power punching and pressure testing

Its a good post Martyn, I see where you are coming from.

The only caution I would raise is that any art, sport or "reality based", only offers an individual the tools. If the individual doesn't have the intelligence or experience to understand how to employ those tools, then that is not the fault of the art. Hence why I said the difference between sport and street is the individual.

Every art requires a certain degree of personal adaptation to make it work. In my experince over the last 18 years, through all the many arts I have studied, the one that requires the least adaptation to knock someone on their arse, is Boxing.

That's just my experience, each to their own.

A great thread guys and thanks to all for your posts and insights. Some great people all linked by one thread - a pleasure to be part of

One thing that jumps out for me, and something I'd like to ask Dennis is as follows:-

Do you feel that you need to have the traditional background, with all those years training in traditional styles, learning , dare I say, "conventional" ways of punching, in order to be able to make the more "street-based" style of punching more effective.

For example, I too am originally from a Shotokan background, with alot of Boxing thrown in. I've combined this training with pre-emptive striking training, working from no-guard positions, defensive hand position, short range and long range, etc etc
Working the doors for many years too, I soon found what worked, what didn't, what I could get away with and what would most likely result in my getting a hiding instead.

However, even when I drop my guard, work at "jumping" through the target, using advanced footwork to travel during the punch, or when I work very short range, restrictive style training, there are still attributes within my punching technique that I can directly relate back to the many many hours training in the traditional arts (Boxing and Karate, to name the main ones for this topic)

The Karate taught me massive Kimae and focus on the end of the punch. It taught me how to channel emotive aggression and intent into a single technique. The Boxing taught me how to be more relaxed, how to manipulate angular punching, etc.
These things plus many more were honed during the traditional training and come as a freebie when I then work pre-emptive striking.

So, can someone then come along and develop your power in this style of punching without having some mileage in the Boxing or other punching arts first?

My concern would be people just seeing the gross movements here with the technique, and not appreciating that there is alot more going on to complete these techniques that may go unseen to the untrained.

I hope my ramblings make sense.

Thanks again for contributing

Makes sense to me Al. there is one commen agreement here and thats expearience is the biggest factor when deciding what punch to throw but instinct should prevail.