question about punching

[nystangkid]

When you make a punch, should u extend the elbow all the way or is it best to keep a slight bend in the elbow.

[tke010]

I always have a slight bend in the elbow.

this prevents hyper-extensions.

[username8517]

It all depends on the type of punch your going to be doing. For hooks and uppercuts you obviously will have to have a bend at your elbow for these punches to be pulled off correctly. But I'm assuming your talking about straight punches in this case.

When punching I always keep the arm as straight as possible. This allows for less give by effectively lining up your bones (Os Trapezoidum, Os Scaphodium, Radius, and Humerous bones are the significant one Arm & Hand bones) and then locking them in place a moment before impact. The reason I do this is because when I punch I'm aiming to drive through the target and not just to hit them. By giving a slight bend in the elbow on a straight punch allows for a weakness in the structure and the potential for the arm to bend. Only after the punch is completed do I relax my arm and allow for a bend in it as it retracts.

This is the same idea behind ancient tools of war, many of which are still utilized today. The battering ram is a long thick dense tool used to thrust at doors of both castles of anicent times and doors of today's modern house. The principle behind it is to generate as much force as possible and channel it into the striking point, always keeping the energy generated flowing along the same line of the battering ram. The same could be said about a bo staff when thursted. Yet neither of these examples are the bo or battering ram have a slight bend in them--this would divert energy in another direction than what the intended focus would be.

Much like a straight punch.

Hyperextending an elbow usually takes place when the elbow is bent back the wrong way (Elbow Hyperextension Injury). And while the possibility of hyperextending one's elbow can happen when executing a straight punch, it is severly reduced by locking the arm before impact. Failure to lock the entire arm will create a weak point for the arm to bend or concave at, thus creating the hyperextension.

[Steve_K]

If you are beginning with your training, I would suggest you first train by punching and leaving a slight bend in your elbow. If you haven't done any training before, the control and coordination of your elbow joints aren't acute enough to ensure that you won't cause injury. For the first few years of my training I always made sure I kept a bend, but now I am conditioned to be able to know and feel exactly where I have to stop my extension without causing injury.

Indeed, bone alignment is quite advantageous, but power in striking, particularly punches, comes from acceleration, and proper coordination of legs, hips and the shoulder.

Hope that helps

[username8517]

If you are beginning with your training, I would suggest you first train by punching and leaving a slight bend in your elbow. If you haven't done any training before, the control and coordination of your elbow joints aren't acute enough to ensure that you won't cause injury. For the first few years of my training I always made sure I kept a bend, but now I am conditioned to be able to know and feel exactly where I have to stop my extension without causing injury.

Indeed, bone alignment is quite advantageous, but power in striking, particularly punches, comes from acceleration, and proper coordination of legs, hips and the shoulder.

Hope that helps

Thank you Steve. It appears I forgot to mention these other factors as well.

[bushido_man96]

I have always heard that locking the elbow can lead to hyperextension, but upon performance, mine is very close to being locked out, but not quite.

Many karate schools talk about kime, which is (correct me if I am wrong, karate guys!) the focus of a technique upon its completion by contracting the muscles of the body at this time.

Therefore, I would say a very slight bend is beneficial to not popping your elbow.

However, I will mention that the post bearich made appears quite viable, although I had not heard it explained that way before.

In the end, do whatever seems to work the best for you.

[username8517]

Many karate schools talk about kime, which is (correct me if I am wrong, karate guys!) the focus of a technique upon its completion by contracting the muscles of the body at this time.

Very close to the way I've had it described to me. I've been told kime is about an instaneous tension at the correct momement in a technique. Basically locking everything into place at the correct moment right before impact.

[username8517]

Also, another way I've heard straight punches described--

Think of a bullet. Neglectiving gravity and wind, a bullet doesn't go anywhere but straight. And when it hits something it's trying to drive through the object (much like straight punches). It doesn't send any energy anywhere but forward.

If an elbow is bent, even one degree, you are effectively sending energy in two seperate directions. The energy generated from your elbow to knuckle is going one place, while the rest of the energy in your body is going on a slightly different path that branches off at your elbow. Granted, by association, some of that energy from your body will be transferred to your forearm and knuckle, but you will be effectively losing some power.

To get a visual of what I'm trying to explain, think of a game of pool. If you hit a cue ball dead on to the 8-ball nearly all the kinetic energy in the cue ball will be transferred to the 8-ball, which will then take off along the same path. Granted the cue ball will roll back, but that's due to the physics behind a collision with a stationary and mobile object and the cue ball being round. Now if you hit the 8-ball at an angle, yes some of the energy from the cue ball will be transferred to the 8-ball causing it to roll, but the cue ball will still have energy pushing it in the original direction, thus sending it veering off in completely new direction.

[Shotokan-kez]

Whenever i fully extend my arm when punching i always hurt my elbow. But i don't see how keeping a slight bend in your arm when punching can make your punch powerful?

[bushido_man96]

In this instance, I don't think you can relate the punching arm to those of other 'straight line' principles. The body just works a little differently.

If the arm has a slight bend, I don't think that all that much power will be lost. As long as the fist is traveling in a straight line towards the target, then the power will be applied. I think that this is why a hook punch can be effective, although the arm is not straight.