Power VS. Technique - What's your opinion?

[Owned]

Hello there, MT community

I was thinking about a discussion to share with you, in order to see what's your position. There are many opinions about that subject, but there's no true or false. However, every time I see different consequence. Our discussion will be about -

Power VS. Technique

Many people say, that strong people can beat any weaker person. They can get hit, and then get up and move forward, and one punch from their side, can be deadly enough to kill many people.

However,
Other many people say, that people that have enough technique, can avoid many hits from a strong man, and able to hit him in some weak spot, disable him in short time, and do whatever they wants.

I'm sure that a combination of power and technique can be the best, and creates a deadly fighter, but if you had to choose only 1 ability - Power or Technique, what would it be? what will you invest your time on? what's your opinion?

Regardless to the forum, and in case that a real fight occurs.
I hope you like my first discussion here, have a great day!

 

[donald1]

Both, good to have power (to me would seem as important to make a proper punch but to also be able to take a punch) technique is good because it mixes things up and gives more options. Id almost think theres more than one answer but im certain both are necessary. Maybe it could also depend on what your trying to do?

 

[Mephisto]

If I had to choose only 1? Power. It takes a loooot of technique to overcome superior size and strength, which is what I assme youre getting at with the mention of power. That being said you're dealt a set of cards in life, you can change your size and strength, you can also develop technique, it's up to you. I could choose a different hobby and get into body building or power lifting, but that's not what I'm into. So I lift and do some strength training and train martial arts, so I work both.

There are weight classes for a reason, a bigger person will always have an advantage, if you're trained and they aren't you're only closing the gap in their size advantage. As for striking "weak spots" there are no magic points. All martial arts target weak spots on the opponent. Some martial artists put a lot of faith in pressure points, I'm not a fan. The tried and true targets (jaw,temple, solar plexus, liver,ect) are what I recommend, and they are no secret. There are no shortcuts.

 

[Gnarlie]

It's a moot question. Without power, technique is nothing, and without technique, power cannot be applied.

Both are essential to martial arts.

 

[drop bear]

I have a new striking coach at the moment and so I am doing power at the moment. I have the technique I am just not hitting hard enough.

His theory is that he has tippy tapped his way to a draw and a loss and it is not worth it.

 

[drop bear]

It's a moot question. Without power, technique is nothing, and without technique, power cannot be applied.

Both are essential to martial arts.

For me power is a combination of technique,physical strength and attitude.

You can strike correctly but conservatively and mabye not get as much juice out of your shots as you otherwise might.

 

[Gnarlie]

For me power is a combination of technique,physical strength and attitude.

You can strike correctly but conservatively and mabye not get as much juice out of your shots as you otherwise might.

Absolutely, but before you can really go to town working on power, that technique has to be right, otherwise the likelihood of injury shoots up.

 

[Steve]

It's not a perfectly symmetrical scale. Speaking for grappling, strength is a significant advantage. Shoot, just being heavy can be an advantage, as can being very flexible or very athletic. Everyone comes to the table with certain genetic advantages and disadvantages. There's also the potential to become stronger, more athletic, more flexible, but one can only go so far. We are at our core who we are.

All that said, good technique is strength. When you frame up correctly, you are strong. When you don't, know matter how much muscle you have, you are weak. The key to technique is to ensure that you are in a position where you are structurally sound, and to do what you can to compromise your opponent.

 

[Blindside]

From the perspective of a kali guy, the first thing I teach is power striking. If you have KO power and nothing else, no footwork and bad timing, you will still be a fighter the other guy has to watch out for. As your technique gets better you can generate that power in shorter and more hidden bursts, but you need to learn that power first. It isn't an either or, a good fighter has it all, but if I had only one it would be power.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Power VS. Technique

Many people say, that strong people can beat any weaker person.

You may only look at this from a "striker" point of view. If you look at this from a "grappler" point of view, no matter how strong you are, if you have never trained the "hip throw" or "single leg" technique, you will never be able to take your opponent down by your "hip throw" or "single leg".

A technique requires:

- timing,
- opportunity,
- angle,
- power,
- balance.

The power is only 1/5 of the total technique requirement.

IMO,

no technique + power > no technique
no technique + power < technique
technique + power > technique

 

[K-man]

I would take a different tack. It is important not to confuse strength and power.

Because at my age and size if I relied on strength alone I could not match the strength of the young guys I teach. There will always be someone bigger and stronger than you so to rely on strength makes no sense to me. Different of course if you are talking about sport martial art where you have weight and age divisions. But again, when discussing power we need to separate that term from strength.

Technique is essential and it is important to take the word 'technique' in context. We are not talking about any particular move but the ability to apply your knowledge of your martial art. Good technique enables you to generate power. If we use our technique to incorporate our body weight we will maximise our power.

I would contend that without technique you will not have power and you will be relying on strength.

 

[AlphaBJJ]

Power is derived by proper application of technique. They are not exclusive entities, but one relies on the other. Think about it, how often have you seen giant guys be unable to use that muscle mass properly. Transfer of energy effectively is based on good technique. Now, the reason you see combat athletes condition and develop power is because once proper technique is mastered, additional attribute development will enhance that. It does not work the other way around. This is true of grappling arts, weapon striking mechanics in FMAs and unarmed striking arts. When we fail to understand the reasonship between proper technique and power we fail to properly prepare.

 

[crazydiamond]

This video touches on age as well as size and belt rank.

 

[Prostar]

I met a smallish black belt many years ago. He was visiting a studio of a friend of mine. One time at a party, while he was at the University of Pittsburgh, he was approached by a lineman from the football team.

The football player said, " I hear you're some kind of hotshot black belt. What do you think you can do with me?"

The black belt just looked up at him, way up, and said, "I just broke both of your knees."

He said the look on the football player's face was priceless. Any thoughts of going pro were not well served by messing with this guy.

It isn't all about the power.

 

[Buka]

You can actually eat spaghetti without tomato sauce, or vice versa.
But they sure do go well together.

 

[Flying Crane]

Good technique enables you to generate more, or at least equal, power with less effort.

Lots of physical strength can enable you to be effective, even if you do not have good technique. But usually there is more effort in doing so.

 

[Jenna]

Hello there, MT community

I was thinking about a discussion to share with you, in order to see what's your position. There are many opinions about that subject, but there's no true or false. However, every time I see different consequence. Our discussion will be about -

Power VS. Technique

Many people say, that strong people can beat any weaker person. They can get hit, and then get up and move forward, and one punch from their side, can be deadly enough to kill many people.

However,
Other many people say, that people that have enough technique, can avoid many hits from a strong man, and able to hit him in some weak spot, disable him in short time, and do whatever they wants.

I'm sure that a combination of power and technique can be the best, and creates a deadly fighter, but if you had to choose only 1 ability - Power or Technique, what would it be? what will you invest your time on? what's your opinion?

Regardless to the forum, and in case that a real fight occurs.
I hope you like my first discussion here, have a great day!

I think the thing some times discounted in our MA lives is that as we all age, functional power cannot increase indefinitely and will eventually decrease, perhaps significantly.

I advocate therefore for perfecting technique primarily. Power for the technique will come through practice and perfection of that technique. In any MA, power for its own sake is irrelevant without a technique as its vehicle. Jx

 

[Danny T]

As I often tell my students. There are monster out there who are simply crazy strong, crazy quick, crazy fast, crazy tough. Then there are the rest of us who are normal and need all the proper technique and timing to be able to counter their strength, power, and speed.
I believe in proper technique for the development of maximum power while simultaneously allowing for excellent defense.

 

[Hanshi]

This subject reminds me of a question posed to the late Bill Jordan. Bill was a legendary lawman and trick shot and had been featured on a few TV shows; when Bill spoke, S&W listened.

It seems he was once asked, "what's more important, speed or accuracy". He answered in his Louisiana drawl, "shoot accurately as fast as you can".

 

[paitingman]

Technique is more important. Not strictly from a power-generating standpoint, but just all around. Technique will help you apply your techniques while defending against your opponents.

Often in boxing and jujitsu you get dudes way stronger than you come in, but obviously cannot spar or roll with you just because their technique is nowhere up to par and they have no clue whats going on. It will take a long time before they can best the more experienced guys/girls but the great thing about technique is the learning curve. You can quickly learn simple technique that will really work to level the playing field. Knowledge of technique along with your strength will get you very far.
Much farther than strength alone.
^^ I think that's pretty much my whole point there.