Straight From The Curved

[Walk the Torque]

I have been having great fun lately using a curved trajectory on my fist strikes, so that instead of trying to penetrate punching head on to the target, I have been striking so that the impact happens along a curve. It is a bit like sling shotting the power into the target. This is the first time I have thought about the old tai ji saying to "seek the straight from the curved" in regards to striking. Its a far more juicy shot.

Any thoughts?

[qiphlow]

from your perspective, how does the sensation differ from the straight strike?

[TaoBoxer]

Sounds a lot like Beng Quan...... and Rise-Drill-Overturn-Fall :-D

Lewitt

[Walk the Torque]

from your perspective, how does the sensation differ from the straight strike?

More weight to the strike, esp on the vertical.

[Walk the Torque]

Sounds a lot like Beng Quan...... and Rise-Drill-Overturn-Fall :-D

Lewitt

Oh I thought Beng was a straight line punch, no?

[TaoBoxer]

well, it is as straight as any line your body can make..... The Weapon of Beng is the Arrow.... Do arrows move in straight lines or arcs?

Lewitt

[Walk the Torque]

Hmm good point, but the kind of strike I'm talking about is hitting the target at quite an oblique angle. Maybe Beng is done in this way, I don't know.

[johnwang]

If your intention is trying to build a bridge then curve line strike is always better than the straight line strike.

[Interloper]

Especially when the curve starts with the ground and your spine.

[Walk the Torque]

So you guys are familliar with the concept of striking accross the surface of a target. I have come accross it in a cutting palm but never thought to do it with a fist. Anyway, it was an eye opener.

[johnwang]

Hook punch, upper cut, and back fist are all easier to build a bridge than a straight punch.

[Ian]

principals of striking are all the same. they can be perfectly straight, or they can be curved. they can start from the elbow, or they can start from the foot.

[D_Glenn]

Walk, if you change the fist to an ox-tounge shape you have discovered a fairly common cma strike called 展 'zhan'. The hand hits but the forearem and elbow following in the continuing arc is what actually cause damage. If you "believe" in (or don't believe, as it doesn't change the outcome) affecting and taking advantage of how an opponents 'wei qi' responds to and naturally attempts to protect the opponents body- then the zhan strikes have a serrating effect as their wei qi follows your hand and leaves nothing to protect their body from your elbow, it has a tearing effect on muscle tissue and can detach muscles from attachment points, even done lightly it hurts like hell.

[klonk]

Hook punch, upper cut, and back fist are all easier to build a bridge than a straight punch.

Quite true. But by the same token, the straight punch is more difficult to dodge or block.

[Walk the Torque]

D-Glenn,

Interesting, thanks for that; and thats what I was really interested in. The shearing quality of the strike seems to penetrate much deeper than striking and contacting straight forward even with the distal part of the limb. The sling shot effect of these strikes and the angle they hit at seems to make the angle of contact more appropriate.

As I said I have used the palm in this way before but not thought of it as a punch; or for that matter a follow up strike with the forearm/elbow, so you have my gratitude. I'll work on that.

Thanks