Comparative Study of Tsuki. A punch is a punch is a punch?????

Let's take a look at basic punching techinques. Today I have picked Japanese Kenpo, Shorinji Kenpo. Wing Chun and JKA karate styles of punching. Note that all the Kenpo styles punch with the vertical fist compared to the horizontal fist of JKA.


This is the mainstream Shorinji Kenpo as known in Japan. It is interesting to note that they do not emphasize "Hikite" as in Karate Basics.


Nippon Kempo is another major style of Kenpo in Japan. From its inception, utilization of body armor and face mask (similar to Kendo), throws, joint locks along with kicks and punches were incorporated into its style.


What more can I say of this style? (^^) Karate as most people know it!


Bruce Lee's original martial art, Wing Chun. The vertical fist is also their basic punch just as in Shorinji Kenpo and Nippon Kenpo.


My good friend Fukushima Shihan's kids practicing their basic punches. Fukushima Shihan is formerly a Shorinji Kenpo instructor. We worked together when he was in the Japanese Coast Guard. Notice the hip movement and weight shift in his punches.


Of course we should look at boxing! (^^) Interesting to note that in this video the fist is corkscrewed more than in a karate tsuki. The foot stance is "somewhat" similar to Seisan dachi (some call it Hangetsu dachi). When executing the right cross the stance looks like an shortened zenkutsu, albeit with the rear heel up. This advice of pulling the shoulder back when doing the cross (gyaku tsuki) reminds me of Hikite. (^^)
     Now how do we punch when it comes to competition? Do we punch according to our Kihon? (^^) That is one topic I always ask myself when teaching. Kihon is important, no doubt. But when we spar we don't really punch with what is taught as Kihon. There is no hikite true to kihon. Yakusoku Kumite, yes we still have hikite in basic form. In Point sparring (WKF style) the hikite is emphasized more for show than for its impact. In full contact do to the continuous attack, we rarely use hikite, at most when sweeping the opponent to the ground and making a "pose" to claim a point. So is t better to teach kumite dachi and punches from kumite dachi as Kihon and shed the traditional sanchin dachi in position kihon? (^^) Just food for thought on a lazy Sunday afternoon.