Heel up vs heel down.

[Flying Crane]

Here is the full study referenced in Brian's link. Can you provide a link to whichever study you were looking at?

I'm not even sure how you could have subjects on their knees and with their heels flat on the ground at the same time. That doesn't seem anatomically possible.

It's not anatomically possible, and that was why I felt the whole thing was just flawed. The premise from the beginning does not make sense. I'm glad you pointed me in the right direction. I was starting to question Brian's good judgement.

 

[Kenposcholar]

I was taught heel down in American Kenpo and heel up in boxing. I utilize them both depending on the situation, opponent strength & speed, and along with my environment. One delivers more power and solidification while the other offers faster strikes and mobility. Both are important to train.

 

[Buka]

Both heels down. In addition, both feet should be pointed the same direction, typically towards the target. The typical American karate method of letting the rear foot point off at an angle is robbing power because it makes it much harder to rotate the hips to generate power.

I will grant that for someone who has never done it before, it feels 'odd' to keep both feet pointed in the same direction while punching, but it is (IMHO) the best way to generate power. Heels of course both firmly down.

Hold on now. I've been teaching American Karate for a long time. The rear foot has never been pointing off at an angle. The feet are always pointing in the same direction.

As for your rear foot down....I guess that's up to you. Certainly not for me.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Hold on now. I've been teaching American Karate for a long time. The rear foot has never been pointing off at an angle. The feet are always pointing in the same direction.

As for your rear foot down....I guess that's up to you. Certainly not for me.

Sorry, I meant 'typical' karate as taught in America, not a particular named-style. My bad!

 

[Touch Of Death]

Sorry, I meant 'typical' karate as taught in America, not a particular named-style. My bad!

If you are a thruster, you keep your toes pointed at the target, and enjoy the dynamics of the step-through. If not, you spread your toes apart and swing your arms back and forth.

 

[JowGaWolf]

A friend of mine posted this on his facebook page. Not sure how good the study is but it is an interesting read.

Study finds that heel-down posture in great apes and humans confers a fighting advantage

You beat me too it. I read that as well

 

[Ironbear24]

or a mistake to raise the subject LOL?

Why? There is nothing wrong with learning something.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Why? There is nothing wrong with learning something.

I think she was making a play on words there, IB.

 

[Ironbear24]

I think she was making a play on words there, IB.

I am really bad at catching those. Sarcasm is also something I don't get.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Well, without having read the entire study and their parameters and controls and whatnot, I will say that limb proportion for a modern human is such that being on all fours is awkward for most activities, which would include striking downward. Looks to me like the photos show people down on their knees, which is an awkward position to be in for many activities. Great apes have a different limb proportion so they are still on their feet and not down on their knees when knuckle-walking, and being in that posture is MUCH less awkward for them than for humans. Early human ancestors would have had different limb proportions from modern humans as well, so I'm not sure how this theory would hold up, in terms of human evolution. Early human ancestors and apes of any kind, do not walk around on their knees. Whatever their limb proportions, and whether they are bipedal or quadrupedal, they are on their feet, not their knees. People did not evolve from moving on their knees to moving on their feet. So conducting the study with people doing activities while on their knees strikes me as very problematic for the study.

He does a good job on all fours.

I didn't have the sound on so forgive me if this one is off base

 

[JR 137]

Both heels down. In addition, both feet should be pointed the same direction, typically towards the target. The typical American karate method of letting the rear foot point off at an angle is robbing power because it makes it much harder to rotate the hips to generate power.

I will grant that for someone who has never done it before, it feels 'odd' to keep both feet pointed in the same direction while punching, but it is (IMHO) the best way to generate power. Heels of course both firmly down.

Yeah, but you guys just punch weird. You don't even fully turn your fist over

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Yeah, but you guys just punch weird. You don't even fully turn your fist over

Yeah, we're more like the Wing Chun guys that way. Vertical fist is the shizz.

 

[drop bear]

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