Are you a Swimmer or Thruster.

[Touch Of Death]

I've notice two different kinds of punching in my years of observation. Swimming and thrusting. Swimmers punch like John Wayne or John Travolta. Its an over the top method which is best used by those with incredible upperbody strength. Thrusting is when all your punches come from underneath and your arm always assumes at least a finished uppercut position before moving out from the body. What are you? Are you a little of both?

 

[terryl965]

Well I would be both I love the over hand and I also love to throw the upprecut as well.

If I had to choose one of them it would be the over hand.
Terry

 

[Touch Of Death]

I'm a thruster. I get in actual trouble with my instructor if I throw an over the top; so, I haven't punched like that in years. I knew a John Lattorette (sp) brown belt who only swam. I tried to teach him the thrusting method and he just wasn't seeing the logic.
Sean

 

[still learning]

Hello, Going straight in the shortest and fastest way to reach a tarket?
Bad habits can be form and corrected. But we do have too at times hook or go around to hit......true?

I like to swim in the ocean, than thrustering.................Aloha

 

[Touch Of Death]

You give up a lot of rib protection by swimming (DUN DUN.... DUN DUN DUN DUN)
Sean

 

[arnisador]

I'm a John Wayne by nature, but I strive for more of a thrust.

 

[Navarre]

Straight jabs are my preferred strike. They are the shortest route to the target, can carry all of the body momentum I choose to devote to it, and are the most difficult for the opponent's eye to perceive.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Straight jabs are my preferred strike. They are the shortest route to the target, can carry all of the body momentum I choose to devote to it, and are the most difficult for the opponent's eye to perceive.

Thrusting off the backhand is also a prefered method of mine.
Sean

 

[MJS]

I'm going with more of a thrust, although when done correctly, the overhand does have its benefits.

Mike

 

[Touch Of Death]

Of Course.
Sean

 

[Gin-Gin]

I'm going with more of a thrust, although when done correctly, the overhand does have its benefits.

Mike

Me too.

 

[Bigshadow]

The straightest line between my fist and the target along with the proper footwork and body movement maximizing the mechanical energy. Too lazy for all that muscle tension and stuff related to those hay maker punches.

 

[mj-hi-yah]

In a perfect situation a thruster - I strive for that...in the heat of battle though, whatever is there for me.

 

[Touch Of Death]

In a perfect situation a thruster - I strive for that...in the heat of battle though, whatever is there for me.

I don't follow. What would change your method of striking in a street situation?
Sean

 

[arnisador]

Adrenalin, panic, bad luck, Murphy's Law...things always slip to a lower level in an actual situation.

 

[FearlessFreep]

"I'm a lover, not a fighter"

 

[Touch Of Death]

Adrenalin, panic, bad luck, Murphy's Law...things always slip to a lower level in an actual situation.

I could see it happening in a swimmer turned thruster, but if thrusting is all you know, then the worst that could happen is a winging of the elbow, not a complete switch to the over the top method.
Sean

 

[jdinca]

I try and get my punches to come straight off the shoulder with the elbow in, not out (thruster, I guess). Shortest distance between two points, and all that.

 

[MartialIntent]

Does anyone think the swim style punch might generate more power [impulse] since it's potentially travelling a greater distance?

I've been taught to "shoot from the hip" as it were rather than coming over the top but the swim style punch - although maybe less elegant - for me always seemed to carry more force if that makes sense.

 

[arnisador]

For an untrained person I definitely think the overhand can be more powerful. You see the basic idea of it all the time in street fights. They find it easier to get their weight behind, and can drop down a little bit with it. It's intuitive. But it's slower, and if you know how to get your hip and shoulder into the punch and drive from the ground you can get a great punch from the thrust style that'll beat it to the target, amongst other advantages.