Following OR Leading

[sensei8]

Punch

 

Kick

 

Strike

These three words by themselves are nothing more than words, unless we Martial Artists put meaningful actions into them.

Does your punch/kick/strike lead the body, or does your punch/kick/strike follow the body? Is that the methodology of your style?

In Shindokan, everything starts and ends at the same time...for the most...because it appears that way. In actuality, the body's leading, if only for a miniscule of time before reaching any said target.

Is our way wrong/incorrect? My another styles definition it might be, but as far as Shindokan is concerned, it's not wrong/incorrect. Even when our body is static, something must move before reaching any said target.

In our Tuite, our body most definitely leads anything in the aide of our whole body-totality; our compactness requires it.

This thread/topic isn't about who/what might be wrong because of differing methodologies; each need to be respected, and I do. If a methodology is effective for that style, and more importantly, for that practitioner, imho, that's what matters.

[bushido_man96]

I would say my body leads, and more specifically, the hips, when striking. I'd guess that at times most things move fairly close together. The body works best as a unit, so its important to train it that way.

[tallgeese]

I'd think that there's nothing wrong with any movement paradigm that has the body and strike (or joint manipulation) working in concert with one another. It's imperative in the generation of power.

That said, I can see situations where the strike would lead;however, the fast jab for distraction effect, the eye jab on the move. I think that an argument could be made that certain strikes lend themselves to this application, but now we're talking about exceptions to the major rule.

And on that, I'd certainly agree with your thesis about body mechanics. I'm not sure that the body leading or going at the same time matters. I'll have to spend some time feeling this on my next mitt session (isn't this forum great for making us think about things like this )

[sojobo]

Everything emanates from the tanden.

You move from the Hara (or centre of the body).

In Wado karate at least, everything starts moving together and ends together.

However in some styles (particularly traditional Okinawan ones) the "whip / lag" action is more prevalent.

For example; here in this Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu version of pinan nidan:

This is a very alien thing for me, but I can also see its function.

Sojobo

[evergrey]

My body is like a whip, and the end of my fist or my foot is the cracker. My balance is me planted on the ground, my force is thrown through my hips, from my center. OSU

[Kuma]

I'd have to say it depends on the technique. For a lead straight that I'm using like a jab, it seems I let the fist lead. If it's say a rear straight though, I tend to follow the body.

[evergrey]

Oh well, yeah if it's a jab...

[bushido_man96]

Everything emanates from the tanden.

You move from the Hara (or centre of the body).

In Wado karate at least, everything starts moving together and ends together.

However in some styles (particularly traditional Okinawan ones) the "whip / lag" action is more prevalent.

For example; here in this Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu version of pinan nidan:

This is a very alien thing for me, but I can also see its function.

Sojobo

I'd say this is kind of similar to what we do, but we try to time the landing of the technique as the foot steps down, as opposed to after the foot sets down; not so much lag, but pretty similar. But not every technique has a step with it, either.

I'd have to say it depends on the technique. For a lead straight that I'm using like a jab, it seems I let the fist lead. If it's say a rear straight though, I tend to follow the body.

I'm a bit different, I guess. When I throw a jab, I do so with hip movement. A little twist of the hip toward the target, and the hand flys out, too. That way, its not just my hand whipping out, but I've got some bodyweight behind it, too.

[JusticeZero]

Leg and foot is the last thing to move, and it's dragged by tension and structure.

[Dobbersky]

Everything emanates from the tanden.

You move from the Hara (or centre of the body).

In Wado karate at least, everything starts moving together and ends together.

However in some styles (particularly traditional Okinawan ones) the "whip / lag" action is more prevalent.

For example; here in this Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu version of pinan nidan:

This is a very alien thing for me, but I can also see its function.

Sojobo

I'd say this is kind of similar to what we do, but we try to time the landing of the technique as the foot steps down, as opposed to after the foot sets down; not so much lag, but pretty similar. But not every technique has a step with it, either.

I'd have to say it depends on the technique. For a lead straight that I'm using like a jab, it seems I let the fist lead. If it's say a rear straight though, I tend to follow the body.

I'm a bit different, I guess. When I throw a jab, I do so with hip movement. A little twist of the hip toward the target, and the hand flys out, too. That way, its not just my hand whipping out, but I've got some bodyweight behind it, too.

I'm in agreement with Bushido Man and Sojobo here when it comes to this ethos. I know I'm from the same "School" as Kuma but I suppose the influences of Wado, Tang Soo Do and Muay Thai have had the greater effect on my technique.