# Shoulder movement when punching/striking..



## jwU (May 3, 2008)

When punching/striking either with just a single strike or punch or even a right left, left right comobination should the shoulders always remian square with one another...?

or is it ok for the shoulder of the arm striking to go forward while the other shoulder comes back?

I was watching myself strike to a target in front of me and realised my arm that is striking the shoulder comes in front of the other shoulder when I strike ..is this correct??

I figured it is impossible for you to use waist movement with out one shoulder coming forward..??


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## Empty Hands (May 3, 2008)

Uh, if your shoulders don't follow your strikes, you won't get much power.  You can't rotate your leg and hip into a punch without including the shoulder too.  

You shouldn't be square anyways, you are too open.  Fight with one leg and shoulder forward, the other back, to minimize your profile.


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## jwU (May 3, 2008)

thanks....yeah sorry i didnt explain the starting position too well....

I was facing directly ahead with with feet a shoulder width apart as oposed to being side on ..

thanks for your help


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## MJS (May 3, 2008)

Empty Hands said:


> Uh, if your shoulders don't follow your strikes, you won't get much power. You can't rotate your leg and hip into a punch without including the shoulder too.
> 
> You shouldn't be square anyways, you are too open. Fight with one leg and shoulder forward, the other back, to minimize your profile.


 
Yup, that pretty much sums it up. 

Good post!


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## MJS (May 3, 2008)

jwU said:


> thanks....yeah sorry i didnt explain the starting position too well....
> 
> I was facing directly ahead with with feet a shoulder width apart as oposed to being side on ..
> 
> thanks for your help


 
So basically you were standing naturally.


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## Empty Hands (May 3, 2008)

jwU said:


> I was facing directly ahead with with feet a shoulder width apart as oposed to being side on



Step into it then, right or left depending on your preference.  I find it actually more difficult to throw a punch this way, so be sure to get good rotation as you step in.  You'll probably want to punch with the lead hand since you'll be close.


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## marlon (May 4, 2008)

Empty Hands said:


> Uh, if your shoulders don't follow your strikes, you won't get much power. You can't rotate your leg and hip into a punch without including the shoulder too.
> 
> You shouldn't be square anyways, you are too open. Fight with one leg and shoulder forward, the other back, to minimize your profile.


 

i would say this is true for a guard position but fighting is a dfifferent story.

keep your elbows down and centered as much as possible your chest slightly curved in and the shoulders will follow

respectfully,
Marlon


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## Baphomet (May 5, 2008)

Your shoulder should always follow the hand that you are striking with, because of the mechanics of a straight punch.  Now we shall see if I can explain this.....

When punching with your right hand, you torque your right hip towards the target, while rotating your back leg as well, sending the power up your body.  At this point, the power stops at the muscles of your shoulder, and in order to send that energy into and through the target, your shoulder must also go forward towards the target.  Then your fist will be driven into the target, channelling the energy into the target.


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## Empty Hands (May 5, 2008)

marlon said:


> keep your elbows down and centered as much as possible your chest slightly curved in and the shoulders will follow



That doesn't contradict what I said at all.


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## marlon (May 5, 2008)

Empty Hands said:


> That doesn't contradict what I said at all.


 

never said that it did
marlon


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## Touch Of Death (May 6, 2008)

jwU said:


> When punching/striking either with just a single strike or punch or even a right left, left right comobination should the shoulders always remian square with one another...?
> 
> or is it ok for the shoulder of the arm striking to go forward while the other shoulder comes back?
> 
> ...


Its more about dropping your shoulders, but not remaining square is OK.
Sean


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## kidswarrior (May 15, 2008)

Several posters have already touched on my view: it's the hips as much as the shoulders. As probably most of us would agree, power comes from the ground, through the legs, etc., so if we try to generate it only from above the waist, or worse, just with the arms, it dramatically decreases Force. So the hips and shoulders are going to rotate somewhat.

On the other hand, I think something we can overlook is over-rotating. If when throwing or returning a strike I'm overextended, I'll be off balance and an easy target for a counter strike or to be unbalanced.


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## punisher73 (May 15, 2008)

jwU said:


> When punching/striking either with just a single strike or punch or even a right left, left right comobination should the shoulders always remian square with one another...?
> 
> or is it ok for the shoulder of the arm striking to go forward while the other shoulder comes back?
> 
> ...


 
Define "square to one another".   Your shoulders should move as one unit along with your hips.  As one comes forward the other moves back since they are pivoting on an axis (your spine).  So in a "squared position" they will always remain squared to each other, but yes they will ROTATE.

Try another experiment, stand naturally and move just one shoulder forward and keep the other one in it's place.  You can do this too, and the shoulder's are now "not squared".

You can also over rotate the shoulders so even though you are using alot of hip torque your punch is actually extended outside of it's main power line because the body is not behind it.  Which is again not a good thing.

But, I think what you were originally asking was keeping feet/hips/shoulders all stationary and the punch is using arm motion only, which again is not a good thing because it has no mass behind it.


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## Bodhisattva (May 15, 2008)

jwU said:


> When punching/striking either with just a single strike or punch or even a right left, left right comobination should the shoulders always remian square with one another...?
> 
> or is it ok for the shoulder of the arm striking to go forward while the other shoulder comes back?
> 
> ...



You should definitely NOT punch with square shoulders.

You should generate the energy for your punch from your feet, up through your legs, your trunk, your shoulders, your arms.

So your shoulders, should rotate through the punch.

---

Also, you mention throwing single punches - I advise against it.  You should almost always throw combinations of more than one punch.


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## Jdokan (May 16, 2008)

I think rotation is besst suited for maximum power....using poison strikes though....needing maxium speed I don't rotate-more body motion may slow you down....Everything depends on the situation at hand....
Generally, I would agree on rotation....


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