How to throw a punch

[miked]

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-1765 ... ow-a-punch


Here is the first part of my latest article. I hope you enjoy it.
Of course, constructive comments are always welcome.

Best regards,

Mike DeDonato
mjdcgb@ca.rr.com
www.uechi-la.org

[JimHawkins]

There's that "Ikken Hissatsu" thing again...

IMO this has little to do with killing folks with one punch...

No one ever thought that one punch or more accurately one single attacking action must be, will be or should be enough..

Rather IMO it speaks to a kind of mindset and vicious single intent that must be present in our attack: A mindset that incorporates all of one's focus, commitment and true heart with a passionate, total commitment to completely destroying the enemy no matter what, and a setting aside of any concern/desire for safety or a desire to survive.

It's rare to see this kind of commitment in attacking spirit.. Showing this kind of intent initially may take the opponent out of the fight even before it starts..

It is this spirit that IMO is what Ikken Hissatsu is all about.

[Bill Glasheen]

My first karate style was Japanese - taught by a Japanese who was a descendant of the samurai class. He learned his art in a monastery at a young age, and subsequently trained with many well-known greats in Japan.

My teacher believed in and taught this philosophy. While it is about mechanics, it is also about mindset. It isn't that complicated, although much has been attributed to it.

Here's a good description of the origin and use of the concept.

- Bill

Ikken Hisatsu - one strike one kill. I guess it comes from the classical sword traditions where to survive on a battlefield or in a duel you have to end the encounter quickly.

I suppose it attracted the attention of those people who trained young Japanese men of military age during the 1930s and 1940s and that's how it found its way into karate lore.

You can see it in application in traditional competition where the points are awarded for the perfect hit.

Does it have application today though? Yes. In self protection you want to end an encounter early and that means making use of the pre-emptive strike. Hit first and go home, that's the strategy.

What about "Karate ni sente nashi?" - There is no first attack in karate. I don't think this refers to physical action, more to do with avoiding trouble if possible, but then doing what is necessary to minimise the confrontation.

- Stephen Irwin

[miked]

Jim Hawkins wrote:

"There's that "Ikken Hissatsu" thing again...

IMO this has little to do with killing folks with one punch...

No one ever thought that one punch or more accurately one single attacking action must be, will be or should be enough..

Rather IMO it speaks to a kind of mindset and vicious single intent that must be present in our attack"

---------------------------------------------------------

I am in agreement with your points, however, on occasion a single strike has caused mortal damage.

The relevant excerpt from my article to be found at http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-1765 ... ow-a-punch is as follows:


"Traditional karate stylists will often refer to the term Ikken Hissatsu with a common translation of 'one punch kill' and a literal translation of 'One Fist, Certain Death'. Of course, it is highly unlikely that a single punch will actually kill someone, although it has happened, on occasions, in and outside of the ring. As an example of such a tragedy, during April of 2005, professional boxer Becky Zerlentes, in her last bout before retirement, received a straight knockout punch to her left temple resulting in a fatal blood clot on her brain.

Per the research conducted and maintained by Manny Velaquez, Robert Smith and Joseph Srvinth, through November of 2007, there have been 1,465 boxing deaths. A related article noted that 'boxers continue to die of ring injuries ... Since July 2000, when Electronic Journals of Martial Arts and Sciences began publishing analysis based on the Manuel Velazquez Collection, at least 60 boxers and Toughman fighters have died. Nevertheless, the only reason that the listing has grown by a third since July 2000 is that research is ongoing, especially into the years before World War II'."

I have been informed that rotational (angular) acceleration causes the knockout.


All the best,

Mike DeDonato
Los Angeles, CA
www.uechi-la.org
http://www.examiner.com/x-17652-LA-Mart ... s-Examiner

[Bill Glasheen]

There are competing theories on mechanisms behind the angular hit - the classic hook to the side of the jaw which causes the head to spin. In addition to any torquing of the brain stem, there is also the issue of contrecoup. It's an odd phenomenon where if you hit the jaw, the back of the brain bounces off the back of the skull. It's as if there was a direct hit right on the brain from behind.

Studies have been done on the ability of the head to withstand impact. It seems that the space in-between brain and skull - when optimal* - works well to minimize brain injury when the impact is straight on. Rotational forces however are more likely to wreak havoc.

How much each mechanism contributes to the whole I'm sure is situational. But it all adds up.

- Bill

* non-optimal geometry results in a phenomenon known as a "glass jaw"

[JimHawkins]

I certainly don't dispute that a single shot can KO...

In Chun Ikken Hissatsu might well traslate as Jeet Kune, the ideal in expression.. But continuity of attack takes precedence most of the time.

But I do see Ikken Hissatsu as more a total commitment in attack mindset.

[mhosea]

When I was taught Matsubayshi Ryu, focus and commitment were always a given. These strikes that you might identify with Ikken Hissatsu were special. There was total commitment, yes, but also no sense of follow-up with another attack "just in case".

[JimHawkins]

When I was taught Matsubayshi Ryu, focus and commitment were always a given. These strikes that you might identify with Ikken Hissatsu were special. There was total commitment, yes, but also no sense of follow-up with another attack "just in case".

Which or what kinds of moves? And how was there no sense of follow-up? I find the latter concept difficult to grasp..

[Bill Glasheen]

I have to agree with your suspicion, Jim.

As my first karate teacher (Hiroshi Hamada) taught the principle of ikken hisatsu (the no-messing-around attack), so too did he emphasize the concept of zanshin - remaining mind. You never took time to admire your work, and you never assumed that a downed opponent wasn't a threat.

Again... the origin of the principle isn't in karate; it is from the battlefield where sword met flesh. In that venue you don't have time for small ball when you're up to your arse in alligators. Every move must count. Every threat must be shut down with brutal efficiency. Fail do so at your own peril.

- Bill

[mhosea]

What suspicion? That I just didn't get it? Quite likely. However, what I do get is that it's not usually necessary to stray quite so far from the literal meaning of a term as you two would seem to have us believe. Obviously people are teaching useful things and referring to them as some abstraction of Ikken Hissatsu. More power to 'em, I guess.

As to the question, I will answer it as best I can. It's not that you were counseled not to follow-up or not to consider your downed opponent a threat. Probably the opposite is true, but in fact ofter so many years I don't remember what was said. I do, however, remember the training. In addition to kihon, of course, we trained almost exclusively kata and pre-arranged sparring, with just some occasional no-contact free sparring. There was no competitive point-style kumite. The attacks of total commitment were typically a moment of pause in kata, or, in the case of yakusoku kumite, the absolute end of the drill. What automatic reaction is that training likely to engender?

[RA Miller]

This is one of those yes and no things. I think Jim got it when he was talking that it is about a mindset, and I think he let that understanding slip when he started asking about specific techniques. Not calling Jim in particular, it was just a perfect example close together of what it is and isn't from the same person.

Absolute focus in one instant. Hitting to hit, hitting to hurt and hitting to crush and destroy all feel different even if you are using the exact same technique. Total commitment to a single action. It is a mindset.

It doesn't preclude follow-up, and I think this is where many people get lost. It is very, very hard to have part of your mind in your next move and commit fully to this one. It's not that ikken hissatsu means no combinations as much as ikken hisatsu is a very difficult mindset to achieve when you are thinking about combinations.

So, few if any ikken hisatsu techniques. But a definite attitude. Possibly (speculation alert) the attitude has to be taught with a single finishing technique and then expanded to all techniques because a rookie can't hold both thoughts ('full commitment to this one strike' and 'whatever I have to do next') in his brain at the same time.

FWIW from a non-karate guy.

Rory

[JimHawkins]

That sounds like 'kata punctuation' to me....

Chun training is very much about continuity, it's one of the biggest elements really. We say, face and follow, it's such a big part of the training that I have a hard time with the idea of singularity in attacking mindset...

The Chinese don't even like to isolate single movemnts or techniques, it's called sun sao, when you remove something from the fluid nature of change and time it's missing something... Like a word picked out of a sentence, we know what the word means but having been removed from the sentence it loses any context and true meaning...

But even in Shotokan, it's rinse repeat until it's over...

[mhosea]

Absolute focus in one instant. Hitting to hit, hitting to hurt and hitting to crush and destroy all feel different even if you are using the exact same technique. Total commitment to a single action. It is a mindset.

I find myself making an entirely semantic argument about the term Ikken Hissatsu because I disagree with nothing anyone has written had the term never been invoked here. Actually, I thought it went without saying that this mindset was part of Ikken Hissatsu. That is to say, Ikken Hissatsu necessarily implies this mindset, but this mindset does not necessarily imply Ikken Hissatsu. I gather what you and Jim are claiming that the implication goes both ways. That sounds like wishful thinking to me, but in the end it is only a trivial matter of the definition of a term.

[JimHawkins]

I'm not sure you know what you think I think you aren't referring to or thinking Mike...

I just don't see it as having to be either or.. So yes total commitment in ALL our attacks. Or if you want you can think of a total offensive as multiple attacks that are strung together..

Isn't (an attack) really made up of many actions? Is not the intent being discussed here to be maintained throughout all these actions of our attack?

The mechanics of a Shotokan attack may or not fit in with this better than a Southern Chinese art, but I can certainly apply it to both...

I mean whatever form the attack and the engagement takes total commitment is total commitment, is it not?

[JimHawkins]

It's an odd phenomenon where if you hit the jaw, the back of the brain bounces off the back of the skull. It's as if there was a direct hit right on the brain from behind.

Perhaps this explains the dynamic of the close range palm strike delivered in an upward path under the chin and driven through the location of the skull at around a 45 degree angle.. This snaps the head back with great whiplash speed and has great KO power.. It's normally followed by a neck chop since you have them 'looking up' for a moment..