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Sunday, February 13, 2011

Is Inch Power Useful?

The concept of "inch power" in wing chun is the delivery of a strike within an inch or a few inches away of its target. Demonstrated by Bruce Lee and many other wing chun artists, the "inch punch" pretty much sums it up and always gets an "ooh" or "ahh" from the crowd.

Now, there's a difference between the delivery of inch power - for demonstration purposes, it's more of a push so that it "pushes" the opponent into the chair and gives a more dramatic effect. While, actual fighting application, the strike "hurts on the inside" and is meant to drop the opponent, rather than to push him or her away.

But, how useful is inch power anyway? In the context of the street fight, would we want to rely on inch power? Wouldn't we want to capitalize on striking with as much force as possible and with ideal distance, rather than only a few inches away?

In the face of adrenaline, drugs, etc. how effective would the inch punch really be? In the context of being on the ground? against a grappler?

Or perhaps, developing the inch punch is simply a means to make your "normal punch" even more powerful?

Until then.

2 comments:

Gary said...

about inch power,,,the short punch always seemed 'goofy' to me. yeah i know it is supposed to mean you can hit from close in and still k.o the guy..but, it just seems kind of goofy to me... Somehow, I never could figure why it is such a big deal.. but you labelled it inch 'power'.. made me think if on contact( from any distance) being able to control/move/destroy the opponents balance/alignment/position etc, by placing all your weight and strength onto the contact point between you, then it makes sense to me. demos of the 'punch' usually seem wrong, as in they pull back first, or there is a big body weight shift that takes forever. and there is always lots of ego or something in the demo's. I have been 'touched' once or twice by that guy in the red shirt who i wont name, and felt my guts turn to water, or been crushed down, not backwards,, so i guess that is the 'inch punch'.
any power is useful,, inch power included. Mostly the you tube videos of it seem pointless to me.

Anonymous said...

Is it useful to deliver power from wherever your fist is prior to striking... obviously yes. Is it usful to push someone through particle board and make a video of it... I don't think so!

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