When you throw a strike, a punch for example, which moves first, your hand or your body?
Many people say the hand moves first and the body follows through.
Watch this!
Like the video, if you've practiced the Silk Reeling exercises of Tai Chi you know that movement begins in the feet and channels upward through the waist and is released through the hand. In other wards, the hand completes the movement, it doesn't begin it.
It's like snapping a towel.
You can generate tremendous force for knockdown punches, but you need to practice correctly or you'll have big problems with telegraphing.
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Here's a drill you can do to develop this skill. Stand facing a heavy bag, a target being held by a partner, or any other appropriate surface. You'll eventually want to be able to do this from a fighting stance (though you may not want to move from a "stance" on the street). Now, rotate your body very slightly back and forth. As you do this feel the movement beginning in the feet, moving upward through the legs, continuing through the pelvis, waist and torso, and concluding in the hand. If you do this slowly and pay attention to the timing of your rotations, you'll notice that the hand strikes as the feet are just beginning the next rotation - so they're actually beginning to rotate against the direction of your strike.
As I said, it's like snapping a towel. Experiment with this and see if you can't generate greater, more relaxed striking.
Until next time,
Rob LaPointe
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_LaPointe
Many people say the hand moves first and the body follows through.
Watch this!
Like the video, if you've practiced the Silk Reeling exercises of Tai Chi you know that movement begins in the feet and channels upward through the waist and is released through the hand. In other wards, the hand completes the movement, it doesn't begin it.
It's like snapping a towel.
You can generate tremendous force for knockdown punches, but you need to practice correctly or you'll have big problems with telegraphing.
Here's a drill you can do to develop this skill. Stand facing a heavy bag, a target being held by a partner, or any other appropriate surface. You'll eventually want to be able to do this from a fighting stance (though you may not want to move from a "stance" on the street). Now, rotate your body very slightly back and forth. As you do this feel the movement beginning in the feet, moving upward through the legs, continuing through the pelvis, waist and torso, and concluding in the hand. If you do this slowly and pay attention to the timing of your rotations, you'll notice that the hand strikes as the feet are just beginning the next rotation - so they're actually beginning to rotate against the direction of your strike.
As I said, it's like snapping a towel. Experiment with this and see if you can't generate greater, more relaxed striking.
Until next time,
Rob LaPointe
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_LaPointe
