Body-Mechanics Problem

Lassard

I’ve always thought that to get power in any upper body strike, you fire the hip in first, which is then followed by the hand.

Recently we’ve been practicing an inward slap type strike but with the
hip rotating in the opposite direction to the striking limb (i.e the hip twists left to right while the right hand arcs from right to left. Though I can feel that there is impact generated, I also feel that the opposing directions of movement should cancel each-other out.

I’d be grateful if anyone could shed some light on how this actually works, as I hate practicing anything I don’t understand.

Regards

Lassard

Jason McCabe

have u got any clips of said strike?

Baggio...

I think you referring to a double hip there...

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


When done correctly there's definitely a lot of power generated. It feels a bit weird at first, but if you do a lot of pad work your body will automatically correct itself (as your not just hitting the air). I guess the key, for me anyway, was not rotate the hip too far in that initial opposite direction (don't make the move to conscious if that makes sense). It's literally just a tiny move to set up, and increase the torque of the kinetic chain of the rest of the strike (kinda' similar to a hook punch if your doing a slap).

The other thing would be too keep the whole action very smooth. It basically all works as one (don't separate each hip movement). Similar to the way someone would throw a discuss (but much much less exaggerated).

Lassard

Hi Baggio,

I'm afraid it's not the double hip. It's more like Kenpo's "counter torque", i.e. the hips rotate in the opposite direction to that of the strike. Imagine standing face to face with someone and using your right hand to slap them on their left shoulder, your hips rotate to your right.

Regards

L

Baggio...

Hmmm.... It's kinda' hard to visualize without any reference.

Is this American Kenpo, is it a kind of parry maneuver where you slap his "attacking limb" away? If so, the best way to do it, is when your hip turns you take a small step out to 1 o clock (left foot). As your left foot lands the slap is done simultaneously. Then when you are striking with the other limb - you'd settle in a right neutral.

I think the "marriage of gravity" should add power to the strike, and cancel out the directional problems you mentioned. You basically get that effect by dropping your weight (by bending the knees slightly), at the same time as the slap. It's a wee bit similar to the way a boxer "sits on his punch", but for AK it's a lot less exaggerated (which is why it's less powerful than a boxers).

It's quite a few years since if done AK to be honest.

Cheers,

Rob.

Deise Musashi

Is there a reason you are doing this strike this way? If it's as taught in a class fair enough, but I find moving in the direction of the strike easier.

Have a look at the Mick Coup version of an inward strike using footwork to add body mass to the strike, like slamming a door he says

Baggio, sorry I didn't get up to Lee last time, got about 20 miles outside town and the roads were gone missing under snow! Hope it's going well for ye and I'll get there yet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvHMwjZsB7Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgyfm4MD_r8

Baggio...

Hey man,

How's things? No worries the snow was crazy that weekend, luckily we got a good turn out in the end though.

I thought it was a horizontal slap too, but I think the OP is referring to a kenpo type parry (we did that a lot back int he day). But I'm not 100% sure as it's hard to visualize without reference.

Yeah, man be cool to hook up at some point,

Cheers,

R.

Lassard

Thanks Guys,

The path of the hand is identical to Mick's,but the body rotates in the opposite direction, causing the shoulder to "close" as the deltoid & pectoral on the striking side move closer together.

It certainly seems to have something, as in it's better than just an arm slap,
but still falls short of the Mick Coup method.

I suspect it actually has something to do with the speed of delivery of the limb & the final position of the humerus relative to the shoulder when the hand hits, but I could be mistaken.
Please don't worry too much about it.

Regards

L

By the way, Howdy Eric,how are you keeping?.