position of fist, on the hip or on the rib?

[Jiffy]

no, I mean yours. getting hit in it sucks, so better put something in the way.

hehehe, true.

Personally, I'd rather put a block in the way.

[Meguro]

Getting back to the original question, I recently had the opportunity to watch a Kung Fu class (don't ask which style, I don't know). As the class went through their warm up, basics and on to forms, I noticed they chambered their fists at the hip. It's easy to see why Okinawan styles would chamber the fist in the same location. As fighting styles migrated north through the Japanese archipelago, so too did the chambered fist.

[AndrewGreen]

Okinawan styles vary, some are hip, some are ribs.

[Meguro]

Okinawan styles vary, some are hip, some are ribs.

doh.

[Jiffy]

I think that is more because of instructor preference than anything else.

I have been taught both way for the same system by different instructors.

[angus88]

My experience has shown that typically Goju-Ryu schools chamber at the ribs, while TKD schools chamber at the hip.

Personally, I like chambering at the ribs because it gets you in the mindset to get your hands up. And if you've ever taught a new student to fight, dropping their hands and lack of controlled breathing are all too common!

[TheAnimal]

I have nothing to do with the Goju Ryu whatever stuff... but I'm inclined to go ahead and recommend keeping your hand in front of your face, before someone like me hits you there. Repeatedly.

[Jiffy]

While indeed this will have some clear advantages, recognise that there are also advantages to chambering the fist too.

[ovine king]

how-ever you do it, recognise that part of that positioning is purely to do with training your general movement and doesn't always equate 100% to what you do in a fight.

as cited before in other posts, that chambering can be taken to be the general withdrawing movement be it a pull of their arm or a withdraw from feeling a pull from them. A high extension also gets you working your arm/shoulders more during training and hence working on the "looseness" of your arm/shoulders.

the position also does different things to your punch as it acts as a theoritical starting point for your punch.

[RicksonFan]

While indeed this will have some clear advantages, recognise that there are also advantages to chambering the fist too.

Eh? What possible advantage could there be from chambering the fist? Additional power? That won't happen if you know how to punch. Getting punched in the face more? That will. Slightly slowing your punches? That will too.