Use your body to strike

[Kung Fu Wang]

MA is much more than just

- throw a punch,
- pull punch back, and
- throw another punch.

Even when your arm is complete straight, as long as you

- bend your back leg,
- press on the ground,
- let the counter force to go through your back leg, your back, your shoulder, your arm, and reach to your hand, you can still generate power. Your arm is just part of your body that play no part of the power generation. Your power is generated by your back leg.

Here are examples of body hit body. Your whole body can be considered as a weapon. What's your opinion on this principle?

 

[skribs]

I think it goes from a strike to a shove. To clarify, I'm defining them as:

• Strike - technique that hits with intent to deal damage
• Shove - technique that hits with intent to create distance

When I do a front snap kick, I do it with a quick motion, designed to pierce into the opponent and cause damage to their body. I do this kick with a quick chamber and a quick snapping motion. With the front push kick (also known as the teep in other arts), I am trying to get my opponent away from me. I'll do a steeper chamber - like I'm coiling a spring - and then I'll plant my whole foot on the target and shove.

I think the same thing is happening here. The punch has two advantages over it that the body check doesn't.

1. Smaller striking surface, in that you're concentrating the strike on 2 knuckles instead of across your forearm.
2. Faster moving object to carry more kinetic energy. KE = 1/2 * M * V^2. Velocity is squared, while mass is linear. Higher velocity is important for imparting that energy on the target.

I think it's a useful technique. I just don't think it fills the same role as a punch.

 

[drop bear]

It is the basic principle behind a double leg.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

It is the basic principle behind a double leg.

Agree! For example, you use your body to hit on your opponent's body so his leg can come into your hand.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I just don't think it fills the same role as a punch.

Agree! Can you use your body strike to

- kill your opponent? I don't think that's possible.
- knock your opponent to be off balance? You can if you can control his leg/legs.

 

[JP3]

IMO any strike at all where you can get the body behind and working "into" the strike generates more power and is thus more effective.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

IMO any strike at all where you can get the body behind and working "into" the strike generates more power and is thus more effective.

The back leg can generate a lot of power.

- press down to the ground.
- borrow the counter force from the ground.
- step in that back leg.

 

[isshinryuronin]

Of course striking with the body, usually leading with the shoulder, is good. It doesn't have the velocity of a punch, but when in a confined position or the arms tied up, a punch won't be effective. All of the videos above show good body strikes utilizing the legs, hips & shoulder with balance and good energy transfer, like any other effective strike.

As great a swordsman as Miyamoto Musashi was, he was a fan of a strong shoulder strike when the situation was right, describing such a move in his Book of Five Rings. It can also be seen employed in ice hockey. While I have not seen this type of attack taught in TMA, there is no reason or rule to prevent its use. Using good body mechanics as shown in the various clips, above, it's a great move.

 

[skribs]

- knock your opponent to be off balance? You can if you can control his leg/legs.

Or if you're bigger than them.

When my Dad is sparring the teenagers, they try and kick him, and he just closes the distance and lets his body push them back. It helps that he's about twice their weight.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Or if you're bigger than them.

When my Dad is sparring the teenagers, they try and kick him, and he just closes the distance and lets his body push them back. It helps that he's about twice their weight.

If you get below their center of gravity and use your own body properly, you can do this to someone quite a bit bigger than you. You should be teaching this to these kids.

 

[skribs]

If you get below their center of gravity and use your own body properly, you can do this to someone quite a bit bigger than you. You should be teaching this to these kids.

Unfortunately the clinch is one thing that's woefully underdeveloped at my school.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Unfortunately the clinch is one thing that's woefully underdeveloped at my school.

Is there a reason why you can't change that?

 

[skribs]

Is there a reason why you can't change that?

Yes.

 

[drop bear]

The back leg can generate a lot of power.

- press down to the ground.
- borrow the counter force from the ground.
- step in that back leg.

When I did capoeira we called that vingitiva. I still pull it off in sparring every now and then.

 

[Buka]

Yes.

Personally, Skribs, I think you can do anything.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Yes.

Is that reason that your own clinch is underdeveloped, or a result of you not running the school?

If the first-that's something you can work on! If the second, and you realize it's an issue, then you should be able to talk to the school owner about that issue.

 

[drop bear]

You are probably not clinching if you are getting below someone's center of gravity.

I tend not to with striking and takedowns as I am then trying to grab guy through their primary punchy bits.

 

[skribs]

Is that reason that your own clinch is underdeveloped, or a result of you not running the school?

Yes.

I'm not going to get into it more than that. Frankly, I don't have the time for outside training right now, and my Master's curriculum is pretty much set.

 

[Danny T]

Use your body to strike
Yep. Major concept in every martial art I've trained.

 

[JP3]

If you get below their center of gravity and use your own body properly, you can do this to someone quite a bit bigger than you. You should be teaching this to these kids.

Use judo-type principles while engaged in a striking sparring session? Whoulda thunk it. Precisely correct from my point of view, too. Lower center, slide into thtm, cause off-balanced retreat step = space for techniquest to take place from the striking arsenal.