Practice on the straight punches

[Thunder Foot]

1. Too much arm, not enough hip. You're punching pretty much entirely from your arms and upper body. You need to get more torque with your hips. Part of that comes from punching the paper and not having to structure your impacts but you still need to focus on turning your his to generate impact.

2. Overreaching. You're caching too far when hitting your target. Keep in mind that in order to cause serious damage you need to be able to impact just short of maximal extension. So when you hit you should have a couple inches left. This is what you call "punching through the target." If you can hang something behind the paper like a tennis ball and punch that it will be good training for you. Also as a byproduct of your overreaching not just with your arm but with your body you're leaning in on punches where you shouldn't be.

3. Not planting feet. It looks like you're dancing a little too much. You need to make sure your feet are planted when you impact. There are a few exceptions to this rule but in general your feet being on the ground will give you maximal power because you will have structural reinforcement for your punches. This is what the Chinese refer to as "rooting."

4. Slip more using your legs. You tend to only be slipping using your upper body. Try also slipping by crouching off to the side a little more. It means you will be able to use your leg to drive into the punch coming off the slip and can be very effective for using a body shot as a counter.

5. Your elbows are getting lazy. I realize that you're trying to keep loose but loose does not mean sloppy. At times your elbows are drifting out instead of staying down and your straight lunches are either lopping a little or simply losing their structural reinforcement.

Thanks for the in-depth feed Uncle! Really appreciate your input. I just have a few quick questions for you.
1. When I'm striking I'm making it a point to be be completely sideways upon impact for the straight lead. My teacher told me that if I'm doing that, then I am using my hips. Are you saying to turn my hips more than sideways in relation to the target?
2. Thanks for this tip. I thought that it was ok to lean a little bit as long as you land in balance... yet not OVER-leaning. You prefer no lean at all?
3. Now rooting... how can we do this if we are moving our hand before our foot on the straight lead? WC_lun has the same critique, but I'm having a hard time understanding this. If we are moving hand before foot, how can we be planted? Especially when moving into the target because I was taught we should aim for the hand should landing before the foot. Similar to a fencer's lunging thrust. Any help?
4. Thanks again here. I felt like I was bending them! But I'm sure my leg fatigue was fooling me . We refer to the deeper knee bend slip as a bob and use it more as a counter like you described. I definitely find that one useful as well!
5. Now I had to watch it again with this crit. Lemme know if I'm wrong, but I was taught that as long as the lead hand stays on the centerline and the fist takes a straight line to the target that all is well regardless of the elbow position (when talking about the lead). Looking at it again, my rear elbow isn't drifting out at all... but the lead one does while my fist stays on center. Whats your take on this?
Again, thanks for the awesome feedback!

 

[Touch Of Death]

Thanks for the in-depth feed Uncle! Really appreciate your input. I just have a few quick questions for you.
1. When I'm striking I'm making it a point to be be completely sideways upon impact for the straight lead. My teacher told me that if I'm doing that, then I am using my hips. Are you saying to turn my hips more than sideways in relation to the target?
2. Thanks for this tip. I thought that it was ok to lean a little bit as long as you land in balance... yet not OVER-leaning. You prefer no lean at all?
3. Now rooting... how can we do this if we are moving our hand before our foot on the straight lead? WC_lun has the same critique, but I'm having a hard time understanding this. If we are moving hand before foot, how can we be planted? Especially when moving into the target because I was taught we should aim for the hand should landing before the foot. Similar to a fencer's lunging thrust. Any help?
4. Thanks again here. I felt like I was bending them! But I'm sure my leg fatigue was fooling me . We refer to the deeper knee bend slip as a bob and use it more as a counter like you described. I definitely find that one useful as well!
5. Now I had to watch it again with this crit. Lemme know if I'm wrong, but I was taught that as long as the lead hand stays on the centerline and the fist takes a straight line to the target that all is well regardless of the elbow position (when talking about the lead). Looking at it again, my rear elbow isn't drifting out at all... but the lead one does while my fist stays on center. Whats your take on this?
Again, thanks for the awesome feedback!

If you don't have the elbow anchored, and in line when that punch flies, you lost power.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Don't lean into punches, kneel into them.

 

[Uncle]

Thanks for the in-depth feed Uncle! Really appreciate your input. I just have a few quick questions for you.
1. When I'm striking I'm making it a point to be be completely sideways upon impact for the straight lead. My teacher told me that if I'm doing that, then I am using my hips. Are you saying to turn my hips more than sideways in relation to the target?
2. Thanks for this tip. I thought that it was ok to lean a little bit as long as you land in balance... yet not OVER-leaning. You prefer no lean at all?
3. Now rooting... how can we do this if we are moving our hand before our foot on the straight lead? WC_lun has the same critique, but I'm having a hard time understanding this. If we are moving hand before foot, how can we be planted? Especially when moving into the target because I was taught we should aim for the hand should landing before the foot. Similar to a fencer's lunging thrust. Any help?
4. Thanks again here. I felt like I was bending them! But I'm sure my leg fatigue was fooling me . We refer to the deeper knee bend slip as a bob and use it more as a counter like you described. I definitely find that one useful as well!
5. Now I had to watch it again with this crit. Lemme know if I'm wrong, but I was taught that as long as the lead hand stays on the centerline and the fist takes a straight line to the target that all is well regardless of the elbow position (when talking about the lead). Looking at it again, my rear elbow isn't drifting out at all... but the lead one does while my fist stays on center. Whats your take on this?
Again, thanks for the awesome feedback!

1. It's an issue of when the hips initiate movement. Turned sideways is an exaggeration of where you want to end up but how you get there is the important part. Your hips are moving with your arm rather that driving it at the moment. There are a few drills that can help with this but this is two of the easiest:
Stand on front of a wall at arms length from the wall and place either hand on the wall. Without moving your hand turn your hip until you feel the pressure go up and into your hand. Do this a few times with either hand. Now combine this with the next exercise.
Stand in your stance with your normal guard. Pull the arm and hip back on one side and the other side, hip and arm will be forced to shoot forward because of the torque of the hips. If you focus on the pulling side like this when you're striking you'll be able to generate more power by using the hips, with less muscular tension and you'll telegraph less because the initiation is on the hip and the opposite side of the one you're striking from.

2. You need to be able to master doing these things without leaning. It will generally be less risky as there's less chance of exposing your jaw/face and exposing yourself to takedowns by breaking your structure. Leaning can be okay once your level of skill can support it but for now work on the basics.

3. If you're stepping into the straight lead there are two ways you can do it. There's with the back foot planted, and there's with both feet moving. The back foot planted will have more structural power because it means you can root through the back foot. If you have both feet moving you have to be much better with your timing and accuracy so it's riskier. Look up the technique "irimitsuki" from aikido. The straight lead is actually a lot like that mechanically even though the size/scale and application of the movement is different (strike versus structural intercept).
Keep in mind that the fencer can have his feet floating because he's using a blade. We're much more like a knight in the joust. We have to be rooted and structured while we smash the lance through our opponent. If as you said you're moving hand before foot then there's no problem because your feet will be planted. You have to master striking from firmly planted feet before you learn to strike while stepping in.

5. If you make sure there is a straight line from shoulder to elbow to wrist your punch will have more structural reinforcement. It's like trying to joust with Z shaped lance. It will impact, and it will break because it doesn't trace the proper structure.

 

[Thunder Foot]

If you don't have the elbow anchored, and in line when that punch flies, you lost power.

Why cant the elbow come into the line during the throw to be there at the point of impact? Isn't the end result the same? I'm testing out both, and getting the same power.

 

[Uncle]

Why cant the elbow come into the line during the throw to be there at the point of impact? Isn't the end result the same? I'm testing out both, and getting the same power.

At some point you're going to have someone step in just before you initiate the punch. If the elbow isn't in line the whole time your arm will collapse. If it is in line your punch's power will be cut but it will still have some impact and because you have good structure you'll be able to push through and affect their positioning/structure. And again it's the difference between jousting with something shaped like this ----- and something shaped like this _/\_

 

[Touch Of Death]

Why cant the elbow come into the line during the throw to be there at the point of impact? Isn't the end result the same? I'm testing out both, and getting the same power.

In a word, NO.

 

[Touch Of Death]

In a word, NO.

The power you are feeling is the work your body is doing. You are still throwing a punch, after all. The difference should be in what your opponent feels.

 

[Thunder Foot]

At some point you're going to have someone step in just before you initiate the punch. If the elbow isn't in line the whole time your arm will collapse. If it is in line your punch's power will be cut but it will still have some impact and because you have good structure you'll be able to push through and affect their positioning/structure. And again it's the difference between jousting with something shaped like this ----- and something shaped like this _/\_

I see your point. In my mind however, if someone steps in why can't one simply adjust and hit them with a backfist or a hook punch? Having the elbow always on center EVERY time you want to straight punch just seems like too much of a telegraph when it is but one way to do it. When I watch Bruce Lee, or other skilled punchers like Tyson, Mayweather etc. I don't really see them maintaining elbows on center, but rather moving into it. Just my observation though. Thanks again for the extended feed.

Keep in mind that the fencer can have his feet floating because he's using a blade. We're much more like a knight in the joust. We have to be rooted and structured while we smash the lance through our opponent. If as you said you're moving hand before foot then there's no problem because your feet will be planted. You have to master striking from firmly planted feet before you learn to strike while stepping in.

I'm not understanding this here, because whether a fencer is using a blade or a fist, the motion is still the same as well as the power that is transferred into the fist or tip of the rapier. I don't know that a galloping joust is the best analogy for this one...
My point being that at the point of impact, you aren't planted because all your weight is moving forward into the target. If we are planted when we do this, then doesn't that mean we are sacrificing some of our power with our weight going into the ground?

 

[Touch Of Death]

I see your point. In my mind however, if someone steps in why can't one simply adjust and hit them with a backfist or a hook punch? Having the elbow always on center EVERY time you want to straight punch just seems like too much of a telegraph when it is but one way to do it. When I watch Bruce Lee, or other skilled punchers like Tyson, Mayweather etc. I don't really see them maintaining elbows on center, but rather moving into it. Just my observation though. Thanks again for the extended feed.

Again, you don't start center line. Centering is part of the punching process, consider the shoulders are not on your center, and you start at, or near, the shoulder.

 

[Thunder Foot]

Then we are on the same page because this is what I've been trying to say.
So then how would you punch if and attack is coming at you and your hands were in your pockets or at your side? Or would you firstly assume your fighting stance?

 

[Touch Of Death]

Then we are on the same page because this is what I've been trying to say.
So then how would you punch if and attack is coming at you and your hands were in your pockets or at your side? Or would you firstly assume your fighting stance?

First of all, try to have your hands out of your pockets at the time of confrontation. LOL Ok I just stood up and tried it: To get my right hand out of my coat pocket, I am pulling my elbow back behind me, and then I find my hand, palm up, at my shoulder. To punch from there, I simply anchor the elbow, and let fly.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Secondly, it is obvious that you can do damage from awkward positions, but it is just not as good as it could be.

 

[Uncle]

I see your point. In my mind however, if someone steps in why can't one simply adjust and hit them with a backfist or a hook punch? Having the elbow always on center EVERY time you want to straight punch just seems like too much of a telegraph when it is but one way to do it. When I watch Bruce Lee, or other skilled punchers like Tyson, Mayweather etc. I don't really see them maintaining elbows on center, but rather moving into it. Just my observation though. Thanks again for the extended feed.

You're assuming you're faster at reading your opponent and changing a strike which is already in motion. It's far better to practice a method which assumes your opponent is faster and you need to make the most of your structure.
Also Lee's lead punch was more like a flicker jab and not realy a straight punch. Unless you've got the elbow in the line between the wrist and the shoulder it's not really a straight punch. Read Championship Fighting by Jack Dempsey is you want a good explanation of the style of punching you want to achieve for the straight lead and straight punches in general.

I'm not understanding this here, because whether a fencer is using a blade or a fist, the motion is still the same as well as the power that is transferred into the fist or tip of the rapier. I don't know that a galloping joust is the best analogy for this one...

The diffence is the blade. I can just touch you and move the blade and cut you. I can apply comparably little pressure and penetrate with the tip. The difference is me thrusting at you with a staff versus thrusting at you with a spear. The movement is the same but differing amounts of pressure will cause different results and one does not require as much structural reinforcement to achieve its aim.

My point being that at the point of impact, you aren't planted because all your weight is moving forward into the target. If we are planted when we do this, then doesn't that mean we are sacrificing some of our power with our weight going into the ground?

There are two things you have to take into account: momentum and structure.

If you leap forward while striking and you don't have a planted foot you have plenty of momentum but if your opponent has a better angle and/or sufficient momentum your momentum will mean nothing and you will get thrashed. There can be an advantage in power but not always. The main advantage will be in closing the gap between you and your adversary.

If you have your feet planted while executing a strike and you have good structure if your opponent steps into you and you hit short of maximal extension you can still drive through or change angle into another good structure with ease. There can be a large amount of power generated here as well but it will be from the spring of the legs and the torque of the hips. The disadvantage is that you have to step in and then plant your feet.

The midway point is hitting while stepping forward. If you have one foot planted and your opponent steps in you can still root down through the back foot as long as all your structures along the chain are good.

Then we are on the same page because this is what I've been trying to say.
So then how would you punch if and attack is coming at you and your hands were in your pockets or at your side? Or would you firstly assume your fighting stance?

you shouldn't be keeping your hands in your pockets anyway! But assuming it's cold or something and your hands are in your pockets it's a lot like drawing a concealed weapon. Move and draw.
When you've trained your fighting stance for a while you will be able to drop into it with ease so that's not as much of an issue.
You can still punch up from the hip with proper structure. There are three moves from the wing chun forms specifically which deal with this. Of the two for punching from the hip one is from chum kiu and one is in the opening of each of the forms. There's also a movement which teaches how to drop down into yee gee kim yeung ma from a neutral stance. I know you're not doing wing chun but these can help you with these concerns anyway.

 

[Thunder Foot]

Uncle,
I am also an avid student of Wing Chun and have a clear understanding of both of your WC examples. I'm not saying that one should look to punch from their pockets but moreso mentioned it to highlight the importance of being able to strike from any position and generate a similar amount of torque and power. I personally may not always have the luxury of assuming a fighting stance prior to defending myself and see such practice as an extension of Lee's commentaries on the fighting method. In terms of hitting to me as long as everything is in alignment at the moment of impact, we could be doing any number of things prior and still deliver a significant blow because our structure has moved into proper alignment. And to further extend this point it would relate to the "midway point" in your example and also an inference of the "half-beat" timing celebrated in JKD among others. Now I don't mean to imply a matter of thinking I'm faster (i try not to make such assumptions) but rather attempting to create and refine the ability to strike from any position. In my own personal research I believe this property is one of the highest levels of mastery, called "Mo Ying" in Canto... and can be traced all the way back to Wing Chun's creator Ng Mui.