Do you personally punch harder with bent arms compared to extended?

[martialuser]

I talked to a karate fighter who participated in a study in which the karatekas had higher punch output when their straight punch arm was bent compared to extended. This was a surprise to them.

Could it be that there's greater bicep engagement when the arm is bent compared to straightened out? Also perhaps stronger wrist support at the point of impact?

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

What are you meaning when you say straightened versus bent? I don't think anyone would recommend landing a punch with it already 100% extended. But also wouldn't land a punch from chamber.

 

[martialuser]

What are you meaning when you say straightened versus bent? I don't think anyone would recommend landing a punch with it already 100% extended. But also wouldn't land a punch from chamber.

The study was on power, not practicality.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

The study was on power, not practicality.

Yes, but what percent extended? Are we talking fully bent (ie: chamber) vs. fully extended (100%) vs. over-extended? Bent as in the arm is only 25% through the punch, or almost fully through but just not fully straight yet? I'm sure the study has some way it specifies this.

 

[martialuser]

Yes, but what percent extended? Are we talking fully bent (ie: chamber) vs. fully extended (100%) vs. over-extended? Bent as in the arm is only 25% through the punch, or almost fully through but just not fully straight yet? I'm sure the study has some way it specifies this.

Like a mawashi tsuki. So quite pronounced.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

That type of punch has always felt stronger to me. My guess is that since your arm isn't too far in the movement, more of the power from the rest of your body is still in the punch. And you've got your body there to still brace against.

You also have more ability to "follow through" then you do with a punch that's already extended when you land it.

 

[martialuser]

That type of punch has always felt stronger to me. My guess is that since your arm isn't too far in the movement, more of the power from the rest of your body is still in the punch. And you've got your body there to still brace against.

You also have more ability to "follow through" then you do with a punch that's already extended when you land it.

That's where I think bicep engagement comes into play.

When it comes to kicking, it seems the support is strong enough to extend the leg more or less fully. But arms have weaker support.

That said, bent leg roundhouse kicks don't exactly lack power.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

That's where I think bicep engagement comes into play.

When it comes to kicking, it seems the support is strong enough to extend the leg more or less fully. But arms have weaker support.

That said, bent leg roundhouse kicks don't exactly lack power.

I'd have to experiment with it, but I think part of the issue with straight kicks might just be balance. When you're throwing a straight kick fully, you're in a good position for balance when it connects. But if you get 'jammed' you're not as much and some of the power comes back into you.

I'm not sure how much of that is because you're expecting to fully extend it or not though; if you threw a kick planning for it to be jammed, the power might actually be different as your body shifts for that. I'm gonna give it a go on a heavy bag next time I get the chance and see how it feels.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Power doesn't come from the bicep in a straight punch. Power comes from the core, especially the hips (koshi). Ideally, power should be nearly equal through the tsuki. This is one of the reasons Isshinryu uses a vertical punch rather than a torquing punch.

 

[martialuser]

Power doesn't come from the bicep in a straight punch. Power comes from the core, especially the hips (koshi). Ideally, power should be nearly equal through the tsuki. This is one of the reasons Isshinryu uses a vertical punch rather than a torquing punch.

The punch which generated more power was not straightened, hence greater recruitment off the bicep on impact.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

The punch which generated more power was not straightened, hence greater recruitment off the bicep on impact.

The bicep doesn't provide that motive force that I'm aware of, but I'm not an expert.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

The punch which generated more power was not straightened, hence greater recruitment off the bicep on impact.

Major movers for the punch are triceps, Teres major, and pectoralis. Power from foot/root up through legs, hips, and waist turn. Agonist vs antagonist. The biceps have very little to do with punching power. We use both torquing flat punch and vertical punch, as well as others.

 

[O'Malley]

 

[martialuser]

Major movers for the punch are triceps, Teres major, and pectoralis. Power from foot/root up through legs, hips, and waist turn. Agonist vs antagonist. The biceps have very little to do with punching power. We use both torquing flat punch and vertical punch, as well as others.

I am not talking about what you people are doing.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Could you provide a link to the study in question?

 

[O'Malley]

If you happened to find a link to that study, it would help us understand better what you're talking about.

That being said, I'm not aware of any punching technique where the biceps plays any significant role in power generation beyond postural stability. And in theory less extension would mean less space traveled, thus less momentum.