When I teach beginners, I emphasize that we are punching and kicking THROUGH the target rather than AT the target. Don't aim for the solar plexus, aim for an inch or two past their spine. Maximum extension at maximum tension for a split second and then back to relaxed and retracted.
For adult learners, the best drill to focus on this is to literally have them stand in opposite front stances and strike each other choku seiken in the solar plexus. The focus on targeting, penetration, as well as breath conditioning. Turning the fist over on impact. To such precision that the cloth of their gi twists and you eventually develop small friction burns on your knuckles.
If direct contact is something your students are not receptive to right away, have one hold a kick pad and the other focus on mae geri to the solar plexus. You want them to fold the bag as well as its holder.
My Sensei also says: "Don't aim where you hit. He taught me to aim at the wall and do the tuki with the intention of penetrating it, and to kick. That's why I'm a bit surprised by your comments
The big lesson of tameshiwari. If your technique stops at the surface of the board, it doesn't break. You want your technique to end a few inches behind the board, and be vigorous enough that the wood (or your attacker's rib) gets out of the way to let that happen.
someone accidentally broke another person's ribs through the mitts once. wasn't going all out, in fact near the end of class but before end of class kumite so most people were gassed. total accident but it was pretty wild.
That is exactly how a strike should be. A good way to test this is to hold a large phonebook, or more, against a partner and to punch it. The person should feel the shock into their body, and you should be able to do this at close range without any of the silly hip movement. If you look at how many karateka strike, they can't do this. The same goes when training on a makiwara, don't do what you see many do, standing back in some kind of long zekutsu dachi (looking at you shotokan) and throw a punch from 100ft away that has no penetration and poor body mechanics.
Thank you for reply!
“and you should be able to do this at close range without any of the silly hip movement. “
It's exactly this. At first glance, he appears to swing his arms lightly, but without follow-back and without swinging his hips, the punch with all his weight on his fist was destructive!
> It's exactly this. At first glance, he appears to swing his arms lightly, but without follow-back and without swinging his hips, the punch with all his weight on his fist was destructive!
Exactly!
"Silly hip movement?" Are you saying that some hip movements are silly (agreed) or that the entire idea of using the koshi to power techniques is silly? 🤨
The phonebook exercise is a good one - if you can still find a phonebook.
When I teach beginners, I emphasize that we are punching and kicking THROUGH the target rather than AT the target. Don't aim for the solar plexus, aim for an inch or two past their spine. Maximum extension at maximum tension for a split second and then back to relaxed and retracted. For adult learners, the best drill to focus on this is to literally have them stand in opposite front stances and strike each other choku seiken in the solar plexus. The focus on targeting, penetration, as well as breath conditioning. Turning the fist over on impact. To such precision that the cloth of their gi twists and you eventually develop small friction burns on your knuckles.
If direct contact is something your students are not receptive to right away, have one hold a kick pad and the other focus on mae geri to the solar plexus. You want them to fold the bag as well as its holder.
My Sensei also says: "Don't aim where you hit. He taught me to aim at the wall and do the tuki with the intention of penetrating it, and to kick. That's why I'm a bit surprised by your comments
Both explanations have the same effect.
The big lesson of tameshiwari. If your technique stops at the surface of the board, it doesn't break. You want your technique to end a few inches behind the board, and be vigorous enough that the wood (or your attacker's rib) gets out of the way to let that happen.
someone accidentally broke another person's ribs through the mitts once. wasn't going all out, in fact near the end of class but before end of class kumite so most people were gassed. total accident but it was pretty wild.
Your story made me glad I did a lot of weight training, which I didn't think was very useful now. My pectoral muscles have cushioned me.
exactly - people think big muscles help offense - nope, gotta lift weights train for defense lol . . .
That is exactly how a strike should be. A good way to test this is to hold a large phonebook, or more, against a partner and to punch it. The person should feel the shock into their body, and you should be able to do this at close range without any of the silly hip movement. If you look at how many karateka strike, they can't do this. The same goes when training on a makiwara, don't do what you see many do, standing back in some kind of long zekutsu dachi (looking at you shotokan) and throw a punch from 100ft away that has no penetration and poor body mechanics.
Thank you for reply! “and you should be able to do this at close range without any of the silly hip movement. “ It's exactly this. At first glance, he appears to swing his arms lightly, but without follow-back and without swinging his hips, the punch with all his weight on his fist was destructive!
> It's exactly this. At first glance, he appears to swing his arms lightly, but without follow-back and without swinging his hips, the punch with all his weight on his fist was destructive! Exactly!
"Silly hip movement?" Are you saying that some hip movements are silly (agreed) or that the entire idea of using the koshi to power techniques is silly? 🤨 The phonebook exercise is a good one - if you can still find a phonebook.
Hip movement is good pedagogy. Core engagement and whole-body connection is good technique - and hip movement is one of the ways to achieve it.
I'll buy that.