. i'm just curious as to the science of that stance, is there something that i'm missing?

anyways, sorry for sidetracking.


----------



## qwksilver61 (Oct 16, 2009)

no comment......too much analysis......Wing Tsun is straight forward,simple.....grappling attack would be dealt with accordingly..drop....weight...position....shoot/sense towards vulnerable parts,elbows,knees..that Is in fact how I have personally dealt with these attacks.and not without consequence.....or size..............still training....and learning....and being flexible under those peramiters


----------



## geezer (Oct 17, 2009)

chinaboxer said:


> thanks for the link, i have never studied with Emin but he has some very good points that i 100% agree with in the video. but there is one thing that i don't agree with because it didn't make any sense to me, and that's the stance he uses at 2:22 in the video... that stance makes is very easy to move him around, why? because since his feet are basically on one line (like you're on a skateboard) your hips want to face that direction and not forwards, but his shoulders are turned forwards to face the opponent, so the bottom and top triangles are "offset" sort of speak. i instantly saw that in Emin's video at 2:22.



I studied WT for a long time under LT, and also with Emin on a couple of occasions... and, _yes_ that is the classic advancing step. The feet are in line, but turned about 30 degrees to one side, and the back foot is weighted. However the hips face forward, square to the opponent. It looks to me like Emin's hips are angled at that point because he just delivered what we used to call a shoulder/hip punch to Michael Casey... and immediately afterwards he is turned to face the camera. To perform that particular technique, your hips and body are angled on impact. _This_ not the position you are in when pursuing and punching your opponent! Perhaps your student had the general idea but also had a few bad habits.

As far as your student having to pivot... one of the advantages of WT stance-work is its mobility. It isn't the easiest way to cover long distances, but like the king on the chess-board, you can move quickly in any direction. And the footwork should be light and flexible... so if you are pressed you absorb, flex and flow around your opponent's legs like water. We used to play with that a lot. I called it "stance-sparring". I just wish i weren't half-crippled in my ankles so I could better exploit what these steps have to offer!


----------



## profesormental (Oct 18, 2009)

Greetings.

The mechanics of a punch depend on what you want that punch to accomplish and where is the target. Also, there is a very narrow link between punching and footwork, so that too must be taken into account.

Another seldom talked about part of the equation is the placement and movements of the non striking hand. They are very important too. Thus whole body posture and structure comes into play.

Thinking and analyzing in this direction is very fruitful for further insight and development of knowledge and making your Wing Chun execution better, specially for Teachers.

If we discuss a more specific scenario or punch, then a more meaningful discussion can ensue.

Juan Mercado-Robles


----------



## seasoned (Oct 18, 2009)

K-man said:


> Everything starts from the hips. :asian:


Every style will have a drill or kata that will show the way of creating power with speed. The Sanchin kata in Okinawan Goju, does this completely. As stated above, the hips start the chain reaction by sending power with an upward tilt, down to the feet and heels. This causes a rebounding action that is generated up through the hips, and spine. As the scapula rolls forward it transfers this reaction to the shoulders down the arms and into the target. In conclusion, power is directed by the hips down, bounces back up through the body conduit, making the connection from ground to target, all in a split second.


----------



## dnovice (Oct 18, 2009)

Hi Nabakatsu,

Great question. I think there are many different ways to throw a punch. However, whether it be a wing chun punch or a muay thai punch, or a boxers punch a good punch is one that has the body's weight behind it. The different styles do it differently, and I don't think any are wrong. 

I posted a similar question and got some responses a couple of months back. You can check out the responses and supplement what is being said here. 

Link to thread:
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=74981

Cheers 

dnovice


----------

