dvcochran
Grandmaster
I have never heard of a punch intentionally coming from the elbow. A backfist yes, depending on the angle of attack.It's like the difference between a front snap kick and a front push kick. They are similar motions, but there is a slightly different technique to them, and they have a slightly different way in which they affect the opponent. If you want to strike your opponent for maximum damage or to the head for a KO, you use a snap kick. If you want to shove them into something, get them the right distance away for a follow-up attack, or simply get them away from you, you use the snap kick.