Train To Switch Off

 

To punch or to push?

 

I recently viewed some demonstrations on YouTube of what is known in Hong Kong as ‘Inch power’, although most commonly known as the ‘One Inch Punch’, unfortunately most of the ones I watched appeared to be more like a ‘One Inch Push’.

 

This is often demonstrated by showing how far back a person can be thrown after impact, and of course there is some merit to this, but isn’t this in danger of becoming the principles of a Karate punch?

Surely if the energy passed through the punch is internal then the person should drop where they are, not causing you to lose contact and giving you the problem of having to regain this should your strike not be that of a knockout (and NEVER assume it will be).

 

This is the reason we train Forms and Chi Sau.

Forms teach you how to GET the contact and Chi Sau teaches us how to KEEP that contact.

 

This is also why we punch wall bags but elbow hanging bags.

When we punch the wall bag, the wall does not move, so if you overcommit, YOU MOVE, NOT THE WALL!

If you did choose to hit a hanging bag with Wing Chun punches, the bag should hardly move at all, and if it does start to swing, then you are massively overcommitting my friend.

Elbow strikes are discouraged on a wall bag as the impact of the strike will travel directly down your spine, so not good in the longterm.

 

So;

Wall bags for punches – palms – aggressive kicks

Hanging bags for elbow strike – stopping kicks

 

Here’s a tiny video I made just before going on holiday, showing that the secret to Explosive Power, is not how fast you can switch it ON but how fast you can switch it OFF.

 

Notice how the power and force is still within the dummy, well after the strike is finished, and long after I have switch all power off.

 

So you see, there really is great benefit in learning to relax.