Chambering/palm twisting in hands-up stance?

[Kinson]

I went through all the punching threads I could find, and I couldn't find a clear answer to a question that's been bugging me...

When you are in a hands-up fighting stance, with your hands up at face or chest level, should you:

1. Chamber punches at all?

2. Bring your hand/arm back from where it is up, or just shoot it straight forward from where it is?

2. Do the full palm up to palm down movement?

I'm having a lot of trouble throwing fast succesive punches from a hands-up fighting stance using the chambering/palm up to down technique...all the twisting seems to be wasting a lot of motion.

[Jussi Häkkinen]

1. Chamber punches at all?

Depends. Most commonly I either chamber my hand across the sternum OR just keep the guard.

2. Bring your hand/arm back from where it is up, or just shoot it straight forward from where it is?

Straight from where it is.

2. Do the full palm up to palm down movement?

No. If I chamber across the sternum, my palm is up, but I never turn the palm fully down - well, it doesn't belong to the style I train, either. Most commonly the hand is at 45 degree angle when the punch is fully extended.

I'm having a lot of trouble throwing fast succesive punches from a hands-up fighting stance using the chambering/palm up to down technique...all the twisting seems to be wasting a lot of motio[n.

It takes a lot of training to develop good punching. However, the "basic form" is really just a training form and you should apply that freely when fighting. Concentrate on rotation of your body (hips and shoulders) and forget about the hands (but make sure that your elbows don't flare sideways when punching. Punch straight, unless you're doing hooks).

If your fighting looks like you're doing basics, it's wrong. Use basics to learn principles and apply those learned principles then freely.

I hope this gave some ideas.

[Kinson]

Thanks a lot Jussi, that's exactly what I needed to know

[P.A.L]

since we have to cover the kicks too, we keep the front hand low in kicking distance , in punching stance both are up , although in bare hand fight you gotta protect your ribs too,

we punch right from up position, not chambering at all,

[KenpoFist]

Ed Parker coined a phrase "Point of Origin". Simply stated your hands (or feet) move from where ever they are at.

From a hands up postion your hands will only do a quarter turn. Please remember the rotation has nothing to do with the power of the punch

[Kinson]

I was told that the rotation adds power to the blow...that's not true?

[Jussi Häkkinen]

I was told that the rotation adds power to the blow...that's not true?

No. It's just natural to turn the palm slightly downwards in the full extension. Feel it - push hand forwards palm up. Near the full push, your hand will turn. It's just natural.

It won't drill into your opponent, nor it will add any power to the push. After all, your strike hits the target about 6-8 inches before full extension.

[Kajukenbopr]

I keep a hand in guard, the other chambered- not as intense as in Kata but pretty formal- I personally dont like the boxing stance....

[ps1]

Kenpofist,

To say that Master Parker "coined the phrase Point of Origin" is a bold statement.

I agree 100% with the concept. However, it was not a new concept, and was taught to him, just as it was taught to you and you will teach it to others.

Remember, the martial arts and their concepts have no beginning and no end. Everything is circular.

[Sauzin]

Chambering really depends on what you are doing. In a real fight, you would only do a full chamber when grabbing. The motion of pulling while thrusting the punch is still used though. If you want speed that's what you focus on. The returning hand.

As far as the full turn of the wrist when punching it depends on the application and target of the punch but most of the time a quarter turn is all it takes to get the job done. This isn't wasted motion, it's directed force.