Hand and foot arrive at the same time, or foot arrive first and hand arrive later?

[Kung Fu Wang]

When you punch, should your hand and foot arrive at the same time (as shown in the following clips)?

or, should your foot arrive first and hand arrive later (as shown in the following clip)?

Your thought?

 

[Flying Crane]

There is no objective right or wrong answer. It depends on your methodology and the specific circumstances.

If you are charging, you generally want them to arrive together. But you might be stepping or repositioning and you might be getting your power from torso rotation. In that case you want to be rooted.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

As long as you're hand doesn't land before you're foot, you're good

 

[Buka]

I've had success all three ways.

The hand landing before the foot - I use in a couple of different charges that I favor.

But then - I really like to shove/push. Been training it for years. When I do, my hands hit the target at the same time my foot hits the ground. It's the only way a shove/push feels right to me.

So....I dunno'.

 

[Danny T]

Hand instant before foot
Hand at the same time as foot
Body before foot
Foot before body
Foot before hand

 

[hoshin1600]

As long as you're hand doesn't land before you're foot, you're good

My teacher taught me the Ken Norton method of the punch landing slightly before the foot. It adds a little bit of gravity and body weight into the punch.
I feel all three ways are good.

 

[mber]

This is not novel, but...it all depends on the circumstance. Certainly, it pays to train all of them.

 

[pdg]

My teacher taught me the Ken Norton method of the punch landing slightly before the foot. It adds a little bit of gravity and body weight into the punch.
I feel all three ways are good.

While we're taught to finish everything together, the "adding help of gravity and body weight" into a punch/technique is part of the reasoning behind the sine wave (ITF TKD).

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

My teacher taught me the Ken Norton method of the punch landing slightly before the foot. It adds a little bit of gravity and body weight into the punch.
I feel all three ways are good.

I hung out after class yesterday to hit a bag and pay attention to my foot/hand timing. Realized that in general, my foot is there before my hand, rooted for me to punch (on a bag). When I add in more footwork, ducks, step ins, etc. they occur at the same time. Even when I do a kick-punch combo, my foot is landing generally with the punch. I also realized that for me, I need that for power. My power (how I conceptualize the way my power works), is starting from the foot, and working it's way up through my body; so my foot, hip and shoulder all need to be working together when I make contact. I couldn't really find a way to do that with my foot landing afterwards. It may be different for those who generate power differently, but I can't see how the little bit of gravity is worth sacrificing the power coming from the foot movement.

 

[jobo]

I hung out after class yesterday to hit a bag and pay attention to my foot/hand timing. Realized that in general, my foot is there before my hand, rooted for me to punch (on a bag). When I add in more footwork, ducks, step ins, etc. they occur at the same time. Even when I do a kick-punch combo, my foot is landing generally with the punch. I also realized that for me, I need that for power. My power (how I conceptualize the way my power works), is starting from the foot, and working it's way up through my body; so my foot, hip and shoulder all need to be working together when I make contact. I couldn't really find a way to do that with my foot landing afterwards. It may be different for those who generate power differently, but I can't see how the little bit of gravity is worth sacrificing the power coming from the foot movement.

It isn't really gravity, it's momentum from the movement,

 

[marques]

I would say both together because it is a bit faster than leg first (which is perhaps better if you want to change the plan in the last instant.

In practice I land hand first more often than I wish. It is a bad habit, but I am faster this way and still deliver more power (due to inertia) than my (weak) wrist can support. So...

In practice it depends on what you want to achieve, who is your opponents and what fits you (or even which weaknesses you can turn in advantages or live well with).

Like in boxing, the first ‘rule’ is hands up. When you are good enough (or better than the opponents) most rules doesn’t apply and hand(s) down my become the way.

 

[skribs]

As long as you're hand doesn't land before you're foot, you're good

Someone's obviously not familiar with the Superman Punch!

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Someone's obviously not familiar with the Superman Punch!

obviously there are exceptions lol

 

[dvcochran]

I've had success all three ways.

The hand landing before the foot - I use in a couple of different charges that I favor.

But then - I really like to shove/push. Been training it for years. When I do, my hands hit the target at the same time my foot hits the ground. It's the only way a shove/push feels right to me.

So....I dunno'.

Back in my Olympic sparring days one of my favorite punches was the lead hand reverse punch. You pick your front foot up swinging it back as hard while punching the front hand. The punch becomes a reverse therefore a score. The moving foot seldom touches the ground until after contact.

 

[dvcochran]

I would say both together because it is a bit faster than leg first (which is perhaps better if you want to change the plan in the last instant.

In practice I land hand first more often than I wish. It is a bad habit, but I am faster this way and still deliver more power (due to inertia) than my (weak) wrist can support. So...

In practice it depends on what you want to achieve, who is your opponents and what fits you (or even which weaknesses you can turn in advantages or live well with).

Like in boxing, the first ‘rule’ is hands up. When you are good enough (or better than the opponents) most rules doesn’t apply and hand(s) down my become the way.

If your punch is before your step your timing is off and the punch is fully extended so your are essentially falling into the target. Or, you are purposely doing a segmented (arm only) punch which, of course, will be weaker.

 

[marques]

If your punch is before your step your timing is off and the punch is fully extended so your are essentially falling into the target. Or, you are purposely doing a segmented (arm only) punch which, of course, will be weaker.

Well, the leg I don’t land in time (often) is the rear leg. I did not put it clear in my comment. No issues with the lead leg. Anyway, agree with what you say.

 

[Balrog]

When you punch, should your hand and foot arrive at the same time ?

I teach that you hold the chamber until the last possible second, then fire the hand when the moving foot hits the ground. I use the visual imagery that there is a button on the floor and when you step on it, your hands fire.

 

[dvcochran]

I teach that you hold the chamber until the last possible second, then fire the hand when the moving foot hits the ground. I use the visual imagery that there is a button on the floor and when you step on it, your hands fire.

It is not often that I argue that Poomse techniques are different from sparring but this time I will. In forms we teach that it is very important for the hand and foot to stop at the same time for balance, power, elegance. In sparring that is just not a reality. For the ultimate power in a SD situation I defer back to my Poomse training.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Back in my Olympic sparring days one of my favorite punches was the lead hand reverse punch. You pick your front foot up swinging it back as hard while punching the front hand. The punch becomes a reverse therefore a score. The moving foot seldom touches the ground until after contact.

Are you unable to score with a lead hand punch in Olympic tkd? And how was the power on that strike?

 

[Ironbear24]

Fist before foot lands. That way weight goes into it.