Strongest punch?

[SAAMAG]

I bring this up because tonight I was working the bag and focus mitts, and my girlfriend stated that the wing chun punch didn't seem to feel like it had as much power as my natural cross.

I asked her "in what way do you mean?" She said when I throw a quick and natural cross (from arms being held naturally at my sides) it radiates through her wrist, elbow, shoulder, and body. She said when I throw the wing chun punch it doesn't feel the same, like it doesn't radiate through her arm as much.

So I tested it on something more resiliant--my heavy bag (not swinging, just solid against the wall). It felt and sounded just as powerful as a natural overhand right...but doing it again on the pads it indeed felt like there wasn't as much feedback--yet structurally everything felt right and all was lined up--elbow, hips, wrist--rooted to the ground.

Possible Factors?

• Pad holder not giving the same feedback for each punch
• The wing chun punch is just weaker by way of design (or you could say the natural punch (cross) is stronger by design)
• Perhaps I did not give enough follow through with my wing chun punch as compared to my natural cross (or perhaps I wasn't close enough to the pad to give it enough penetrating power)
• I did not have enough chi behind it
• My wing chun is terrible and I should just quit now

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In any case though it got me thinking about puching power...what have you been told your strongest punch was? Doesn't matter if its wing chun or otherwise. I've had my normal partner tell me my overhand right is enough to drop him even with the belly pad on. I've been told by others that the wing chun straight punch is strong, but no where near the same level as the overhand. So while the wing chun punch was considered to be strong by this guy--relatively speaking the boxing punch was simply stronger (in feel through pads)

On a side note do you think that the wing chun punch can be as strong as any other punch in general -- or more specifically the cross? Or do you think that the punch is limited by its design relatively speaking?

Do you depend on li for the power or chi? If its the latter, have you compared the punch with other punches that you learned that might not depend on chi specifically?