# locking the elbow joint in a punch?



## Tlaloc (Apr 15, 2007)

I was just thinking of something:

When you do forms and you throw a punch, are you supposed to extend your arm out so that the joint in your elbow locks out straight?  I think I heard somewhere that you're actually not supposed to let it completely lock because it can slow your movements down.

Thoughts?


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## tellner (Apr 15, 2007)

Hell no. If you let your arm lock out you can do serious damage to your elbow.


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## blackxpress (Apr 15, 2007)

tellner said:


> Hell no. If you let your arm lock out you can do serious damage to your elbow.


 

I represent that remark.  I'm recovering from a hyper-extended elbow as we speak.  Not that I didn't know better but sometimes you just get carried away and throw a punch too hard.  Anyway, it was a little sore for a few weeks and then, last Monday night, we were doing knuckle pushups (we do those every class) and I felt something pop in my elbow.  My right arm has been virtually unusable ever since.  It's getting better but it's still pretty sore.  If it hasn't improved significantly by this Wednesday I'm going in to have an MRI.  My Chiropractor (who is a fellow kareteka BTW) looked at it and said it's an injured tendon.  An MRI is the only way to know whether or not it's torn but he said if it seems to be improving on its own chances are it's just a bad strain.

Anyway, that's what you get when you lock your elbow.  The muscle should stop the punch, not the elbow joint.


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 15, 2007)

tellner said:


> Hell no. If you let your arm lock out you can do serious damage to your elbow.


 
I second that with Emphasis

*HELL NO!!!!*

It is also a great way to give the guy your punching to do some SERIOUS damage to your elbow as well, or at least finish the job you started. 

Hyper extend the elbow in a punch to any of my Sifus and you will get locked and possibly a broken elbow.


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## jdinca (Apr 15, 2007)

I think it is important to make a distinction between full extension and locking the elbow out. In the former you maximize the power at impact. In the latter, you go just beyond that point and already there's a slight hyperextension.


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## JT_the_Ninja (Apr 15, 2007)

I second, third, or fourth what has been said. Locking out your arm is a horrible idea. Extend your punch with waist twist, not the reach of your arm.


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## Tlaloc (Apr 15, 2007)

Ah, thank you very much! I'll remember that when I'm practicing my forms next time!

Already, I'm so glad I joined this forum...


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## Dave Leverich (Apr 16, 2007)

That goes for any strike or such Tlaloc, be very wary of hyperextension.
My thoughts would be that mentally, stop at 96% or such, even on board breaks once you strike through the target you stop so as not to over-extend or injure the joint.

I guess, being from 'afar', what I can impart is this; look at each strike and see, can your joints move more? Or is that the maximum range of movement of that joint? Leave yourself some breathing room.

Look to your sifu/instructor/sabumnim etc, he/she will have what you need.


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