Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)
Over the years as you can imagine I have worked not just in teaching newbies the straight punch but analyzing it for protection-defense to find that it is lacking in getting the job done, i.e., stopping a predatory attack and as a second, stopping a fight. Just this sentence has a plethora of topics within that must be covered in other lessons so as you probably already know as a professional skilled sensei or senpai, don’t forget to cover that martial too.
One of the most important defense-protection empty hand moves one must master in karate is the punch and I can tell you one of the best sources for that is not karate, it is Jack Dempsey’s book on champion boxing. In my review of his martial a point he makes concerns what we in karate use, practice and belief to be a very powerful punch, it isn’t. Let me paraphrase what Mr. Dempsey says about that punch.
“The stepping jolt (what many refer to as the drop step punch) must not be confused with the ‘ordinary straight punch’ that is delivered at medium range without moving the feet, that depends almost entirely on shoulder whirl.” He then reiterate that the stepping jolt is a much more powerful explosive blow.
In my perception and perspective with a bit from actual experience movement, movement of the body mass even slightly, is critical to deliver stopping power especially in defense-protection. All assuming that you actually will use a fist strike to stop the attack/attacker as other hand positions are superior simply because the fist breaks even when skilled, experienced (using gloves in competition mostly) and developed through bag and makiwara training and practices.
So, if this is true then why do karate sensei/senpai teach the straight punch? This falls back to basics and fundamentals because everyone has to start somewhere to learn methodologies, principles and then experience them in ways that can be used to transition from novice-beginner baby-steps to full-fledged abilities, skills and training experiences to make the leap from training to reality.
I can imagine now how you probably already asked yourself, “how do I learn this?” That takes several steps on your part. First, get Jack Dempsey’s book; second, find a boxing gym that actually knows and uses his principles of boxing/punching; third, practice the drop step until you can do it with both positions, i.e,, right foot forward - left foot forward, etc. Then learn how to box in the ring and remember that in all sport oriented boxing/martial competitions with full contact all depend on the boxing punching/punches as a mainstay. Add in that for protection-defense the lessons of mass body movement, gravity and the drop step all work whether you use a fist, the open hand (superior to fist in my mind) or elbows, etc., and kicks to stop an attack/attacker.
Then you can begin to incorporate all those other traits, concepts, philosophies and legal/social lessons that govern, dictate and create requirements toward handling all the ramifications. As to sport, it is already a legal acceptance to breaking the law by fights and is already governed by rules, regulations and requirements to remain as safe as humanly possible.
Dempsey, Jack. “Championship Fighting: Explosive Punching and Aggressive Defense.” Simon & Schuster. New York. 1950, 1978, 2015 ISBN: 978-1-5011-1148-8
For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)
PDF link to Dempsey's book here.
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