punches training

Ensicon · 05-08-2006

Quote:

What if I could absolutely guarantee that your punches would be more powerful in a month?
What if I could make it a week? What if I could guarantee that you'll feel results in one day?!

Are you interested?

Those martial artists who have naver practiced this excercise will be absolutely amazed at the
amount of power they can generate after perfecting this excercise. And those of you who already
know and practice this style of punching will probably still benefit from reading this article
and the quote and tip that follow. I think I have a few twists to add.

Have you ever noticed that some martial artists seem to have punches that have "impact"? Sure,
we all learn to punch powerfully. We punch focus mitts, heavy bags, makiwara etc...

We learn the proper technique. We learn to put our hip behind the punch. Some learn to punch
from cradled position, others learn the one inch punch and so on...

We are learning to power punch. Still -- some folks pack an awesome, devastating amount of power
behind their wallops. You could say "their wallops pack a wallop."

So how does one develop this kind of smash-through power?

When I started out in JKD, I really lacked power in my punches. Sure, I had been taking Karate,
and before that Tae Kwon Do. Yet the guys in my JKD class were sending folks flying with their
one-inch punches, while all I could get was a little grunt out of my partner, and I was punching
from about two feet away.

I needed power.

Steve Golden was more than happy to oblige. He threw me up against the wall (not literally), and
he had me practice on my own.... Against the wall.

I practiced with vertical punches.

I had noticed these small canvas bags hanging on the wall. They were filled with sand. They looked
like miny throw pillows that you find on couches or beds. He put me infront of one of them and had
me start punching...

***Don't stop reading yet, it gets better!***

After I got used to punching the wall bag, he changed the "energy".

Steve Golden didn't want me to stop punching after my fist made contact. I had heard about punching
through an object but this was different.

He wanted me to continue the pressure against the sandbag for a count of 10. Not 10 seconds, but not
a superfast 10 either, somewhere in-between.

So, I'd punch-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-nine-ten relax.
Then I'd punch with the other fist. He had me do this until my arms were really aching. They were
trembling.

Then I rested.

When he had me go against the other students, my punches seemed to fly through their defenses. Nothing
could stop them... Except better technique, which most of these guys had.

But now I had more powerful punches.

I felt a big difference afer only 20 minutes against the wall. And you will too, if you have never tried
this before. I went home and rigged up a temporary pad against the wall of my garage. I punched all
weekend long. I noticed even more of a difference. After a month of daily practice, all I could say was
"WOW!"

------------

Getting Even More Power....

Steve had always given me something to think about when practicing. He has had me imagine that my arms
are like wet noodles, my fingers like mini hoses filled with water, my wrist like in was pulling a giant
spring, etc...

At first, when I punched, he had me imagine that I was moving the wall with my count of ten. I imagined
that the sheer intensity of my punch was shoving the building back. My fist vibrated as it trembled from
the intensity of the continuous punch for a count of ten. I imagined that I was causing the wall to
tremble too.

My punches got good, but they still had a bit of a "push" quality to them. I wanted more penetration.

So, Steve had me change my imagery again. Now, I imagined that my fist punched with such concerntrated
power that it punched a hole in the wall.

On my own, to make the image more complete, I imagined bursting the sandbag. Then I extended it to 'denting'
the wall (in my mind).

And my punches got stronger....

You understand why this works right? You get used to punching a wall, an imovable object. Your muscles get
used to the jarring impact -- and they keep pushing/punching.

Then, when you actually make contact with an opponent, your muscles are used to trying to pound through a
wall. A human body is nothing by comparison, and so it gives way easily.

You need to try it, if you havnt before.

And for those of you already familiar with the technique; -

1) Have you tried it from different extensions? My punch makes contact with the sandbag slightly before the
arm reaches full extension. But you can get completely different energy effect by making contact at 3/4 extension.
Can you see the benefit of being able to draw on this penetrating energy a little early?

2) If you are punching to a count of then, try adding an extra little push on the count of eleven. You punch
ten, then dig in a bit on the eleventh count. You'll get a little extra advantage when the time comes. Dont
think of this as a seperate motion, it just continues a hair more with more intensity. I even mentally repeat
the word "dig" as I do it.

3) Don't forget your follow ups! Punch-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight- nine-ten-DIG, elbow strike into
the sand bag!

4) Vary the count. Shorten your count to three. Can you convince your brain that you need to punch three
times as hard, since you'll only have be punching to a count of three?

Read this on another forum the other day.
This technique sure might come in handy, but it's important not to strain your hands/arms too much.

Splinter · 05-12-2006

Seems like a pretty decent read from what I skimmed. I didn't exaclty read it all, but it seems as if its really just common sense. Where did you find this?

rogue · 05-12-2006

Not a bad read. I read through the entire thing. It's got some things in there that I already knew, but for a lot of the newer guys, I think this would be a great post for them.

Ensicon · 05-12-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Splinter

Seems like a pretty decent read from what I skimmed. I didn't exaclty read it all, but it seems as if its really just common sense. Where did you find this?

I found this on another Mixed Martial Arts Forum, the guy who posted it over there, got it in an e-mail if i remember correctly.