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What makes a punch powerful? According to the Ashihara school ..........
 The power of the punch must come from a combination of:
1 - the rotation of the shoulder and extension of the arm,
2 - the snapping open of the elbow,
3 - the waist swivelling forward,
4 - the spring-like straightening of the knees and
5 - the push from the ankles.
The shoulder and elbow lead this energy forward.
For a straight punch, come in on a direct line with the elbow; for a hook, swing in from the side; and for an upper cut, come up from below. Just before impact, move upward at the waist, knee, and ankle to release the stored energy of the body. This alone will produce sufficient force to fell your opponent.
* Premature release at the waist halves the power of the punch. Keep the waist tucked in until just before the elbow reaches full extension.
** Rotating the wrist slightly at the moment of impact (a screwing motion, thus called the screw punch) adds even more destructive power.
Put the weight of the entire body behind the punch Not only in punching, but in all forms of striking and kicking, the important point is not what the hands or feet do, but how you use the entire body. The body should be like a spring: the energy of the whole released through a single point.
In punching, the source of the power is in the lower body, focused through the hips. The upper body springs out, leading the energy forward. A smooth transfer of power through to the arm and fist is crucial. This energy - which we will term power wind-up - works exactly like a spring : compressed, its energy is saved until precisely the moment of impact. At this moment all energy flows through one place (such as the fist, or the striking surface of the leg) to be released explosively against the target. |
