Punching Drill Training - Wushu (White Sash)

[stonze]

Punching Drills - Wushu (White Sash)

In this short video, I do a few punching drills. I try to focus on throwing my punches as accurate as I can, then snap my punching hand back to guard as fast as I can.

I also throw "Reverse" punches in this drill as well. Some of you may know what a reverse punch is, some of you may not. It throw correctly, they can reach spaces traditional punches can't, and at a faster rate.

My style of Kung Fu that I study is Wushu.

 

[Happy-Papi]

Very nice!

 

[Flying Crane]

You say that your style is "wushu", but that is actually a generic term that can refer to a couple different things. It is the generic term for fighting arts in China. The term "kung fu" was mistranslated and actually means only to have skill developed from hard work. It can be skill in anything. You can have good kung fu in fighting, or in cooking or in carpentry, etc. So wushu is the proper term for the fighting arts in China, and it is a generic term that doesn't reference any specific system.

Also, "Modern Wushu" is a term referencing a performance and competition method developed by the Communist Chinese government beginning in the 1950s. Today, it is mostly removed from actual fighting practicality.

So, could you let us know which system of wushu it is that you train?

thanks.

 

[Flying Crane]

I'll give some constructive criticism that I hope you will find thought provoking. You say you are a white sash, so I am assuming that is a beginner level in your school, so that is noted.

Firstly, it looks to me like there isn't much power in your punches. This is due to a few things. You comment about speed, snapping the punch back quickly, and whatnot. You need to develop your power first. Fast punches with little power don't do you a lot of good. Heavy, powerful punches that might be a bit slower are a better trade. Figure out how to develop your power first, THEN you can work on speed. Don't develop your speed while sacrificing your power. That's going about it backwards. Keep your power up, and only develop your speed at a rate at which you are able to maintain your power. Keep working on it and gradually your speed will increase without sacrificing your power. It's a process that takes time and a lot of work, it doesn't happen over night so don't get discouraged.

Now, about your punches...different Chinese martial arts develop their power in different ways. They have specific methods that they use in throwing a punch or other strike. Since I don't know specifically what method you are training, I cannot comment on what you should or should not be doing, so I'll only comment on what I see. It looks to me like you are using a generic sort of "western boxing" method of punching. I don't know where that fits in with Chinese martial arts. In my system, it doesn't. I see you are leaning in at the waist when you throw your punches. I realize you are doing that in an attempt to get your body behind the punch, but it's not the best way to go about it. Cutting at the waist like that doesn't give you much power when your feet are not well rooted and braced against the ground. In the wider angle shots, I see your feet floating, your heels are rising, your feet are shuffling around when you punch and they are not flat and braced solidly against the ground. If you brace your feet, then you can actually use the power of your legs to drive your punches, by pushing against the ground. There are specific methods to developing this, and again a proper Chinese method has a specific way of going about it. Because you are not bracing your feet, what is actually happening is that you are only using the strength of your arms and shoulders in throwing your punches. This is never as powerful as when you harness the strength of the whole body, by driving with the feet and legs and up thru the torso.

This is not something that can be adequately explained in an internet forum like this. So hopefully this information will give you something to think about and perhaps have some questions for your sifu to get the specific corrections and guidance so you can improve what you are doing.

good luck to you.

 

[clfsean]

Ditto everything FC said, especially since we both practice Tibetan based arts.

I will add as an addedum to FC, don't even worry about power or speed. Focus on proper mechanics in your punching first. Learn how to use your body from the ground up as a single piece of machinery, not different pieces. FC talked about it in general terms since he's correct about not knowing what you're studying, but I stress it regardless. If you're not connected, you're not as effective as you can be.

In the meantime, developer your weapon basics. Get your fist shaped properly, aligned properly because I thought I saw some bending in the video, condition it properly & then add proper mechanics behind it all. Speed will happen naturally as you become proficient & confident in your punching technique when it's correct & connected.

 

[yak sao]

I hope you take their critiques how they are intended...they are not meant to discourage you or criticize you, but to give you good sound advice. You are at the beginning stages of something that takes years to develop. Most quit; be one of the few that stick with it and develop into a martial artist. You have good attributes from what you show on the video, stick with it and you will go far.

 

[Cyriacus]

Youre snapping back too soon. You need to snap back quickly, thats fine, but only after youve actually 'hit'.

Laymans terms: Hit it. Dont touch it.

 

[K-man]

Interesting. Apart from the bit with the chain punches I would have thought your style was more that of a boxer without, as the others have said, the power in the strikes. Another thing to think about is changing feet. Don't get so comfortable in a right handed stance that you neglect the left. :asian:

 

[stonze]

the fighting portion

 

[stonze]

thanks for the feed, i appreciate it
My instructor tells me to be on the balls of my feet when attacking (throwing punches & kicks)

 

[Kframe]

Stonze, what style of wushu are you doing?

 

[stonze]

Stonze, what style of wushu are you doing?

i think northern style

 

[Flying Crane]

i think northern style

that, also, can refer to many different things. I would ask some very specific questions of your sifu. Find out just EXACTLY what you are doing. It is a specific system, or some mixture of something he's created? Find out.

 

[Flying Crane]

the fighting portion

what was this in response to? thx

 

[Flying Crane]

thanks for the feed, i appreciate it
My instructor tells me to be on the balls of my feet when attacking (throwing punches & kicks)

but you are not actually on the balls of your feet. You are simply lifting up with no connection to the ground. that's what happens when you lean in at the waist.

 

[clfsean]

but you are not actually on the balls of your feet. You are simply lifting up with no connection to the ground. that's what happens when you lean in at the waist.

Exactly. The lean destroys your root. Without root, there's no connection. You can come to the balls of your feet (not sure why, but hey, not my arena) & still maintain root by sinking but maintaining proper posture with your body core.

And yes... you need to find out exactly what he's pushing at you. I watched your other video at the tournament you had at your school with a form I think you did. There are questions to be certain, but I'd get answers from him first.

 

[Flying Crane]

Exactly. The lean destroys your root. Without root, there's no connection.

exactly. I was hinting at that, but I also realize that some schools of thought believe that leaning is a way of getting the mass of the torso behind the strike. I don't like it, but some do and given that we don't know specifically what he is training in I didn't want to get too specific about it. But I agree 100%, leaning destroys the integrity of the technique.

You can come to the balls of your feet (not sure why, but hey, not my arena) & still maintain root by sinking but maintaining proper posture with your body core.

yeah, up on the balls can be a way to be mobile. But when the strike is thrown then it's time to root down and dig in. Use the legs to power the strike and that means the feet are flat and well braced against the ground.

I don't like the dancing around on the balls of the feet. in my opinion, that's a mobility strategy that's most useful in a competition ring against another trained opponent. In that case, being highly mobile is important. But for civilian self defense, you don't want to engage him like that. Rooting and powerful strikes is paramount.

 

[frank raud]

Something I noticed in two of your videos, your punching dummy is set down so low, it looks like you're hitting a child. Raise it up, have the head roughly level with yours, not below shoulder height.

 

[stonze]

i'm training in northern style wushu
i just posted a new video up in the forum..check it out and drop me some new feed

http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1074764910#post1074764910

 

[clfsean]

i'm training in northern style wushu
i just posted a new video up in the forum..check it out and drop me some new feed

http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1074764910#post1074764910

There's a lot I could say. Most of it wouldn't sound very encouraging at this point in the game to you. So just to hit the highlights...

-- That wasn't WC Chain Punching.
-- Don't leave the ground until you're ready to leave the ground.
-- Don't muscle what shouldn't be muscled & use muscle when it should be muscled.