lgm

I can understand how wrapping the hands can protect the hands from impact injury by promoting the rigidity of the finger joints and wrist, but I cannot understand how it can make you hit harder. Hitting harder depends on the acceleration of the punching arm, putting the body mass behind your punch, rotating or vibrating the hips and other biomechanical motions needed to achieve maximum acceleration of the punch. You're missing one thing as well- surface area. When comparing the impact of something, you need to take into account its surface area and that of the target. This is why when you swing a knife it cuts, but when you swing a flapjack (a handheld lead filled piece of leather about the size of a knife) it knocks people out. The same is said when comparing a baseball bat with a samurai sword. No, I'm not missing the surface area variable in my explanation. The surface area of the target hit doesn't have any effect on total net force of your punch, strike or kick. In other words, the surface area of the target hit will not increase the force of your blow. The discussion was how force of the blow is increased and not its damaging effect, so there was no reason to bring it in. Certainly damage effect cannot be excluded in any discussion of punching, striking or kicking, but that was not the issue in the previous exchange. Now to discuss the variable of the damage effect. This is dependent on the surface area of the target hit and the contact area of the hitting force. If the resiliency characteristics of two areas is held constant or the same, e.g. similar body area (skin, muscles and bones taken together) and the force of the blow is also constant, then the damage effect will depend on the dimension of the area hit and that of the area hitting. A smaller area compared to a larger area hit of the same resiliency by a smaller area of a hitting force as compared to a larger one of the same force, there will be a greater penetration of the force by the smaller hitting force area on the smaller hit area than a larger hitting force area on a larger area hit. This is because the force is focused on a smaller point and not spread and dissipated across a larger area. In your example, this is the reason why the sword or samurai will cut while the flapjack or baseball bat will not. The hitting area of the sword or samurai is smaller or thinner than that of the flapjack or baseball bat and the body surface area hit by the former is smaller while that of the latter is larger. I don't think we disagree. I was just trying to explain the difference between the force generated by a blow which is caused by variables independent of and not affected by the surface area hit as against the actual damage effect of the blow that must depend also on the surface area hit.

If you are responding to my previous quote, I'm just documenting a source from the Internet which in my view is quite authoritative, as I'm not an expert in boxing terms. Do you have any evidence that Answers.com is not a reliable or accurate authority in publishing definitions of such terms in their data base? I'm keeping an open mind on this. Kindly convince me. Who are the people whom you say "actually train, watch and coach the stuff"? Please specify or indicate your documentary source. Is this offered as a serious lexically correct definition of a "cross punch" or a joke? Please clarify and explain further.

I can understand how wrapping the hands can protect the hands from impact injury by promoting the rigidity of the finger joints and wrist, but I cannot understand how it can make you hit harder. Hitting harder depends on the acceleration of the punching arm, putting the body mass behind your punch, rotating or vibrating the hips and other biomechanical motions needed to achieve maximum acceleration of the punch. However, hurting your hand on the first or initial impacts can cause you to consciously slow down your punch, achieve less contact with the target or deliberately hit with less force because of the feedback pain. Feedback pain can slow down your baseline or maximum punch, but absence pain cannot increase your punch beyond your baseline maximum force. The only physical and biomechanical factors that can increase it are what I explained in the second sentence of my first paragraph above.

No, a cross punch is used in boxing and is a straight punch like the reverse. I know with a word like "cross" it sounds like a right angled punch but thats a hook (in boxing). From Answers.com: Cross punch is defined as "a hook thrown over an opponent's punch in boxing (in sports)". See http://www.answers.com/topic/cross

This doesn't seem to have any scientific basis. How do you explain this in terms of Newton's law or some other laws of motion/force, if you please?

I don't know whether or not the Shotokan karate definition will help you, but here it is. The roundhouse punch (mawashi zuki) is a punch delivered from the side in a semi-circular trajectory to the side of the opponent. On the other hand, a hook punch (kagi zuki) is one which although also delivered from the side, it does not travel a semi-circular trajectory or route, but straight across the body to the opposite side at right angles to the body and parallel to the ground. TKD, other karate ryus or martial arts styles may have a different definition or concept of the nature of these two punches.

Excuse me, Jay, I don't dig what you mean here. "Blocking" means you are physically deflecting or stopping the attacking limb from hitting you and this requires that your blocking limb comes in physical contact with that of your opponent. For clarification purposes, I can cite three ways how you could defend against a punch, strike or kick from your opponent: First, you can block with your arm, hand, leg or foot without moving your whole body away (meaning, you remain stationary in your stance as you block) and by "blocking", this means simply moving away the attacking limb of your opponent with your arm, hand or foot from its intended line of attack Second, you can block in the manner described above and at the same time move your whole body away too, as when you sidestep and at the same time block. Third, you may not block at all and simply evade or duck away from the attacking limb of your opponent. Are we on the same page?

so what about the people that have made their hands able to break boards with punches,palm strikes,fingertip strikes,knife hand strikes.and so forth. If your ambition is to demonstrate breaking boards, blocks or tiles for fame, entertainment or gainful employment, perhaps you may risk damaging your hands which will preclude efficiency at fine motor activities or could lead to possible early arthritis at a later age as trade off. That's your decision.

In our organization, five kata (Heians) are for white-[9th kyu] to purplebelt [4th kyu]). Two Tekki kata (1 and 2) are for brownbelts (3rd to 1st kyu). Two advanced kata (Bassai and Kanku dai), at least, for 1st degree blackbelt (Sho dan). The rest of the advanced kata, for higher dan rank beyond sho dan.

I have to disagree with this. The "X-block" is absolutely terrible to use as a block, and in fact will weaken the block, placing the arms against each other like that (Just ask the guy that came to our dojo having broken both his wrists at his previous dojo when his sensei told him to block a mae geri with X-block). If you check my previous post, I was referring to the X-block as an exception to the more popular way of blocking which is tangential, at right or acute angle to the direction of the attacking limb. Angela, are you disagreeing with this? Or, are you possibly disagreeing that it is an effective block which I never stated. I may have been misunderstood, eh? As my quote reveals: "many experienced fighters would not encourage its [X-block] use..." You are probably one of them. I too would not encourage its use for blocking because it meets head-on or directly the oncoming attack with attempted full stopping, or if I may use an analogy, head-on collision, and not tangentially. Had the guy who came to your dojo who broke both his wrists at his previous dojo when his sensei told him to block a mae geri with X-block may not have been around as proof of the X-block's inefffectiveness or injurious effect to its practitioner, master Itosu would have scrapped the use of X-block (juji uke) when he constructed his famous Heians 4 and 5 that we all practice now and probably replaced them with, at least, augmented forearm blocks (pun intended). Right, it's a good block. But, with me, I would not advocate it as the "only" block to use. There are many more variants that can block the attacking limb at tangential points with varying angles and are effective too. But, we agree that the guiding principle should be that force should not directly or head-on be met with force, if there's a better way available in the course of fighting. Tai sabaki (bodyshifting, as in evasion or ducking) is the most economical as it doesn't even have to necessarily make contact with the attacking limb and definitely no collateral damage on one's blocking limb. However, in a fight, we must be ready to defend in a progressively expensive and risky fashion proportionate to the lethality and nature of the attack, from the most economical, safest and least dangerous to us to the one that is most expensive and risky, all in the aim of protecting ourselves from permanent or fatal damage.

Yes, but that wasn't my point. I simply stated that you didn't indicate whether the person fought was a grappler... My explanation is found on the quote that immediately follows. When someone attacks you in the street, you can only assume he is a grappler and not a stand up fighter from his fighting posture before or in the process of attacking. In my example I qualified it to describe that the "opponent goes on a tackling stance and attacks..." and on this basis alone you would assume he is a grappler-fighter. You won't know whether he is untrained or not before the actual fight begins and at its initial stage, if he is a total stranger to you. Or that he is suckering you into thinking he is a grappler. I do this on occasion, to cause a person to 'assume' i am not capable of standup fighting. As well, i put on a firm stance on occasion, to sucker grapplers into going for a single leg. I then fold on them and am on top of them. Quite possible he is suckering me into thinking he is one. But, the fight is just beginning and I'm still thinking as I fight. I would soon find out in his next second move what his strategy is, hopefully that is. ...Anyway, the point is not actually to knock down, or knock out, but to cause as much damage as possible in as short a time as possible. What you are presenting is what i call the 'big mistake.' It is aiming for the knockout, rather than being relentless and overwhelming the grappler at the striking range. Knocking out your opponent may be fine and dandy, but that is headhunting, and will get you in trouble with a grappler. To me, aiming to knock down or knock out a guy is not a 'big mistake'. What you call "relentless and overwhelming the grappler at the striking range" may be one means of doing so, but it is just the instrumental means to a more definite end objective, which is putting the guy out of commission. Knocking him out, which is a penultimate end, definitely puts him out of commission which I would say, is the ultimate end of your fighting it out with him. Other than relentless, shotgun or machine-gun type of striking, it cannot be disputed that an expert standup fighter may be quite good at hitting pinpointed vital targets with appropriate setting up strategies. There's more than one way to skin a grappler. One opinion deserves another on how it can be done. Aiming for small targets is always a bad idea, especially in the rush of a confrontation. If, during your barrage, you gain the opportunity... sure, take it. But do not make it your end-goal, or primary targets. If anything, they should be targets of opportunity. I don't think we disagree much here. My instrumental means could be as you describe, "targets of opportunity", some of which are vital, others semi-vital while others are just diversionary, any open target that presents itself is welcome and should be taken advantage of. But, my idea of a expert fighting is aiming for the vital spots that could end the fight fast and decisively as my ultimate goal. Now to reach this final goal, I may have to go through the target of opportunity-route to get to it, why not? So, more or less we are on the same page.

A reverse punch is basically the same as a cross punch. Sorry, guys, but I think we have a communication problem on what lunge punch, cross punch and reverse punch are. I don't think we are talking of the same things with those terms. In Shotokan karate, lunch punch (oi zuki) is a stepping punch, usually straight punch type where you step forward as you punch straight. Same foot and same punching arm/fist forward. Now, reverse punch (gyaku zuki), in Shotokan karate, is punching straight forward while assuming a stance where the forward foot is opposite that of the punching arm/fist. We don't have what you call a "cross punch", but I think this should be equivalent to what we have a "hook punch" (kagi zuki), where the punch is directed not to the front but to the side at right angles to the body, usually but not always where the lead foot is opposite to the punching arm/fist. I would appreciate how you define those 3 terms which I just defined in your own karate style or organization, so we will know if we are talking of the same thing. We cannot intelligently debate on which punch is more powerful unless we are clear on what the nature of these punches are. Thanks!

I have no disagreement that a hook punch which is delivered by one who knows how to execute it properly and can put a lot of his body behind it is more powerful than the same punch which is delivered by another who doesn't know how to execute properly and can't put his body behind it. But since two different variables are involved here, namely the person punching and kind of punch done, and unless one is adequately controlled, we would not be able to conclude validly which of these two variables caused a more powerful punch. But, if we control one of these variables, namely the person punching, we may be able to know which punch (hook punch or straight lunge punch) is more powerful than the other. So, if one and the same person were to do a hook punch (kagi zuki) in one test and then a straight lunge punch(oi zuki) in another test, which kind of punch do you think will be more powerful and why do you think so?

Most reputable karate schools, particularly those with international clout, usually require an average of 4 years of regular karate training, from whitebelt to blackbelt and the passing of all preparatory kyu gradings. The value and significance of the the black belt and the BB certificate depends so much on what standards were set and subsequently met by the student. The higher the standards and stricter the requirements, the more valuable and prestigious these two symbols of achievement will have. The more rigid or difficult the requirements probably but not always reveal the comparable status of a BB from organization to another. I don't know about other karate organizations but at JKA Phils-PTKF, one difficult requirement for passing Shodan rank, after almost an hour of kihon and kata self-demonstration, is the much awaited, closed door (no public allowed as well as other karate students except the brownbelts taking the exam and the BB examiners) "gauntlet kumite" (I coined this for identification purposes only as we don't have an official name for it, except "kumite"). In this "gauntlet kumite, the shodan candidate is compelled to fight 6 to 12 blackbelts and BB assistant instructors at 3 to 5 minutes in full-contact kumite, in unbroken succession, without any time out, except injury time out. The candidate must try to remain standing on his feet at all times and continue fighting, must stand up again and fight everytime he is knocked down, and whatever the pain he is experiencing, he must not give up and withdraw during this part of the exam. Every shodan in our organization since 1965 up to the present has to go through this baptism of fire and initiation into the prestigious blackbelt rank, which is the traditional JKA Honbu training that our Sasaki Sensei has brought to our organization from JKA Japan in the mid-60s. According to him, this type of exam is given for sandan rank in JKA Japan during his training there prior to his commission by Nakayama to set up karate instruction in the Philippines in 1965. He instituted this exam tradition for shodan in JKA Phils.-PTKF and has remain unbroken to this day. While being proficient at defense and attack is basic to pass this shodan exam, it is the candidate's fighting spirit that is principally tested by this "brutal" method. His determination to survive despite overwhelming odds are put to a big challenge. In the streets, you may be outnumbered, outfought by superior forces, but you will fight to the finish and never give up a righteous fight for self-preservation and those of your loved ones. This probably is the very essence of such an unpopular test. For some a sublime and noble goal, for others barbaric and obnoxious. If you ask me, I won't want to go through it again. Yet I'm happy I made it through without any major problem, which now simply exist as pain memories that provide some inspirational comfort to an aging karate like yours truly. Looking back, I still feel more lucky than karate proficient to have made it then. In comparison, my sandan exam was a breeze, but that's another story. Personally, I know this is considered to be a "barbaric" type of shodan exam by many people and though I narrated it here, I would not recommend it to any karate organization in other parts of the world. Many countries have strict laws against such initiations, I believe.

Look mean, sound mean and act mean. Tell a mean lie as prelude to a possible fight. For example, tell the guy in your most convincing tone that you won't fight him because you are on parole havingy recently killed a guy with your bare hands and the court has advised you not to use them while on parole. If this doesn't work, and he is about to attack you, pull out your licensed gun and ask permission to leave the place. If he still attacks, immediately run and then about face and fire a warning shot. If he doesn't stop or brings out his own armed weapon, then shoot to disable until the attack ends. Hey, I forgot to mention you should have used your karate somewhere along the narrative. But, that's fine. It's a streetfight, not a sparring match in the dojo. Ok now, if by any chance he has disarmed you of your gun as he eats bullets for lunch, then you have no choice but to use your karate or some other Japanese word you know, whichever you think is best at that point. Just kidding, folks! I have done too much posting in one day now and screwed my brains, after having promoted myself from white to yellow belt in one posting session. I think I better retire for the day. Have a nice weekend, every one reviewing this lonely thread! Gene

The general principle in blocking is never to directly block or stop an oncoming punch, strike or kick in its linear or curvilinear trajectory. This would require much greater power and it is likely to damage your blocking arm, hand, feet or leg. In almost all blocks, the direction of the blocking arm should be tangential to the direction of the attacking limb, preferably at right angle (90 degrees) or at the very least acute angle (45 degrees). The goal is to deflect the oncoming attack, not to literally block it headon. In so doing, less power is needed to deflect the attacking limb away from the targetted body part and is tactically effective in that it leaves the attacker for an effective counter along the line opening left by the blocked arm or leg. One notable exception is the X-block. Many experienced fighters would not encourage its use, as it ties up your other hand for an immediate or simultaneous counter or in blocking a simultaneous limb attack, and is potentially injurious to the person's blocking arms as it meets the force head on. However, since the blocking arm is heavily reinforced, using two instead of one arm, the potential damage is minimized. Gene

Unless you make a living hitting people and killing people or breaking objects for gainful demonstrations with your bare hands, this hard method of hand conditioning is ill-advised. It can de-sensitize your hands and fingers to preclude very fine motor activities that you may need in your employment. It could also lead to hand and finger deformation as well as early onset of arthritic and other bone and skin disorders. If you are training in karate for sport or street defense, you don't need such extreme forms of hand conditioning that the old Samurai warriors and ninjas of feudal Japan needed to do to excel in their killing art. Gene

Mine comes and goes through the years. Shotokan karate has a tendency to put pressure on the knees because of the low and wide stances. My right knee was broken and the knee cap is now just a portion of the original due to car injury 25 years ago. But, I never stopped doing my karate kicks daily up to this very day since 38 years past. However, as I mellowed in age, I don't kick full extension anymore nor have I remained faithful to the true low Shotokan stances. I'm now 55 years and my doctors in the past have diagnosed my left knee as pre-arthritic, but they couldn't keep me away from my favorite physical pastime. My karate may not really be true to form anymore as was in my youth, but I'm still doing karate and have no plans of stopping at all. Gene

Good advice. I fully agree. If it is still "functioning normally", I'd give it a few days and ice... if it doesn't improve at all, then it'd be something worth getting checked out. If there's a popping sound everytime you rotate it, it could be some slight, temporary dislignment in the joints. That may not be something to worry about unless the popping sound doesn't go away after a few days and it's causing you some pain. In that case, you better see your doctor and have it x-rayed if he so advises it. Gene

Modern-day "ninjas" are believed by most as scam artists, charlatans and fakes in the martial arts world. Ninjas and their martial arts had their ulitilitarian effectiveness in feudal Japan and I believe, they have become extinct as a species of martial system, since we don't hear of any contemporary authentic ones still plying their dreaded mercenary trade in the manner of their ancient tradition in feudal Japan in our modern societies. Today, they are as alive as the knights of the Round Table or the Three Musketeers of France and gladiators of Rome, but only in the movies, TV, pocketbooks and in cartoons. They are now a thing of our historic past. Gene

The problem with a roundhouse or hook punch is that you can't put much body weight behind the punch. Everything depends on how fast you accelerate your punching arm and fist and rotate your torso in a semi-circular direction as well the semi-circular withdrawing hand the follows a similar but opposite vector. For this reason, a stepping or lunge punch (oi zuki) or reverse punch (gyaku zuki) is more powerful when executed by one and the same person due to the biomechanical and physical force differentials involved. Gene

If one's sense of pride is based on actual achievements while remaining aware of one's limitation and this pride is not loud or indiscriminately manifested, then I believe it is a positive and helpful rather than destructive trait in the karateka. Gene

It's a subtle cinematic propaganda which propounds the dictum that the karate gi doesn't make the karateka. Those people in karate gi in the movie all got kicked in their "behind" by the hero. So, the moral of the story: It is the karateka that is his karate and not his karate gi. He might fight in his birthday clothes and still wins. Anyway, this reminds me of the Jacky Chan's movie, Tuxedo.,where the suit makes the fighter the winner he never was. It's only a movie! Gene

Develop fast and strong blocks through endless kihon repetitions. Develop effective blocks through pre-arranged sparring that progresses into free-style sparring. Only through sparring will you be able to judge proper distance, timing and tai sabaki (body motion). Caveat: If you fighting without thick gloves, develop efficient hand and arm blocks without injury to your fingers and hands by making it a habit to block kicks with closed fist rather than open hand. With punches and hand strikes which are generally faster and less powerful than kicks, an open hand block, parry or sweep may be more effective as the latter is usually delivered faster than a closed fist while injury is less likely. Finally, blocking with the feet or even the knee requires more advanced training and timing. Don't attempt to block a kick with your feet unless you have mustered enough speed and reliable accuracy to make your block well-timed and thus effective. Gene

Yes , this is true Yes, for Shotokan (JKA) karate, we have the 26 kata to learn SD applications from. However, some kata movements or techniques are disguised or have hidden meanings, so therefore the karateka in such instances can extract from its symbolic appearance his own SD interpretation or adopt the suggested interpretations by contemporary kata bunkai experts in Shotokan. However, what is important is to master the basic (kihon) techniques of defense and attack and perhaps a few simple waza (combinations) rather than the many specific techniques tailor-fitted for specific combat attacks. In an actual fight, you will have to fight instinctively, without much conscious and deliberate thinking, and the variety of attack forms are random and myriad. For this reason, mastering of a few well-habituated moves that have been conditioned through training to almost instinctive, automatic level as sort of template moves adaptable to specific random attacks will be more effective. Gene