The importance of a straight back in MA

[ninjanurse]

You don't get more power with your shoulders down or up. It's a matter of wasting energy-strictly physics and kinetics. Tension and distance waste energy that could be put to use at the point of impact. Waste not -want not!

[Mr Pockets]

Don't take offense by this ninja nurse-but what's going on in a fight goes far beyond simple 100-level physics. The body is in many ways a mechanical system- which is why it can easily be said (and proven) that punching with your hips gives you the most power. Also, yes, it does make very little a difference, if at all, if you punch from your with your shoulders shrugged or not, if you're punching correctly. (One is more likely to block an incoming punch while you're throwing yours.) At the same time, holding your hands up is not all that difficult (until you get really tired, anyway) and a worthy expenditure of energy, not that it takes all that much to do so anyway. In a real fight you will absolutely need them there to block or you'll be punched in the face! It's as simple as that. As for shrugging your shoulders, it's the same thing. It protects your head and neck.

As for your hands- I can garuntee you that unless you have unusually long arms they're not high enough,

Why?

Because with almost every human being, the forarm is as long as the first half of your arm. If you bend it fully but your shoulders are relaxed, just hanging there, your hands to up to about below-chin-level; the same level as your shoulders. You want them IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE. If they are not, I garuntee you (yes, garuntee) that if you and I fight I'll sock you in the face until you do get your hands up there. You have to protect your head and neck, which is why you shrug your shoulders, hunch down a little bit, and keep your hands high. (You might notice that when you're hunched over a little bit, your elbows cover your torso as well.)

[Oopgrub]

You will be able to defend yourself better with a bent back.

[danege]

Arms stretched out infront of the body (think expanding energey), hands infront of face, elbows bent (elbows are in the center of the body covering the line to the solerplexus).

my hands are nowhere near where your thinking they are.

Edited April 18, 2005 by danege

[ninjanurse]

Exactly..a mechanical system is bound by the principals of physics, and whether it is simple or complex makes no difference. There is no dispute that using the hips make a punch more powerful...but how and why this happens is explained by science. Also, we are talking pure technique here not the complexities of a fight so no offense taken as we seem to be comparing apples and oranges.

[danege]

You will be able to defend yourself better with a bent back.

With a bent back you have terrible balance and your body is easy manipulated / moved.

Would you care to elaborate on your statement

[mai tai]

mike tyson and especally vanderia silva (he is hunched up like a caveman for gods sake) dont seem to have any lose of power or balance from keeping there shoulders up.

if you lose balance from keeping your shoulders up and your back bent you must be one dorky dude.

[danege]

if you lose balance from keeping your shoulders up and your back bent you must be one dorky dude.

If you dont believe me, then try it.

Stand feet shoulder width apart, one foot forward with about a foots distance between your feet. Knees bent. 50/50 weight distribution with your feet. Bend your back slightly by either leaning forward or backward a little.

Now, put one of your arms out and have a friend grab it and try to pull you off balance.

Try doing it the other way:

Same Stance as before. Make sure your feet are flat on the ground and your back is straight (picture yourself rooted to the ground like a big, 100 year old tree that nothing has conqured). Your weight must be 50% on each foot. Dont forget knees bent.

Now get your friend to try and pull / push you off balance again. If you did it corectly then it should've taken alot more effort on their part.

It works for me, and makes alot of sense, so i think ill keep doing it.

[Mr Pockets]

He isn't saying to just bend your back and walk like Steve Erkil. Have you ever seen a boxing match, or a Pride fight or UFC? Everyone in there hunches a little, has their shoulders up. You bend your knees too.

Also- hands in front of the face is good, but not if they're too far away from the face. Your lead hand can move away, but rear hand shouln't go to far at all. The hands, and shoulders, are there for the punches you don't see coming more than the ones you do.

[danege]

He isn't saying to just bend your back and walk like Steve Erkil. Have you ever seen a boxing match, or a Pride fight or UFC? Everyone in there hunches a little, has their shoulders up. You bend your knees too.

Im not telling you to bend at a 45 degree angle or anything, just a slight bend is enough to throw off balance. The more bent you are the less balance you will have.

Also, im not getting into a UFC debate, because it will end up with people going "it works in UFC so therefore it must be the only way to do it." All im asking is that everyone look at things from a slightly different view.

Did you actually try what i posted before? did it work? let me know how it went.

Ive tried fighting all hunched up, but i found it didnt work for me.

If it doesnt work for you, but something else does, then thats great and you should fight with what works for you.

Also- hands in front of the face is good, but not if they're too far away from the face. Your lead hand can move away, but rear hand shouln't go to far at all.

Now that i do agree with.

Note: Im not trying to come off like an arrogant idiot, so please dont take me that way. Just simply trying to state what i works for me and what may work for someone else. Be open, have a go at something else, if it works or you got something out of it then good, if it didnt, thats also good because it re-inforces the way you do things.