Power in punching

[John2004]

Hi there,

I would like to hear how others have developed power in their wing chun punch. do you punch heavy bags, focus mitts etc as part of training?

I am interested because I don't believe my punches are strong enough. When go in on my opponent with chain punches, my punches don't seem to stop him. I can feel my gloves hit his helment/mask hard but he has wacked me a few times while I am in the process of doing this.

[chisauking]

Try it without using gloves or helmets

[Gangsterfist]

Train long extended full motion to develope the short range explosive motion.

Perhaps wing chun isn't all about power, perhaps its about sensory overload, or overwhelming your opponet, or about structure. Power will come with time if you keep up your training.

[anerlich]

chisaoking is being a wisea$$, but he's also correct. What are you expecting your partner's reaction to be if he's wearing a helmet? How big and protective is the helmet?

How does he react to a body shot?

[blooming lotus]

maybe try adding some arm conditioning exercises separtely...like tris and pushups, dips and some upper mid back work...also dont forget to include arm ndwrist stretches in your regime......maybe work your core aswell, because if your striking properly this plays an important part.......works for me anyway...boxed for quite a while, usually as routine, if little else always do total min 50-100 pushups>500...>200 tri dips, stretches when I think of it and go a fewrounds with my bag when I pass it....just lucky it's near th door and before the kitchen

[TjD]

the wooden dummy and biu jee are all about how to generate power. use your yiu ma.

while doing the wooden dummy, keep a solid connection to the ground, don't lose your root. use your yiu ma in every motion. this is the best way to develop wing chun power, imho.

[curtis]

Hello and good morning
in my opinion you have to break away from from the traditional mindset of power. Forget the push-ups and strengthening exercises, they are not necessary. Quit trying to create power for the sake of creating power. Speed itself is a type of power. Mass in motion is another. The power of Chung Choie is not from the arms, it's from the body. It is also from the concussion of the strike. The Chung Choie cannot be compared to a haymaker. Control, is the key. What one haymaker will do, will take a number of Chung Choie is to accomplish, the major difference is ,if you miss using power. Your help less, You must remember that Wingchun was designed for smaller person to go against a much larger opponent. Do not look for the 1 punch one kill. You must also remember that there is a greater power source in trapping, if you ground your opponent ,so that he cannot move for the moment that you are striking, he will absorb a greater amount of damage, then he would if he was allowed to just float away. Again shock will damage humans far easier than using blunt force.
In my recommendations I would look at the control factor. Ground him, trapping him, and hit him. You'll be amazed AT the power you have, when you are not trying.to creat POWER.
Sincerely yours. C.A.G.

[blooming lotus]

I agree speed is power but you gotta do something for conditioning........

eg: young guy at some shaolin classes /seminars I did in Brisbane...seriously flexible, very good form compostion and speedy to boot....limp as a wet rag , obviously does nothing else for strength....had to feel sorry for a guy that would otherwise be a respectable threat..........

survey anyone???

[kj]

Originally posted by blooming lotus
I agree speed is power but you gotta do something for conditioning........

For me it's largely in Siu Nim Tau, sand bag training, and as TKD mentioned third set and dummy later on.

In the health club, the conditioning exercises are different. The purposes of Wing Chun and the health club, while not mutually exclusive, are also not the same.

eg: young guy at some shaolin classes /seminars I did in Brisbane...seriously flexible, very good form compostion and speedy to boot....limp as a wet rag , obviously does nothing else for strength....had to feel sorry for a guy that would otherwise be a respectable threat..........

Not having felt the guy in question, I don't know anything about his power. The tell-all isn't in whether he is like a wet rag or not. Some "wet rags" can be very capable and dangerous, while others are just wet rags.

FWIW, my Wing Chun does not (in fact, cannot) rely on strength, but instead aims for superior position, sensitivity and responsiveness. I don't need to be the strongest, fastest, or most powerful. I do, however, need to be "substantial" in the right place, in the right way, at the right time.

Anyone who's run into a telephone pole and jolted or banged themselves up can affirm that the telephone pole is not fast or powerful. The power of the telephone pole in that scenario starts with a solid foundation. Just food for thought.

survey anyone???

There are indeed different ways of making a "powerful impact." As regards Wing Chun, my vote's logged here, and cast more importantly in regular training.

Regards,
- Kathy Jo

[reneritchie]

Most people chain punch fast at the expense of body unity, meaning only the speed and arm weight generate the power. With gloves and a helmet, even if you hit like Victor Belfort, you may not see a realistic response from your training partner.

Instead of speed shots, you might want to try shots that break your opponent's structure, slowing them down and crippling their ability to defend or counter. These types of shots are not as absolutely fast, but become relatively fast due to their effect.

Punch in towards the center mass, drive with your feet solidly planted, your pelvis and shoulders squared and pressing to slam your fist into the target.

[Tom Kagan]

I would like to hear how others have developed power in their wing chun punch.
...

Within the context of the Ving Tsun system, BiuKwan is the way to make your punches more powerful (assuming a practitioner has taken the necessary steps to get to this phase of training).

[Phenix]

Originally posted by John2004
Hi there,

I would like to hear how others have developed power in their wing chun punch. do you punch heavy bags, focus mitts etc as part of training?

I am interested because I don't believe my punches are strong enough. When go in on my opponent with chain punches, my punches don't seem to stop him. I can feel my gloves hit his helment/mask hard but he has wacked me a few times while I am in the process of doing this.

On power in punching:

there are motion acceleration, momentum generation, force path resistance.....all sort of things.


how close can one get the acceleration up to what one needs when one rush in? how deep the power can panetrate? how conditional is the power generation process or unconditional? what is the limiting angle? (ie, if the punch has to be aligned with elbow close to the center line and infront of the body. this is a single vector punch. sure it is strong but if people cut in side way, the intensity of the punch can get neutralized very fast. thus, this is a narrow angle power generation type. as a comparison for the Peng Jing of Taiji, which is a wide angle power generation which can be roundedly distribute.....etc)

questions continous on. A punch is not a Punch until all the pices become a holitic pice.
then a punch is just a punch and it takes years and years.

[PaulH]

A few simple ways to improve your punching power:

1. Build a strong wrist

2. Use the right punch for appropriate situations. Distance will dictate different punch usage. Note when boxers use jab, hooks and uppercuts.

3. Punch with good supporting body behind. Can you feel your leg in your punch?

4. Focus: power, timing, precision, balance, speed in one naked punch is my favorite recipe for a well-served dish. =)

[Gangsterfist]

One Mind - One body is definately a good concept to look into for developing power.

Good advice Paul.

[Nick Forrer]

In wing chun the power comes from the floor

You are connected to the floor through your stance

If your stance is not correct you will not get power from the floor

ergo to get power from the floor your stance must be correct.