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The reason a karate strike is the hardest strike in the world is because of this little thing called focus. Focus makes the whole greater than the sum of the parts, and it is the point at which all your energy is put together. Focus maximizes the efforts of the human being by concentrating all energy into one moment.
Unfortunately, many martial arts schools have gotten away from teaching students how to properly focus. Many karate schools would rather have the student strike the bag, rather than taking the time to focus. Nothing wrong with hitting the bag, of course, but it develops resistance which can slow a strike down.
Proper focus occurs in the fist, and...it does not. This contradicting statement means that the strike must be generated from the whole body. It must start from the ground, swell through the body, and emerge into the fist.
Proper body alignment is crucial to the point of impact. The body parts must be lined up between the feet and the target in a way which develops maximum efficiency. This means choosing that arrangement of the body which gives best transmission of energy.
Something which is crucial to the art of karate, and which people usually don't understand, is the concept of emptiness. The body must be 'emptied' so that energy can travel through it without resistance. When the energy travels through an empty body it moves at a greater speed and can come together in the sudden closure of a fist.
One is empty, moving the body without mass, then snapping just the fist, and then one is empty again. Done correctly, the snapping fist will actually make a popping sound in the air. The idea is to snap the fist so that it closes just within the body of the enemy.
It is a universal law that two objects cannot occupy the same space. Yes, one could thrust forward and knock the enemy's body backward violently. Snapping the fist in proper focus, however, causes a shock wave to be exploded within the enemy's body, and the result is massive revulsion, and the enemy dropping like a rock.
Proper focus, when you place it in the space of an enemy's body, invalidates the enemy's body. This is what it is really all about, you know, invalidating the enemy when he comes at you, you see. Practice focusing your punches, remembering these points, and you will be able to invalidate the very essence of an enemy's body.
Unfortunately, many martial arts schools have gotten away from teaching students how to properly focus. Many karate schools would rather have the student strike the bag, rather than taking the time to focus. Nothing wrong with hitting the bag, of course, but it develops resistance which can slow a strike down.
Proper focus occurs in the fist, and...it does not. This contradicting statement means that the strike must be generated from the whole body. It must start from the ground, swell through the body, and emerge into the fist.
Proper body alignment is crucial to the point of impact. The body parts must be lined up between the feet and the target in a way which develops maximum efficiency. This means choosing that arrangement of the body which gives best transmission of energy.
Something which is crucial to the art of karate, and which people usually don't understand, is the concept of emptiness. The body must be 'emptied' so that energy can travel through it without resistance. When the energy travels through an empty body it moves at a greater speed and can come together in the sudden closure of a fist.
One is empty, moving the body without mass, then snapping just the fist, and then one is empty again. Done correctly, the snapping fist will actually make a popping sound in the air. The idea is to snap the fist so that it closes just within the body of the enemy.
It is a universal law that two objects cannot occupy the same space. Yes, one could thrust forward and knock the enemy's body backward violently. Snapping the fist in proper focus, however, causes a shock wave to be exploded within the enemy's body, and the result is massive revulsion, and the enemy dropping like a rock.
Proper focus, when you place it in the space of an enemy's body, invalidates the enemy's body. This is what it is really all about, you know, invalidating the enemy when he comes at you, you see. Practice focusing your punches, remembering these points, and you will be able to invalidate the very essence of an enemy's body.
About the Author:
Al Case has analyzed martial arts for forty years. Details on The Most Powerful Punch are available at Monster Martial Arts.
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