"Sharp" punches

[bushido_man96]

JusticeZero,

The heel isn't usually "stomped" so much as "dropped" to the floor. As the hips line up and everything comes into place, if your ina zenkutsu dachi, the rear heel will plant itself as you punch. Or should. It isn't really pushing either so much as grounding out the punch. It provides the stability to your technique and takes the give out of your stance.

When do our basics, stepping into front stance and punching, many of our students will stomp, and I don't understand why. Then, when there is a stomp technique in a form, it isn't emphasized nearly as much as stepping punches are. This is a mis-comunication in proper technique, and I have tried to address it when I get to teach. It isn't the stomp that is necessary, but the step adds to the momentum of the punch.

Kuma,

I thought the 110 rounder was in New Orleans near the end of the bareknuckle erra in the 1890s? Nice thing to recall is that, I did a paper on the boxing heroes of the late 1800s/early 1900s years back, many of those fights were still fought under the London Prize rules. A round lasts until a "fall" or knock down. So a round could go 30 seconds, or 8 minutes, it didn't matter. As long as you could come to scratch, you could fight.

Either way, this is cool history of a great Martial Art. I love to read about the origins and evolution of Boxing. Thanks for these contributions, guys.

Sensei8,

Hip movement, not neccisarily rotation, is needed for good technique to be complete in many cases. However, it's cyclical. Without good upper body mechanics and relaxation, the power of the hips is cut off. Without good balance and transition, the power of the hips is lost as it transfers all over without being deposited in the target. A good engine is nice to have in your sports car, but without the suspension and steering to handle that power, it's not much good to you.

I also feel that it is important to use the mechanics together, from the ground up through the arms, including the hips, to get the power into the technique.

[Kuma]

Kuma,

I thought the 110 rounder was in New Orleans near the end of the bareknuckle erra in the 1890s? Nice thing to recall is that, I did a paper on the boxing heroes of the late 1800s/early 1900s years back, many of those fights were still fought under the London Prize rules. A round lasts until a "fall" or knock down. So a round could go 30 seconds, or 8 minutes, it didn't matter. As long as you could come to scratch, you could fight.

You're right actually, got the year wrong as it was 1893, a little over two decades after the Marquis of Queensbury rules came into effect. Before that under bare knuckle rules there was a fight about six and a half hours in Australia I believe.

Either way, incredible. I think the only thing that comes close to it nowadays is hyakunan kumite in Kyokushin, or the 100-man kumite where you have to fight 100 opponents in one day.

(For a fun video, check out this one. Shokei Matsui highlight with a lot of clips of his 100-man kumite in it.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MftoFd8hMQg

[bushido_man96]

Wow. That's just mean...

[joesteph]

(For a fun video, check out this one. Shokei Matsui highlight with a lot of clips of his 100-man kumite in it.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MftoFd8hMQg

Thanks, Kuma. Great video. Fast and clean. Nothing fancy, just rapid-fire straightforward karate.

[sensei8]

(For a fun video, check out this one. Shokei Matsui highlight with a lot of clips of his 100-man kumite in it.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MftoFd8hMQg

Thanks, Kuma. Great video. Fast and clean. Nothing fancy, just rapid-fire straightforward karate.

Watch his roundhouses...wait...there it is...opps....missed it again...someone help him up!

[Otto]

It depends on the milieu in which the punch is being used. We all punch slightly different when punching in drills, in kata, on bag work, on focus mitts, in breaking, on hand conditioning etc. And we also punch slightly different with the various fighting circles we might find ourselves in. Be it point fighting, no contact, boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, MMA or in actual self defense it's all a little different.

Best input I can give you is have a ball with the learning process and listen to your instructor.

[joesteph]

Nice thing to recall is that, I did a paper on the boxing heroes of the late 1800s/early 1900s years back, many of those fights were still fought under the London Prize rules. A round lasts until a "fall" or knock down. So a round could go 30 seconds, or 8 minutes, it didn't matter. As long as you could come to scratch, you could fight.

I kept thinking about ShoriKid's posting that contained the "London Prize" rules. Bare-knuckles softened by "mufflers" on hands and interesting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Prize_Ring_rules

[yamesu]

This is a really interesting topic guys and gals

One interesting point Ive considered worth noting is the potential origin of the phrase "up to scratch"....

OSU.