1 inch punch

[ArisingStar]

Have anyone ever witness the power of the 1 inch punch? So much power in such a small space. I try to use the 1 inch punch and woh its sure is powerful but I stil need help. My punch speed is sux, I need to train in a way to improve it. Can anyone give me a few pointers? "Speed is power, but power is not speed" is all I know.

[JKDVIGILANTE]

I would personally never even attempt a one-inch punch in a fight, if I'm that close, I'm going to use something much more forceful. As for speed-training: I use the speed-bag, heavy-bag and double-end bag with 5lb dumbells in each hand---works for me anyway.

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J.L.B.

[Sihing73]

The true benefit of the one inch punch is that it will train one to exert a great amount of power from a short distance. The punch done in demonstrations is not an actual punch but more of a push. A true one inch punch will disperse your energy into an opponent and drop him where he stands, not knock him back 10 or 12 feet.

As to how to train it there are a variety of methods. One is to take a coffee can and fill it with sand. Place it on a table about level with your chest. Place your fingers against the can and strike by making a fist and hitting with the bottom three knuckles.

The best method to really learn this technique is to ask your instructor. Too much can be lost or misunderstood in this medium.

As to using it on the street I will say only this. My Sifu once tapped a guys bumper while parking his car in New York City. He got out and tried to appoligize. The guy started cursing him out and making several racial slurs. I was getting ready to deal with the individual when my Sifu placed his right hand against the guys chest. He punched and the guy dropped to the ground. My Sifu looked down and said "I told you I was sorry, Do I have to hurt you too?" This left an impression of just what this punch could accomplish. It ended the fight right there and he did not have to really hurt the guy. You see the punch is an internal type of blow. It affects the organs and often will give the feeling of having all of the wind knocked out of you. I have used it on several occassions to avoid fights. I give the demonstration and point out that if I really hit them they would be dead. Not exactly true but it has helped me on one occassion or another /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Seriously, the punch is not that hard to learn. The main thing to do is to condition your wrist as the force can break the wrist if done improperly. I still say seek out an instructor and get them to show it to you.

Peace,

Dave

[illusionfist]

There are many short power techniques found within southern shaolin systems, all of them having pretty similar training techniques.

When i was trained for short power generation, we first pushed against an object that couldn't be moved (i.e. a wall) We would first use our palm, and then move on to the fist. After that we would move onto striking the heavy bag so we could generate enough "realistic" power in order to hurt someone.

As for performance, i have seen it both ways. One looks like a push, the other is a full blown strike. Both have the same power generation though. I trust the performances that use a "victim" from the crowd. I usually don't like the ones with students because they tend to overexagerate the strike.

But overall, it's a versatile skill to have because it teaches you how to generate power from a short distance and it also helps with long distance power as well.

Peace /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[willfu]

The important thing to remember when using the 1 inch punch is that the real power is not the speed and external power you can use. The important part is to use internal strength to make the punch sink into the target. I did not see anyone mention that and I just thought that it is an important point to make.

[qilady]

The way that I trained to learn a one-inch punch was with a small rectangular bag that mounted to the wall. The main emphasis we had on the execution was the slight drop of the center before the strike. If you are relaxed and can keep the momentum moving like a wave through your body and out your fist, you can catch hold of the force of gravity that happens when you drop your center.

This really does involve your internal strength as mentioned above, but also a definite "1 - 2" action, from center to fist. But the energy gathered by dropping with gravity must feel like the constant motion of a whip through the body. It took me a long time to make that happen smoothly, but now it is incredible how much power can be generated with that technique.

[Sean Madigan]

Hi All,

Sifu James Demile has written a book about the one inch punch. It's not a bad book, and it only sells for about $4.00.

They sell the book on Amazon.

Here is a link --> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0918642027/junfanjeetkunedo

All the best,

BIG Sean Madigan

[wisdom mind]

Great thread sofar.

Upon contact does one breathe in (reverse breathing) or out...or does it matter?

Ive found that this punch truly is devistating as the target (if mobile) will just simply drop and depending on the force applied & will slam/slap down onto the ground very hard. There is a point at which I feel complete control of the force applied and one can really gauge how hard to hit based on the situation.

[illusionfist]

Wisdom mind- With the short power techniques, one of the main points to take into consideration is the depth of the power penetration. The breathing is not really a factor as long as the breathing coincides with the movement. reverse breathing is what most people do anyway when they attack.

Peace /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[JohnnyW]

Hi everyone,

The thing about the 1 Inch Punch is that it really is dangerous if done correctly. Here are a couple of anecdotal stories to illustrate my point. Several years ago there was a group of martial artists who prided themselves on receiving full contact, full focused blows to their bodies without apparent harm. Once, Si-Gung Jim (DeMile) happened to be around during one of these demos. Anyway he wanted to accept their challenge and do Bruce's 1 Inch punch on this one guy who was a part of their group. The demonstrator's reply was interesting to say the least. He told Jim, and I paraphrase here, "NO F- - - - G WAY MAN. THAT IS AN INTERNAL STRIKE. NO WAY I'M LETTIN YOU HIT ME WITH THAT S- - T!!!!"

The other story is something that my friend and sometimes Sifu, original Oakland James Lee (and Bruce Lee as well) JKD student Howard Williams related to me. He said that he once delivered that strike to one of his students in a demo. He had told the student to relax and not resist, and to just let the padding (some phone books or some such) absorb the impact. Well Ed, this guy's name, thought that he would be a wise guy so he braced himself determined to not move. Bad move, big mistake. When Howard sort of twitched and extended the strike Ed's lungs took the impact and his respiratory system sort of temporarily shut down. To make a long story short poor Howard thought that he had killed Ed, and Ed thought that he was going to die. He didn't, but he never forgot this lesson. Ed relates this story himself on one of Howard's old video tapes (it is no longer in circulation, or publicly available. Howard is doing some new ones he told me last month).

Many people demonstrate the 1 Inch punch as a sort of strong push that sends the guy flying, mainly I suppose because Bruce often showed it that way. However in the middle of Hot Combat it would not be used in that way. I saw Sifu DeMile demonstrate it for fighting and self defense years ago, and the guy didn't fly away. He dropped, right then, right there. It really shocks the system. I personally don't really fool around with it too much. It can be dangerous if used indiscrimanently.

Johnny W.

[YuenBaio]

Yes, I have witnessed first hand the one inch punch. Usually, there are different types of it. As someone said earlier, it can be a push at close range, but I saw it as a punch. Anyways, I really suggest not practicing your speed on the one inch punch. First of all, the way you build your speed is through muscle and reflexes. Obviously, you are not going to get a lot of muscle doing the one inch punch a billion times on a hard punching bag. First, you must understand the mechanics of an arm that can deliver a good punch. I don't really know the names of the muscles, so bear with me. The muscles around your shoulder, the ones that are usually bigger than your biceps and triceps, is the muscle that stops you at your desired reach. This muscle is very important, depending on the style you are practicing. If you are practicing tai-chi, or anything that is like totally flowy and slow, that isn't going to do you any good. But in any case, punches require good build with all the muscles in your arm, not necessarily visual build. The strength is what counts. Practice back hands a lot - they practice your triceps and your shoulder muscles and some biceps. Punches ( not jabs ) work your biceps and triceps a lot.

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Yuen Lo

[laughing tiger]

great posts! I studied a short range punch that was used in only a few situations. I have seen the film of Bruce Lee in Long Beach '64...and it is a lil' differnt than I learned. It was part of a southern family style I studied. Question....do you use a wrist change? Meaning at the point of contact, do you suddenly point the angle of your fist up a little? :-)

[KwokJing]

Umm, is that a serious question? It depends on what kind of punch you are doing. In Jeet Kun Do, Bruce Lee based his punch a lot on air drag. In the one inch punch, his hand was extremely relaxed until the last momentum when he curled it into a fist. That works with punches to the side etc.

But I don't think it works with those Wing Chun chain punches... that would be a bit weird.

In any case, I keep my hand relaxed, but not totally relaxed - I don't want to rip any tendons or break any carpals.

[JKDjeetKuneDo]

My name is keith, im 16 ive been doing jkd for 4 years now, and i feel that before you attempt this punch you have a good amount of conditioning done, before you attempt this punch i suggest you put your arms out wide and slowly let them come clocer together and as you hands get clocer feel you chi colide like a magnet and if you feel a physical force in atraction you are then ready to try this amaizing punch, since others put in a few storys about the one inch punch, ill add one of my own, not to imply anything to harsh, however if a one ince punch is applied correctly to the fist of an apponants cross, well lets just say the chain reaction of the blow leaves the 3 smallast kuckles shattered the fourarm broken and the shoulder either shattered or dislocated, and after its done there are so many nerves coliding in your aponants body they will not move again unless aided correctly by paramedics. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

i just wanted to say, i think kung fu online has alot of nice people so far, i hope to post again soon,
GrassHopper-

Dave Brigs, if anyone knows him or he see's this, e mail me at JKDjeetKuneDo@aol.com
this is very important, dave im chris's brother. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[boardin_usa]

BULL!!!!!!!

[JKDjeetKuneDo]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by boardin_usa:
BULL!!!!!!![/quote]

what is bull about what i posted, im quite courious because everything i posted is true because its been done...
Keith~(grasshopper)

[origenx]

True, I don't think Bruce's 1" punch was a true pure 1" internal punch. A true 1" punch requires really no mechanical action at all, other than just contacting the uke's chest to transfer the energy.

However, Bruce may have had a mixed punch that combined good body mechanics with qi. Who knows?

Also, consider the possibility that Bruce may not have written or publicly taught all that he knew, but may have reserved his innermost secrets to himself and maybe his closest students only. That way he could maintain his competitive edge, and also it would be rather socially irresponsible to let just anyone and everyone know how to become *ss-kicking machines.

[LeviathanX]

There is no secret to the one inch punch, it is merely used to demonstrate that your power comes from your body... not your arm when you punch. It is used primarily for demonstration, not for practical purposes because it requires a great deal of concentration to get your body completely in sync to put the maximum amount of power behind your punch.

A more philosophical explanation is that you are focusing all of your chi into one central location - in the Tang Soo Do Hyung Jin Thwe (Sip Soo) we do a similar technique at the beginning of the form.

[kungfuswack]

I would tend to agree with leviathenx, but my basis is JKD concepts, so a lot of the older ideas have been thrown out as too difficult to learn, or too esoteric, perhaps not always rightly so. I think that Bruce probably did a lot of demonstrations to emphasize concepts or attributes, such as correctly applied mechanics, as opposed to actually showing his street fighting techniques. I'm not saying it won't work, but why study for potentially years to accomplish something that could be done with a sucker uppercut to the groin.

[totallyfrozen]

I'll echo what Sean said.

James W. DeMile (one of Bruce Lee's orginal students) wrote a book called "Bruce Lee's 1 and 3 inch Power Punch." In it, he details how to do the punch and how to train for it. It's just a little 40 page $5.00 book.

I have it...I think it's definitely worth $5.

[vingtsunstudent]

guys i'm probably going to start something here but bad luck!
let me tell u all something,for those who haven't heard of a guy by the name of wong shun leung(u obviously no sqaut about bruce lee then)he was bruces true wing chun teacher(and forget about bill cheung anyone with half a brain know his stories are just that)& also in bruce's own words the greatest fighter he'd seen,his belief was simple if u
train hard u will hit hard no chi no bull to him it was that simple, to him & my sifu(who incidently was wong's brother in law & the reason i know these things because he has actually seen the letters from bruce to wong stating as much)there is no chi rubbish just good hard training under agood teacher & of course the odd challenge match didn't hurt.
also there is actually no such thing as the 1 inch punch it is actually just short range power which is learnt in the ist form(if anyone could tell me where the 1 inch punch is practiced in the form i might change my mind)& is used when caught with your weapons
to close to your opponent or even perhaps if uv made a mistake.
after a good basic knowledge is aquired u will use short range power with any part of your body
also short range power can be aquired by any
striking style so long as the are taught the priciple behind it correctly

[origenx]

Chi is real.
There is no doubt.
It is completely separate from physical power.

However, only few rare masters have control over it. That's why hardly anyone believes in it. Most people have never felt it so distinctly and unmistakeably. But once you feel it, you'll believe it.

YEs I have seen and felt it and it works It is not just for show Try this out the next time you are doing double pak sau try doing the inch punch instead of the second pak.

[benny]

why would you do a double pak sao?
and you would not do a i" punch with the pak you would use the short range power. which is what vingtsun student is saying there is no such thing as the once inch punch unless you want to show off at demo's. it is just adapting the short range power to the punch
see ya

Benny
In JKD (wich is what this forum is about)
if you pak sau and your opponent stops you yet holds centerline you can employ another pak wich also traps both limbs and hit at the same time. On the second part of your question if you want to say short range power rather than inch punching thats your choice but it is applied the same way and no it is not for show.

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Promoting Peace through JKD