Six Principles of Power

[Sungpaeki]

The six principles of power that every striking technique needs to get the maximum amount of power are: Speed, Equalibrium, Breath control, Focus, Reaction force, and Timing.

Speed-Obviously the faster that your technique is the more power you can put into it.

Equalibrium- If you're off balance it is impossible to use your whole body to get power, and send your energy into the strike.

Breath control-A ki-hap or ki-ai helps with energy transfer by tightening up all of the muscles in your body especially the abdomin at the point of impact. It also assists your mind in being more focused.

Focus-Is delivering all of your energy into the smallest point. My favorite explanation of focus is to imagine a fat woman on linoleom with tennis shoes on, she does not hurt the floor. Now imagine the same woman with stelleto high heals on. She will most likely put some major dents and cracks in the floor. Now thats delivering the maximum amount of energy to the smallest point.

Reaction Force-I'm not going to get all scientific here, but when you punch for exsample by pulling back the opposite arm it makes your body work together. If you were to just leave the arm hanging there it would hinder your strike.

Timing-This brings everything together. Everything must work together from your exhale, your reaction force, focus, speed, and balance. It all must harmonize to deliver the maximum amount of power. While all of these are necessary, this in my opinion is the most important principle.

Does anyone have a different take on this? Something to add, or something that you absolutly dissagree with? Just curious.

[Thai Bri]

Reaction force. - It is a fallacy to say that you need to pull back the non punching arm. It does make it "feel" more powerful when you punch thin air, but inhibits the transfer of mass into the target. You are literally pulling part of yourself in the wrong direction. In fact, you seem to have missed mass out of the equation altogether.

Focus - yes, in theory. In practice, what sharp points do you have? The mid knuckle? The finger tips? Neither great against a hard target. So focus becomes a moot point.

Other factors include:-

The opponents direction of travel. Strike in a plain that will meet his movement. So, for example, if his head is miving to your left, hit with a left hook etc.

Surprise. If he is aware that you are going to hit him, he is ready and prepared. If you hit totally pre emptively, catching him unawares, the relaxed state of his body is going to feel much greater shock.

Target - Attack the right target with the right weapon. Not easy to do in an all out battle, so settle for hard blows to the general region of the lower face and neck, as well as kick/knees to the groin, thighs and shin/instep.

Hate - Hit with hate. Totally release your inhibitions. The body rarely goes "all out" for fear of injuring itself. Exploding with rage bypasses this, and gets more impact. The rage also puts more fear and self dount into him, so each and every thing you do to him will seem even worse than it is.


There. Thats all I have time to do at the moment. I'm afraid I'm not really a fan of Hapkido and similar arts. To me they are to much Dojo and not enough street. And too many training partners are compliant even when they don't mean to be.

Fond regards!

[eXcessiveForce]

don't rule out focus. It is far from moot. Altough we do not have points. there is a big difference between a punch to the solar plexus and a slap to the same spot. Eye gouges work better with focus of power though the finger digits. hard to gouge the eye with the elbow. Might be fun to try in a fight though

Reaction force that is being described is used only at low rank levels to begin teaching body mechanics. As one progresses to higher levels. Reaction force is handled internally. Hip rotation into the strike and then snapped back into position after the strike makes contact. This is even the case in many traditional martial arts. Puting the hand out and pulling it back is often referred to as chambering.

Timing is also about external factor not just internal. For instance hitting your opponent at his intialization of action as his weight shift towards you. Thus increasing power to the strike.

Gotta run for now.

[Sungpaeki]

--Mass: Yes mass can assist in how much power you can put into your techniques, but it is not something that you can control. All of the things above are things that can be improved upon through practice. Although you can lose or gain weight it is not something you can concentrate on and make a part of your technique process.

These theories are to help your body be in the best position for the most amount of energy transfer. I agree that finding a good target and striking at the right time are nessassary.

--Reaction force: I appologize for my punch example, because it is a poor example and yes, only taught to beginners. Reaction force is used with every technique, not just punches, to help put the whole body into it. Like a roundhouse kick you turn your upperbody in the opposite direction to get a corkscrew effect. With the punch you pull back the opposite shoulder to help push your punching arm out there faster.

Originally posted by Thai Bri

Hate - Hit with hate. Totally release your inhibitions. The body rarely goes "all out" for fear of injuring itself. Exploding with rage bypasses this, and gets more impact. The rage also puts more fear and self dount into him, so each and every thing you do to him will seem even worse than it is.

This is something that I completely disagree with. Rage makes people sloppy, tired quickly, slower and has a tendency to develop tunnel vision. We stress projecting a serious confident attitude, but never anger or rage. I'm sure if you are defending yourself you are going to get mad and you should be, but "Exploding with rage," is unnessassary. We strive to be in control of ourselves and our bodies at all times; not the other way around.

That's all for now, I'll sit back and await more flaming.

[Thai Bri]

Disagreeing isn't flaming.

You seem to have a very basic level of understanding about generating power for the purposes of fighting.

You cannot control the mass you actually have in the short term, but you can control how much of it is utilised in the generation of the strike. See how you miss the point?

And you can seek to control yourself all you want to. A real fight is so unlike any sporting or dojo contest you wouldn't believe it. Hate is more than necessary. Hate, evil intent, rage. Call it what you will. But this is THE most essential ingredient that will get you home to Momma.

Have you ever had a real fight?

[Sungpaeki]

Originally posted by Thai Bri

Have you ever had a real fight?

More than a few, not on "the street" but in the county jail that I worked at. I have had to control many strung out and/or drunks while controling myself without hate or rage. I am also a former Marine, and I am no stranger to stressful situations.

--mass: You should use as much mass that allows you to keep your balance.

I don't believe in using hate, but I do believe in my will to do what is necessary to survive.

To me your attitude is flaming by making attacks at me personally about what I would do in a situation because I do not follow your fighting philosophy. You could just say I don't believe what you believe this is what I think, instead you post things like 6'4" blood monster stomping on my neck. Your way is the only way that works, and that is it. You attempt to pull off this martial arts profit persona of letting everyone know the true way according to your own bad experiences. I admire you for sticking to your convictions, but in your own words, there is no telling you.

[Thai Bri]

Do tell me of the twisty wristy techniques they taught you in the Marines. I'm all ears.

[Sungpaeki]

Originally posted by Thai Bri

Do tell me of the twisty wristy techniques they taught you in the Marines. I'm all ears.

I was using my experience in the Marine Corps to display that I have been in stressful situations. I was not trying to say that I learned the ultimate fighting style from them, or that I even practice any of those techniques anymore. I don't know why I even bother?

[brokenelbow]

Speed-Obviously the faster that your technique is the more power you can put into it.

Wrong. I've worked with many people who were very fast but had little power. Flicky arm crap. I've also seen way to often fast kickers that fall down if they ever connect. All arm and leg with no body.

Equalibrium- If you're off balance it is impossible to use your whole body to get power, and send your energy into the strike.

Agree 100%

Breath control-A ki-hap or ki-ai helps with energy transfer by tightening up all of the muscles in your body especially the abdomin at the point of impact. It also assists your mind in being more focused.

Where do you guys get this stuff? If all the muscles are tight, especially around the waist you've put the brakes on moving. If I have to yell to focus in a real fight you might as well call the ambulance.

Reaction Force-I'm not going to get all scientific here, but when you punch for exsample by pulling back the opposite arm it makes your body work together. If you were to just leave the arm hanging there it would hinder your strike.
Reaction force Part II: I appologize for my punch example, because it is a poor example and yes, only taught to beginners. Reaction force is used with every technique, not just punches, to help put the whole body into it. Like a roundhouse kick you turn your upperbody in the opposite direction to get a corkscrew effect. With the punch you pull back the opposite shoulder to help push your punching arm out there faster.

Please stop the madness. Pulling the non-punching arm back does absolutly nothing to make the body work together. Power comes from the waist and the hips. Want to get the punch out there faster? Keep your hands and arms between you and your target, and learn to punch using the muscles of the waist, hips and legs to get power. BTW, you're not trying to get a corkscrew effect, you are trying to get your hips into the kick. I hate to be rude but if you're going to call something principles of power you better understand what the hell you're doing.

[Thai Bri]

I don't know why I even bother?

To be honest, neither do I. You put up posts, and claim to be "flamed" when disagreed with. You already "know" what it best (though you do precious little to display this knowledge), so just stick with it.

[bbbb]

Flamage...

Focus - yes, in theory. In practice, what sharp points do you have? The mid knuckle? The finger tips? Neither great against a hard target. So focus becomes a moot point.

A: The first Knuckle...though this only hit's soft target's...use the palm or hammer fist to hit the hard. (Unless it's one-on- one.)

Hang on..what do you hit with(and where)? aaaagggh!