The Pulling Hand!!

[sensei8]

The use of the pulling hand is essential to maximize instigation and synchronization of large torso muscle groups that then effect the technique, that is, the block in this case. While maximum power for each technique is not the only issue in sparring, it certainly is for basics.

Reverse-rotation and direct-rotation dynamics execute quite different effects on arms and legs for techniques, and proper training should include both kinds of dynamics.

How the main center of the hips are moving is not the crucial issue in deciding whether one can perform direct-rotation or reverse-rotation techniques. Just about any circumstance in just about any stance or during accelerations which have definitive forces reaction forces in play and can generate and use either kind of rotation dynamics independent of the main line of shifting, for example, by using auxiliary tensions.

Your thoughts?

[quinteros1963]

The use of the pulling hand is essential to maximize instigation and synchronization of large torso muscle groups that then effect the technique, that is, the block in this case. While maximum power for each technique is not the only issue in sparring, it certainly is for basics.

I was working on this the other day in training with a black belt. I have trouble with this and one other basic. I have been taught that you should protect yourself at all times. If you constantly practice pulling to increase hip rotation you leave your chin vunerable. When we practice this, its natural to me to keep my hand near my face to defend against counters. Is there another way to practice the hip rotation? After all isn't karate about defending first then countering?

On another note I also tuck my chin, which is also wrong for basics. He also told me I need to correct this and look him in his eyes, which if done in conjunction with the pulling hand is a recipe for a knock out. Help me out Sensei8.

[jason ainley]

The purpose of the pulling hand in traditional martial arts is often misunderstood.

The pulling hand [ reaction hand in TKD } enables you to control your opponent at close range. { grappling}

EG pre emptive strike has failed or you are reacting to an attack and the situation has collasped in to a grapple.

The reaction arm holds your opponent close in enabling you to deliver close range strikes , or extends a limb so locking techniques can be applied or enables a release from a grab.

When using hip rotation and pulling the hand to the chin or the hip to develop power is questionable check out this link.

[honoluludesktop]

In its early western formation, Kempo karate practitioners believed that every motion was a martial form. Combing your hair, was the same motion as blocking or parrying a strike, and on, and on. Perhaps what we contrive "pull back" to be is no different then brushing ones hair:-)

[sensei8]

The use of the pulling hand is essential to maximize instigation and synchronization of large torso muscle groups that then effect the technique, that is, the block in this case. While maximum power for each technique is not the only issue in sparring, it certainly is for basics.

I was working on this the other day in training with a black belt. I have trouble with this and one other basic. I have been taught that you should protect yourself at all times. If you constantly practice pulling to increase hip rotation you leave your chin vunerable. When we practice this, its natural to me to keep my hand near my face to defend against counters. Is there another way to practice the hip rotation? After all isn't karate about defending first then countering?

On another note I also tuck my chin, which is also wrong for basics. He also told me I need to correct this and look him in his eyes, which if done in conjunction with the pulling hand is a recipe for a knock out. Help me out Sensei8.

I never said that the pulling hand HAD to end up at ones hip, and/or that one had to not protect oneself. Just as long as the pulling hand, in basics, is returning to a said point, because if the hand isn't returning then, imho, it's nothing more than a push.

I have not seen anyone explain how keeping the body square, not using "pulling hands," and avoiding similar martial arts training devices are suitable for teaching, generating, or applying any body dynamics or special techniques.

In basics, the context that most often the "pulling hand" is used to start large muscle activity that then generates other techniques, and all of this takes place within a tenth of a second or so, while "returning" implies some post actions.

It takes quite a bit of training before you can rely on the large torso muscles to properly transfer momentum to the arms and legs. "Pulling hand", imho, is an excellent training aide to maximize the chances of all this occurring. For example, the most usual reason for loss of power when the elbow doesn't follow the fist close to the hip in a basic punch is that the shoulder is tensed, creating a line of tension along the outside the arm which tends to make the elbow come out. The reason this usually gives away to a weaker punch is that this often signifies that the torso isn't driving the arm by connections of muscles under the arm to the chest and back muscles; in that, you're punching with your shoulder instead of maximally using power derived from stance and hip dynamics.

In advanced training, I hate the usages of the "pulling hand" because it's, for the advanced student, yesterday's news, but for the beginner, it's basic training, one has to start some place, and the "pulling hand" methodology aides the beginner to start in understanding, visually at first, rotation dynamics.

Since I don't bow to any practitioner and/or any headquarters, even the Shindokan Hombu, because my martial arts is mine and mine alone, I simply state my own support for rotation dynamics.

[JusticeZero]

Trying to parse that, but the original post was a bit of a jumble to read to me, not knowing exactly how you mean.

"Pulling Hand" - I am reading this as trying to rotate the striking shoulder forward in a punch by forcing the opposite shoulder to retreat, which means it's more a "Pulling Shoulder".. which is hard to get people to do, because 'pulling' is not a verb one associates with shoulders. Is this an accurate summation?

Personally, what I do and try to get people to do avoids trying to generate power with spinal rotation or curvature accelerating away from square. That's fighting against the structure of the trunk of the body.

Acceleration TOWARD square, on the other hand, is fundamental.

[sensei8]

This is when one hand is moving, forward in this case, and the opposite hand is return, pulling, back to its chamber position, wherever that point is. These two separate actions are performed simultaneously. Hence...pulling hand.

The pulling hand is returned to its chambered position forcefully. The reason for that is so that the pulling hand remains close to the body as well as it returning on its shortest path.

It's the old...to every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. For the beginning student, practicing pulling hand increases balance as well as it aides rotational power. Beginning students need something to visually understand certain principles in Karate, and pulling hand, imho, is ideal.

As in most Karate principles, pulling hand does have it's drawbacks. If I incorporate pulling hand in my Tuite, I run the risk of not being able to use that hand for the moment because I've trapped one of my opponents hand/arm/something. The twisting of the hand on the pulling hand side can be applied/interpreted as a grasping/grabbing motion.

Hopefully, what I've described here isn't as disjointed as my OP; for that, I apologize.

[JusticeZero]

That still looks like 'pulling shoulder' with a bit of weight snapback to me. The strike still is made with the torso turning away from squared, and the dynamic makes for a pistoning chain action, as i'm seeing this.

As noted, while it is style specific, I disapprove of twisting the spine away from center to generate power. It's lossy and fighting against body mechanics. Beyond that, it seems like looping paths would allow you to add more of the body to the mechanics than pistons.

[sensei8]

Two things...

One, it's apparently true that it's difficult at times to explain/describe accurately a methodology in our given venue.

Two, whether it's to you "shoulder" or to me "hands"; the shoulder's connected to the...., and the hand's connected to the... In that, I didn't name the principle!

[sojobo]

In that, I didn't name the principle!

In my group we name the principle "Hiki-te"

It is a compound of the words "Higi" = Elbow and "Te" = Hand, describing the way that the elbow precedes the hand as the arm withdraws. I was always taught "feel the brush of your elbow against your side followed by your hand" - from a mechanical perspective, this makes the pull strong (as the closer you keep your pulling elbow/hand to your body the more efficient the technique is). When referring to this though, it is by way of grabbing and pulling your opponent onto/into the technique as a way to augment the process.

In Karate Kihon (basics) against fresh air, I can see how the act of pulling the non punching arm could be seen as a good way to allow the student to "feel" the process of trunk rotation, however in reality of course it has to be explained that the rotational point of most "typical" karate style striking techniques is seldom around the central axis/spinal column.

This is hard to get over to a new student.

Sojobo