One Inch Punch Origin

[Happy-Papi]

This has been bothering me all these years...

Who was the pioneer of the "One Inch Punch"?
Was it originally from Bruce Lee or was it originally from Traditional Chinese Martial Arts?
I heard that it was from Bruce Lee but I have seen very similar technique used in old Chinese Kung Fu movies...

Chinese Martial Arts is very wide and deep so I'll just ask the masters for your knowledge.

 

[Strikes]

It's in Wing Chun so I don't believe that Bruce Lee is the originator of it.

 

[Xue Sheng]

You can also find something similar in Xingyiquan and it is also possible based on taijiquan theory as well

 

[elder999]

I'd say the heel of the foot.

The origin of the one inch punch is in the heel of the rear foot.

 

[Big Don]

What Bruce Lee was, more than anything else, was an absolute genius of self promotion.

 

[Argus]

Bruce Lee trained under Yip Man and Wong Shun Leung in the Wing Chun system for a few years prior to coming to the states. He didn't actually complete the system, but it's what his own art was later based on.

I have more interest in the people he trained with than I do in he himself; Yip Man and Wong Shun Leung were outstanding martial artists in their own rights. If you want to learn more about Bruce and his training, you can also find some interviews of Hawkins Cheung - Bruce's friend in school, and training partner in Wing Chun (who is still teaching now in the United States, I believe).

 

[geezer]

As noted in several posts, The one-inch punch was made famous by Bruce Lee, and Bruce started with Wing Chun which trains this technique. Wing Chun in turn is a traditional Chinese martial art, and similarly explosive short punches are trained in other Chinese arts which have long histories. There are many methods for generating short-range power. Bruce's method differs from the traditional WC methods in several respects. Other systems have other methods.

And, it's not just a Chinese thing. My old Filipino martial arts instructor, Rene Latosa could (and still can) generate awesome short-punch power. I suspect that there have been great fighters throughout history that have developed some version of this skill.

 

[nocturnal_]

This has been bothering me all these years...

Who was the pioneer of the "One Inch Punch"?
Was it originally from Bruce Lee or was it originally from Traditional Chinese Martial Arts?
I heard that it was from Bruce Lee but I have seen very similar technique used in old Chinese Kung Fu movies...

It's one of the Wing Chun techniques, but a few other internal Chinese Martial Arts have techniques that are similar to it.
Bruce Lee just made it popular to the Western world, where the external arts were much popular than internal arts at that time.

 

[geezer]

It's one of the Wing Chun techniques, but a few other internal Chinese Martial Arts have techniques that are similar to it.
Bruce Lee just made it popular to the Western world, where the external arts were much popular than internal arts at that time.

Bruce Lee's jun fan/jkd seem pretty "external" to me, ...for that matter, traditional Wing Chun is "external" by Chinese standards although some branches, such as the one I study, are very "soft" or "flexible". But for that matter, some of the best Western boxers are very "soft", relaxed and "loose" but hit very hard! Often terms like internal and external are misused or so broadly used as to be largely meaningless. For clarification, ask Xue!

 

[lklawson]

I've seen several variations of the short power punch that are remarkably similar to the western boxing "Falling Step Punch" in body mechanics. Not sure if it's related or coincidental.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Happy-Papi]

Many thanks guys for sharing your knowledge.
I was only given broken lesson on Chinese Martial Arts and during those times we tried asking the question but didn't get proper answers. All of them were drunk and our questioning made them imitate Bruce Lee (nose touching thingy) and started their own debate about the subject which left me more clueless...

And to continue... me and my classmates at school had this same debate but the BIG QUESTION then was it's proper technique delivery. We all have our own version but I guess none of us was right. My theory was to first aim the punch (right hand) just one inch near the target with partly opened fist, then sharply do a stomping-like motion with the right foot and twist hips that makes the stomach and chest to wave, then through the arms, then clench fist for the final blow... Was I doing it right or am I totally doing it wrong? We had a similar technique in Kuntaw but probably different...

 

[lklawson]

My theory was to first aim the punch (right hand) just one inch near the target with partly opened fist, then sharply do a stomping-like motion with the right foot and twist hips that makes the stomach and chest to wave, then through the arms, then clench fist for the final blow... Was I doing it right or am I totally doing it wrong? We had a similar technique in Kuntaw but probably different...

Gah! Don't say that! Due to the fact that this sounds remarkably similar to two of the techniques Dempsey taught in his boxing book, "Championship Fighting," it is sure to reignite the debate on whether or not modern Boxing heavily cribbed from FMA in Manilla.

[just kidding. but I am always fascinated and unreasonably pleased when I find "universal techniques and body mechanics" illustrated in various martial systems which superficially seem so different. Thanks!!!]

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Xue Sheng]

I'd say the heel of the foot.

The origin of the one inch punch is in the heel of the rear foot.

NO NO NO NO NO!!!!

The ROOT...how many times must I tell you, it comes form the ROOT!!!! SHEEESH...get the terminology right next time...will ya

 

[Touch Of Death]

There is no such thing as a one inch punch. This, my friends, is a one inch push. Think about it.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Once you take the idea of punching away, you can one inch strike/push with any part of your body.

 

[elder999]

NO NO NO NO NO!!!!

The ROOT...how many times must I tell you, it comes form the ROOT!!!! SHEEESH...get the terminology right next time...will ya

Hmm.....maybe if Bruce Lee had a root....:lol:

(more to come...)

 

[GaryR]

You can also find something similar in Xingyiquan and it is also possible based on taijiquan theory as well

Yup, Bruce definitely didn't make it up, he got it from WC, and I'm no sure where WC got it from, or if it's native to WC.

Comparing the WC / Bruce Lee one-inch punch with the Taiji / Xingyi version; The WC version (although combat viable) is less "internal", it is weaker, and is mechanically lacking. Bruce didn't have the training for this comparison, had he lived longer that may have been different.

G

 

[lklawson]

he got it from WC, and I'm no sure where WC got it from

Western Boxing, of course. Haven't you noticed how the standard Wing Chun stance looks suspiciously like the London Prize Ring rules Boxing stance?

http://books.google.com/books?id=Ct...96#v=onepage&q=wing chun ready stance&f=false

<ducking>



Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Takai]

just kidding. but I am always fascinated and unreasonably pleased when I find "universal techniques and body mechanics" illustrated in various martial systems which superficially seem so different. Thanks!!!]

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

The truth is still the truth no matter where you find it.

 

[Argus]

Western Boxing, of course. Haven't you noticed how the standard Wing Chun stance looks suspiciously like the London Prize Ring rules Boxing stance?

View attachment 18118


http://books.google.com/books?id=Ct...96#v=onepage&q=wing chun ready stance&f=false

<ducking>



Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

Actually, I was reading some of your posts on bareknuckle boxing just the other day, and did notice a few semblances to Wing Chun. Granted, that's kind of like saying that I notice a few semblances between English and German.