Hi Dani!
The scene is Ed Parker’s 1967 Long Beach Internationals. A large crowd watches in eager anticipation as a Chinese man in a black gung fu uniform stands a few feet from a man holding a focus glove against his chest. The man is Bruce Lee and he is about to demonstrate his famous one-inch punch. His arm is almost fully extended and his fist is a mere inch from the focus glove that the other man is holding against his chest. With a sudden, explosive jolt of forward energy, the assistant is rapidly propelled backward into a waiting chair. The chair almost topples over and slides back several more feet with the impact. The crowd goes wild over this amazing demonstration of skill.
Bruce Lee proved his mastery of this technique many times during his martial arts career. Many were skeptical until they felt the tremendous impact for themselves. After all, how could Bruce Lee, who wasn’t a large man by any means, get so much power into a punch from a distance of one inch? And what practical purpose could the punch have?
The power of the punch is achieved through the properly synchronized movements of the muscle groups involved. Although there is a definite sequence to the movements, the body moves so quickly during the execution of the punch that it comes across to the viewer as one move. In fact, at higher skill levels it is one move!
The punch is best executed with the power side forward. The first movement is with the lead leg. Some practitioners start with the lead heel raised and slam it down as they execute the punch. Others start flat-footed and pivot on the ball of the foot. Either way will work, so try both and see which way works best for you. It is best to be experienced with both ways, as you never know what position you will be in when the necessity for inch power arrives.
Start the movement with both knees bent. The lead foot will make the first move, which will either be the drop step or the pivot, depending on the practitioner. This causes a straightening of the lead leg. As this occurs the rear leg comes into play.
The rear heel is planted flat as the movement begins. As the lead leg straightens from the drop step or the pivot, the rear heel raises and there is a quick pivot on the ball of the rear foot. There is a hard push from the rear foot as this movement is executed. This movement puts weight into the punch and starts the torque of the waist and the hips.
As the rear leg straightens from the push, the hips and waist will torque sharply toward the target. This is a very important part of the sequence because the waist is the connection between the lower and the upper body movement. The oblique muscles also come into play here. The primary job of the oblique muscles is twisting the body at the waist. Therefore, strong oblique muscles are a definite aid in the execution of the one-inch punch.
This torque of the waist causes the shoulder of the punching arm to move toward the target. At this point the triceps muscle comes into play as it extends the arm toward the target. Then comes the final, and perhaps most important, movement of the sequence: the rocking of the fist upon impact with the target.
Until the fist comes into play, the hand is relaxed and should be in the proper position to impact the target with a vertical fist. The wrist should be bent with the hand angling downward. The second knuckle of the index finger will lightly contact the focus glove. The final phase of the movement is a sharp, upward snapping of the wrist and a strong tightening of the fist. The tightening of the fist is extremely important. Because of the tremendous amount of force generated by the movement of the body, the wrist is at risk of being sprained or even broken if the fist isn’t properly clenched on impact with the target!
The rocking of the fist is the key to the success of the punch. This one little movement almost doubles the acceleration of the body’s mass on impact. Strong wrists and forearms are necessary for the success of this motion.
One wrist strengthening exercise to improve the upward snap is the vertical grip wrist curl. Kneel on the floor with your forearm resting across the surface of a weight bench. Hold a dumbbell in the vertical grip position and rock the fist up and down. This completes one full repetition. Try to do three sets of 15-to-25 repetitions, alternating back and forth from right to left arm to assure equal development. You may do this seven days a week if you like, as it is almost impossible to overwork the forearm muscles.
The training partner or assistant holding the glove must be immediately made aware of several things. The focus glove should not be held directly over the sternum. This can cause serious injury to the partner. Instead, tightly hold the glove against the chest directly above the sternum. This will assure a solid target. If the glove is held loosely, the hand could slip off as the punch is executed, causing injury – possibly severe – to the partner. The training partner should also stand in a relaxed position to prepare for the impact, with the feet positioned squarely. Injury to the partner is almost certain if he tries to resist the power of the punch.
When preparing to deliver the punch, relax your body and clear your mind. Imagine your fist exploding through the focus glove. Exhale sharply through your mouth as you explode into the punch. The sequence and timing of the movements must be perfect to achieve maximum results from the punch. Remember to warm up before beginning the strenuous sequences. Areas to be emphasized include the ankles, knees, waist, shoulders, neck, elbows, and wrist. This is especially important if you are not accustomed to doing the one-inch punch.
When you understand the mechanical aspects and demonstration use of the punch, you should comprehend its advantages in a practical situation. Continuous practice of the one-inch punch will build tremendous short range explosive power. It is rare that you would have the opportunity to use the punch exactly as it is done in a demonstration, but the body mechanics that you learn from the punch can be effectively applied in many practical situations.
One of the concepts behind Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do is that the hand should always be prepared to strike from any position. Using the short-range explosive power developed by the one-inch punch training makes this concept much more effective. Non-telegraphic striking capability is greatly enhanced.
Keep Blasting!
Sifu Lamar M. Davis II
Senior Instructor
Hardcore Jeet Kune Do
Sifu@HardcoreJKD.com
http://www.HardcoreJKD.com
http://www.RealCombatOnline.com
Phone (205) 956-1901
"Hit Hard, Hit Fast, Hit First - ALWAYS!"
