|
|
| Author |
Message |
David Miller
Yellow Belt
Joined: 16 Jun 2017
Posts: 25
|
 Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 12:58 am Post subject: Extending elbow when punching |
 |
|
Hello everyone,
This question has been in my head the moment I started practicing Karate, is that when we do a straight punch in Katas like Seisan, Sanseru, and other Katas, do we have to fully and I mean fully extend our elbow or should we stop halfway through the punch, because once I decided to do one of those Sensei Morio Higaonna punch (really impactful punch) with full elbow extension..lets just say it didn't end really well. My elbow felt like it was de attaching itself for 3 seconds, but then I also tried to not fully extend my elbow, that did not work really well and the punch looked extremely awful. So yea basically should we fully extend our elbows or not? Thanks. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
sensei8
KF Sensei
Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Posts: 16420
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Styles: Shindokan Saitou-ryu [Shuri-te/Okinawa-te based]
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 11:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Style variances will differ through methodologies and ideologies in what you're asking.
In Shindokan, we do NOT fully extend our elbows whatsoever. Just near full extension but not fully extended. Why?? We believe that any full extension will hyper-extend the elbow, therefore, injuring the elbow.
_________________
**Proof is on the floor!!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
singularity6
Pre-Black Belt
Joined: 26 Jun 2017
Posts: 958
Location: Michigan
Styles: Jidokwan Taekwondo and Hapkido, Yoshokai Aikido, ZNIR Iaido, Kendo
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 6:16 am Post subject: |
|
|
| sensei8 wrote: |
Style variances will differ through methodologies and ideologies in what you're asking.
In Shindokan, we do NOT fully extend our elbows whatsoever. Just near full extension but not fully extended. Why?? We believe that any full extension will hyper-extend the elbow, therefore, injuring the elbow.
|
I think that your school's thoughts are fairly universal.
_________________
5th Geup Jidokwan Tae Kwon Do/Hap Ki Do
(Never officially tested in aikido, iaido or kendo) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
GojuRyu Bahrain
Orange Belt
Joined: 26 May 2013
Posts: 125
Styles: Goju Ryu, Shotokan, Kobudo, Uechi Ryu
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 6:34 am Post subject: Re: Extending elbow when punching |
|
|
| David Miller wrote: |
Hello everyone,
This question has been in my head the moment I started practicing Karate, is that when we do a straight punch in Katas like Seisan, Sanseru, and other Katas, do we have to fully and I mean fully extend our elbow or should we stop halfway through the punch.....So yea basically should we fully extend our elbows or not? Thanks. |
Hi David,
In Goju Ryu (I assume you practice Goju Ryu based on your reference to Higaonna) we do most definitely not fully extend the arm. As Sensei8 wrote, this will damage your elbow joint, if not on the first punch then on the ten-thousandth for sure..
Briefly (because there is a lot more to consider than can be covered in one post), the Goju Ryu seiken zuki should be performed with a locked shoulder and the elbow facing down (as much as possible). The target is being hit with the first two knuckles (index and middle finger knuckles). Proper alignment of the extended arm is achieved by imagining a straight line from 1- these knuckles through 2- the center of your wrist through 3- the center of your elbow to 4- the center of your shoulder joint. Having the elbow facing down, instead of facing to the side, should make hyper-extension of the elbow nearly impossible, and builds a solid defensive structure that protects the weak sides of the torso as well as your elbows (from breaking through counters as well as from self inflicted injury). Chris Wilders Book "The way of Sanchin Kata" covers the topic in fabulous detail.
Execution of the punch is done in such a manner that the knuckles penetrate through the target; about an inch is budgeted in the striking range - hence the distance is relatively short compared to, say, a Shotokan Zuki.
Hope this helps.
_________________
------------
Goju Ryu (Yushinkan since 1989), Shotokan (JKA since 2005) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
David Miller
Yellow Belt
Joined: 16 Jun 2017
Posts: 25
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 11:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Thanks for the reply everyone and for the articles. What about other karate styles like Shotokan, because now referring to sensei Kanazawa Hirokazu, he looks like he fully extends his arms and elbows when he punches. What do you guys think about Sensei Kanazawa's punches when it comes to arm/elbow extension? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Wastelander
KF Sensei
Joined: 18 Oct 2010
Posts: 2733
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Styles: Shorin-Ryu, Shuri-Ryu, Judo, KishimotoDi
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| David Miller wrote: |
| Thanks for the reply everyone and for the articles. What about other karate styles like Shotokan, because now referring to sensei Kanazawa Hirokazu, he looks like he fully extends his arms and elbows when he punches. What do you guys think about Sensei Kanazawa's punches when it comes to arm/elbow extension? |
I'm in complete agreement that you should never "fully extend" or "lock" any of the joints in your body while executing a technique. I've noticed that when people pose for photos of punches, they tend to lock the arm out, for what that's worth. I will point out that it is very difficult to tell how "fully extended" someone's arm is while they are wearing a gi, especially if they have very accurate motor control, and stop their arm just short of full extension.
_________________
Kishimoto-Di | 2014-Present | Sensei: Ulf Karlsson
Shorin-Ryu/Shinkoten Karate | 2010-Present: Yondan, Renshi | Sensei: Richard Poage (RIP), Jeff Allred (RIP)
Shuri-Ryu | 2006-2010: Sankyu | Sensei: Joey Johnston, Joe Walker (RIP)
Judo | 2007-2010: Gokyu | Sensei: Joe Walker (RIP), Ramon Rivera (RIP), Adrian Rivera
Illinois Practical Karate | International Neoclassical Karate Kobudo Society |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MatsuShinshii
Black Belt
Joined: 15 Aug 2016
Posts: 1423
Location: Kentucky
Styles: Machimura Suidi Rokudan, Ryukyu Kenpo, Kobudo, Judo
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 3:54 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Although many encourage you to snap out your strikes when practicing so you get that snappy popping sound (like this translates to power) you should never come to full extension when striking in the air. Over time you will wear out your joints and will pay for it dearly later in life.
_________________
The person who succeeds is not the one who holds back, fearing failure, nor the one who never fails-but the one who moves on in spite of failure.
Charles R. Swindoll |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sensei8
KF Sensei
Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Posts: 16420
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Styles: Shindokan Saitou-ryu [Shuri-te/Okinawa-te based]
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 8:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| singularity6 wrote: |
| sensei8 wrote: |
Style variances will differ through methodologies and ideologies in what you're asking.
In Shindokan, we do NOT fully extend our elbows whatsoever. Just near full extension but not fully extended. Why?? We believe that any full extension will hyper-extend the elbow, therefore, injuring the elbow.
|
I think that your school's thoughts are fairly universal. |
Yes!! I was just speaking from my experiences, and not from an assumption outside of Shindokan.
_________________
**Proof is on the floor!!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
OneKickWonder
Purple Belt
Joined: 17 Feb 2018
Posts: 513
Styles: Tang soo do
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 3:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
In my style we are taught to fully extend.
That advice is great. If you want to have chronic joint pain after a few years.
My advice would be, never fully lock out. Quite apart from the stress that puts on your joints, it leaves you vulnerable. If your opponent catches a fully locked out arm or leg, you're basically asking for your knee or elbow to be forcibly hyperextended. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MatsuShinshii
Black Belt
Joined: 15 Aug 2016
Posts: 1423
Location: Kentucky
Styles: Machimura Suidi Rokudan, Ryukyu Kenpo, Kobudo, Judo
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2018 5:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| OneKickWonder wrote: |
In my style we are taught to fully extend.
That advice is great. If you want to have chronic joint pain after a few years.
My advice would be, never fully lock out. Quite apart from the stress that puts on your joints, it leaves you vulnerable. If your opponent catches a fully locked out arm or leg, you're basically asking for your knee or elbow to be forcibly hyperextended. |
Good points.
_________________
The person who succeeds is not the one who holds back, fearing failure, nor the one who never fails-but the one who moves on in spite of failure.
Charles R. Swindoll |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
on the post.
