Structural Striking vs. Percussive Striking

[I am...]

I haven't seen this topic discussed much in quite a long time, if ever on EF. Those that are wondering what they are, and how they differ, post questions. Those that practice one over the other, what advantages and disadvantages do you find in each?

I would like to add in as well, but first need to know what people view them as encompassing, or if the terms are clear enough in the first place. Most striking arts will feature both (they can often both be found in the same movement, depending on the way power is generated, footwork use, etc.), often specializing in one "flavor" of one of them either at the teachers level, or the individuals.

[I am...]

Definitions? I'm not clear how any physical strike would not rely on a measure of structure. And by "percussive" striking do you mean ballistic strikes?

To make things simpler to start with, I will try to group them a bit

Structural: Makes a path to the ground, with the whole body behind it, takes advantage of compression to possibly rebound energy back into the target.
Examples would be: Beng Chuan, reverse punch from a bow and arrow stance, etc.

Percussive: Hits and delivers energy in a similar way a baseball would when it hits a person, or a billiard ball.
Examples would be: Seed strikes in Lama/Hop Gar, many of the infamous "arm only" Systema strikes, the hook in boxing (could fall into either category depending on how its thrown and what angle), etc.

I liked the Wing Chun definition. I imagine, used with YGKYM stance (pigeon toed), that could make for some great striking power, but I don't get much chance to work out with Wing Chun guys, so I cannot speak first hand on it.

[I am...]

Likely yes, I haven't felt his for obvious reasons They generally fall into that category, if done the way I saw his demonstrated. Short power itself can be done either way however.

[Toby]

I do WC and XY. I find there are both in WC (the infamous chain punching springs to mind as an example of percussive striking), with a tendency towards structural striking being more effective. Ideally all should be structural but e.g. with chain punching there just isn't the time to repetitively set up your structure to drive the strikes. Must be why it's a low-level technique (although very effective in the right circumstances). I can't think of a single non-structural strike in XY however.

[Bao]

I can't really see much difference.There is never black or white, I see it more like a grey scale, where some of the methods are more black and some of it more white. There is a different focus on structure, maybe a different view on relaxation or suppleness, but the methods always blend together- If your focus is on structure, you will need a method to build speed and momentum. Even for a one inch punch, you will need to loose up your structure to build speed, which means relax. For XY, your focus will be mainly the end posture, and your practice will help you to minimize the time going from, as an example, let's say from a right bengquan to a left bengquan. In a bengquan, you more or less throw uyour whole body in a straight line into your opponent. But you practice the movement so mych that you dont need to think about structure. When you have practiced the structure enough, you concentrate on speed and loosing up your "thinking" of structure. Your whole body will become like that arm you swing as a bat in "percussive striking". And opposite if we deal with "percussive striking", when you learn how to swing your body, or an arm, like it is totally empty, your focus will first be on relaxed movement, but also angle and speed. When you learn the correct relaxation. you will need to focus more on the body structure, so you learn how to control and direct the force, and also how to change quickly between strikes, stances etc.

[Josealb]

I Am, would it be fair to assume that when you say structural, you mean penetrating? This is the trademark of Bengquan, which you used as an example. And Percussive would be the trademark of Paoquan. Im assuming this because structure and ground connection is what drives both of these examples.

[Chris McKinley]

None of the five fists would be percussive, by this thread's definition. I'm kinda with Bao on this one. At the highest levels, it's all about when to go empty, when to go full, and how much of each. They each (and their hybrids) have an appropriate place. Slap happy strikes are fast, but don't have fight-ending power. Classical, full-body strikes are powerful, but don't do you much good if your opponent is so fast and mobile that he's tapdancing on your face every time you get set to throw something.