1 inch punch

[Shisio]

I've been trying to get a hang of the 1 - 3 inch punch for awhile now and haven't made much progress. Though today I think I made a breakthrew! Ok, I understand how to do a corkscrew punch, cause its the first thing I learned, and I just applied that body motion to the one incher. I just did the corkscrew backwards!

Instead of twisting my hand from vertical to horizontal, I turned my hand from horizontal to vertical. When I do this, I find it much easier to throw the punch with the support of all my bodies joints (ankles,knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrist) that are commonly used in the punch.

I thought about how most boxers stand with their hands vertical, and throw corkscrews, and how Bruce Lee stands (in the movies) with his hands horizontal, and throws inchers.

Oh, just to avoid complications, I am aware that BLee usually fought with his hands vertically & threw his incher this way, but sometimes sanity can be found in the insantity of
Kung Fu movies.

[curtis]

Shisio

If I were you ,Ide ask someone who is known to be able to do and teach this punch. to my understanding that person is Sijo James DeMile ( e-mail at sijo@wingchundo.com) he has a booklet and a vhs tape teaching the 1 and 3" flooting punch.

Good luck in you train.
I own both the veido and the book, and I found them both very good sources of info.

C.A.G.

[yenhoi]

1 inch punch is not hard to learn, its hard to do against someone when your fighting them.

Talk to some Wing Chun guys, the 1 inch punch is no different then a 3 inch, 6 inch, 9 inch, or 15 foot, mechanics of the punch is always the same.

Centerline, structure, elbow power!

[Rafael]

Everything pretty much covered . Just would like to add like Yenhoi wrote there are different lenghts to throw this punch .

I must add there is a "ZERO "DISTANCE type of punch with the same mechanics as the famed "1 " or 3 " punches with no space between . All thrown pretty much the same way .

I like to use these punches if I was "clinched " or intight. Short power is good for and created for these situations (in tight )


RF-

[Shisio]

Thanx for the input guys, I'll get DeMile's book from my school, I'm sure someone will have it.

I don't really try to do this punch during sparring though, as like Yenhoi said, its pretty hard to pull off (especially since I just learned it...), so I perfer elbows when I'm within clinch range. But it would be da mm cool to pull off.

The cool thing about learning the 1 inch punch is that if I can get it down, I intend to throw it with every punch. Let me explain, if I can get the hang of putting all my power into a split second of my punch, then I can devote the rest of my punch to speed, aim, & not telagraphing. I think the 1 inch punch is not to be used in the 1 inch range often, but is more like a different way to drill technical power in punching (without sacrificing other attributes).

My teacher and some of the other students at my school can do it, though not quite like Bruce. Usually with techs such as this I learn alot more from how others learned it then when someone tries to explain it to me straight. So with that in mind, how was it explained to you guys? And how have you improved your 'inchers'?

P.S. The Zero distance punching sounds like a great element to add to throws.

[yenhoi]

Put tennis ball or baseball in elbow. pop elbow and shoot ball straight up, higher and higher.

Fill coffee can with sand, lead shot, what ever. Place on coutnertop. Put your pal on can, elbow on centerline, pop like popping a tennis ball, shoot can across countertop.

break boards.

wooden dummy.

wing chun forms.

wallbag.

heavy bag.

trees.

corners of buildings.

other people (random co-workers etc.)

[curtis]

Shisio the video is far better than the booklett, But that is my opinion. Both are very useful as a training aid, although trying to learn from either source really will not help you much,The best way to learn is to be taught by a master. (If you are interested I could recommend a few.)

yenhoi there are only a very few people who know Bruce Lee's one and three inch punch, because he did not teach it to but a few people. James DeMile was not taught by Bruce Lee after the fact, (years down the road.) he was part of the reason why and how Bruce developed this method of striking. That is why I believe he is the foremost authority on this topic.
Of course wing chun has a floating punch Too, but it is done differently and at a greater range. I am not suggesting that no one else can preform a close in strike with power, want I am stating is , if you want to know what Bruce Lee knew, you must have to ask someone who was there. The methods you described, are completely wrong! According to what I was taught. Of course your way may be just that. Your way. But it was not Bruce's. Sorry!!!

C.A.G.

[yenhoi]

Well, I dont claim to do anything 'the way bruce did'

My opinion:

Knowing what I do about wing chun, you are completly wrong. Bruce Lee did not develop anything different then any WCK person could show you in a heartbeat. IMO Bruce Lee learned his 1 inch punch from yip man, or someone in that circle, and probably on his 3rd day of wing chun.

I probably am doing it wrong, but I dont practice the art of imitating Bruce Lee.

I guess its a possibility that through hard work, constant study, making a few movies, and maybe some hashish use Bruce Lee stumbled onto some previously unknown martial arts knowledge never known to man. I dont think so. I think its just like everything else Bruce Lee did, nothing special about it man.

[Shisio]

Thanks for the tips.
Curtis, just to let you know I sent an email to DeMile's address, waiting reply. Do you train with him by chance?

Yenhoi, would I err to assume that you don't train JKD? I've never heard of a JKD guy who wasn't impressed by the founder. So then you train WC, right? I like the idea of practicing power punching on co-workers, but trees- ouch. Doesn't punching like that hurt your elbow (like the Tae-bo elbow)?

[yenhoi]

I practice JKD.

My point was that the 0,1,3,9 inch punches werent invented by Bruce Lee. He didnt invent barbells either.

[curtis]

yenhoi
as far as my information goes, Bruce Lee tookthe information he learned , modified and change the techniques to suit his purposes.
Think about it, the bi jong, taun soa, pak sao, and chi soa (to name a few.) Are all done differently than the way A classical wing chun person would do them. Perhaps Bruce Lee did not invent the techniques but he modified them .(its like the man who invented the super charger for your muscle cars, he did not invent the engine, only made it better.)

Shisio. Sijo is now retired, he has moved to Hawaii, and is now doing his own things, such as defensive tactics seminars, watching the Dolphins play, things that a ordinary retiree would do.
I have not trained with Sijo for three years now, but he still is my sifu.
I now train with the man Sijo has chosen to be his predecessor, (Si bok Rocco Ambrose.) checkout the WebSite at http://www.ambroseacademy.com
I think you will injoy it.
C.A.G.

[yenhoi]

as far as my information goes, Bruce Lee tookthe information he learned , modified and change the techniques to suit his purposes.

I agree. He even left a method of training behind so others could do the same. Neat.