Thursday, August 13, 2009

Analyzing the Differences between the Two Kinds of Punches

By Al Case

If you want to be effective when learning the martial arts, you need to learn the gains and limitations of the two kinds of punches. Knowing these punches will proscribe and guide your potential combat strategies. Knowing these punches will enlighten you as as a Martial Artist and severely effect your training.

A thrusting punch is the first kind of punch. A thrusting punch is like a train running into something and going through. Simply, there is no back off, and the punch goes through.

Now, the problem with the thrusting punch is...what happens to all the cars behind the train? They all collide, stack up, and become a mess. Thus, a thrusting punch, while in theory the unstoppable force, does risk becoming a mess.

Once delivered, the thrusting punch enters the space of the opponent and can become immersed. The body behind the punch, unless the whole body has moved forward, risks becoming unbalanced. Thrust, and you face the possibility of becoming overcommitted.

A snapping punch is the second type of punch. Imagine a jackhammer striking cement, but only impacting once and then holding off. It hits, damages as much as possible, and then retreats.

Now, the problem with the snapping punch is...not enough weight is put into the punch. The body doesn't move into the action, and so weight is not fully committed to the punch. You have your balance, but were you really effective?

Now, a thrusting punch is a strategy involving moving your body, using your entire weight, committing it to the action, and if you miss you're going to be out of place and unbalanced, and you're going to then have lots of problems. The snapping punch is a strategy where you make the strike, but don't always create enough hurt. The snapping punch gives less weight, but 95% of the weight will be left in the body of the opponent, a thrust punch commits weight, but takes fifty per cent of the shock back up the arm.

So we have the argument as to which is better, the snapping punch or the thrusting punch. Each punch has good points and bad, and you're going to have to gauge commitment versus noncommittment, balance versus stability, weight versus speed, weight left in the body versus weight backed up the arm, potential follow ups, positioning, and so on and so on. When you're done gauging all these potentials, however, you're going to have the right punch for the right situation.

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