One of the most impressive techniques you
may see from a martial artist is Bruce Lee’s one inch punch. While it may seem impossible to generate that
much power from one inch, it is not only possible, learning to generate power in
the shortest amount of distance possible can be the difference of walking away
from an altercation unharmed or not.
As
a self-defense based martial art, short strikes are one of the key principles
of our style. For black belts, it is
expected you focus more on short strikes and generating significant power from
a shorter distance.
The value of short strikes include: (1)
They are harder to see coming and to stop, and (2) they put you at an advantage
since most people cannot fight close in.
This advantage will keep you safe and end an altercation more quickly.
Below is a list of drills and concepts to
work on and improve your short strikes (and all your other techniques as well).
·
Be grounded. Continue to strive to always be grounded.
·
Practice short strikes. Practice against air or a bag the shortest
strikes possible. Maybe you start with
half your normal distance and then continue to shrink the distance as you get increasingly
more comfortable with throwing techniques at a sorter distance.
·
Practice focusing on
alignment precision and motion precision.
The more precise your alignment and motion the more effective your
techniques are. For more information on
this topic, see Jan 2018 blog, “Key
Alignment/ Motion Fundamentals”.
·
Practice focusing on using
your stance and driving your techniques from your stance.
·
Practice your techniques so
you are connected to your center and throw your techniques using your entire
body.
·
Practice strikes using
explosive energy.
·
Practice with intense
mental focus where your entire focus is on the strike and your mind is void of
other thoughts. For more information on
focus, see the August 2010 blog, “Focus
and Concentration” and September 2017 blog, “Training
The Mind by Staying Focused”.
Regards,
Kelly
"The successful warrior is the average man, with laser like force." ~ Bruce Lee, (1940 –1973) American-born Chinese Hong Kong martial artist, actor, and founder of Jeet Kune Do
