isshinryuronin
Senior Master
If you've ever seen a movie, video or live drills of karate practice you've probably seen the stepping lunge punch (oi tsuki) usually ending in a deep forward stance with the leading hand outstretched. In fact, this is often the image people have when they hear the word "karate." (A similar kind of punch is seen in kung fu styles as well.) What is interesting is that this move is very rare in traditional (prior to karate being introduced into the school system) Okinawan kata. It's practically non-existent in many Okinawa styles' forms, including my own.
Isshinryu has eight empty hand kata, totaling at least 322 moves. Yet, there are only 2 step-thru punches within this total. This is about 0.6% of the moves! Kind of strange for the "archetypical" karate move to be missing from the traditional karate lexicon. The logical conclusion is that this move became popularized after the creation of traditional kata. I believe this illustrates the change in karate's purpose since the early 1900's and of its evolution into "modern" karate {as adopted by a number of styles). I see a couple of reasons for this change in punch.
Karate developed as a close-combat art (karate jutsu). The reverse punch has a reach of 22 inches (for me, an average size guy). If you step into a forward stance and punch, the range has increased to 46 or more inches. In a self-defense situation you would not normally be engaged with the attacker at this point. But with the advent of sport karate and longer ranged kicks, engagement distance to the opponent has increased. A step-thru punch closes this gap.
Another reason for the step-thru lunge punch becoming dominant in some styles (particularly Japanese, and by extension, Korean) is that it ends in an "extreme" committed, and impressive looking position. (If you're not familiar with this move, google "oi tsuki.") This makes it very visible for grading one's position, form, stance, balance, power delivery, etc. These things are important in karate-do where the emphasis is on execution and self-development.
IMO, this punch was not designed as a major technique for self-defense but rather evolved in response to the factors above. If "classic" refers to "original," then oi tsuki is not really one of karate's signature classic moves.
Isshinryu has eight empty hand kata, totaling at least 322 moves. Yet, there are only 2 step-thru punches within this total. This is about 0.6% of the moves! Kind of strange for the "archetypical" karate move to be missing from the traditional karate lexicon. The logical conclusion is that this move became popularized after the creation of traditional kata. I believe this illustrates the change in karate's purpose since the early 1900's and of its evolution into "modern" karate {as adopted by a number of styles). I see a couple of reasons for this change in punch.
Karate developed as a close-combat art (karate jutsu). The reverse punch has a reach of 22 inches (for me, an average size guy). If you step into a forward stance and punch, the range has increased to 46 or more inches. In a self-defense situation you would not normally be engaged with the attacker at this point. But with the advent of sport karate and longer ranged kicks, engagement distance to the opponent has increased. A step-thru punch closes this gap.
Another reason for the step-thru lunge punch becoming dominant in some styles (particularly Japanese, and by extension, Korean) is that it ends in an "extreme" committed, and impressive looking position. (If you're not familiar with this move, google "oi tsuki.") This makes it very visible for grading one's position, form, stance, balance, power delivery, etc. These things are important in karate-do where the emphasis is on execution and self-development.
IMO, this punch was not designed as a major technique for self-defense but rather evolved in response to the factors above. If "classic" refers to "original," then oi tsuki is not really one of karate's signature classic moves.
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