Having learned how to use what some would call explosive very short range punching methods, due to being trained in Wing Chun Kung Fu way back in the early 1970’s, I became interested in how to throw a person backwards with a punch that only travels one or three inches at the most in distance into the target, but despite my best efforts I could only do that by using a pushing action and leaning into the strike.
A very short range punch that starts from the centre of the chest rather than from the hip, as often done in karate, or from the shoulder area, as often done in boxing, I found it to be an ideal way of doing things when distance and space is not available or when the need to throw many punches very fast, (chain punching), is needed to stop an assailant in their tracks. Sadly however a short delivered punch cannot generate the same kind of power as a swinging or standard range punch can. To overcome that problem the close range punch therefore needs to be very fast and somewhat explosive in nature. Acceleration of the punch needs to be mastered by starting the punch at the same speed as it hits the target. It also needs to be a jolting punch, as many call it, rather than a knockout punch in nature, therefore follow-on backup punches are often needed in most situations. Although having said that a knockout blow can be done if the person is naturally strong by nature. The power of a punch is all to do with potential energy, or as some call it Kinetic energy, that develops through speed and mass as it transfers that energy into the target on impact. However that latent energy can only work over a reasonable distance as it becomes very reduced the shorter the distance. With a standard karate punch from the hip, for example, to fully make a strike work you would also have to use your own body mass, lunging forward, hip snap and strike through the target to get the desired effect, which sadly you cannot always do with a close range punch. Therefore with a very short range strike you would have to rely upon a snap jolting punch action as you will not have the required distance to lunge or develop the power of the strike in the same way. Close range punching methods are very effective but it would normally take several rapid punches of this nature to have any true disabling effects. A close range punch, unlike a kung fu, karate or a taekwondo punch, does not require the need to lock the punching arm fully out. A close range punch locks the arm in a bent position with great effect most of the time. Striking the target with a bent arm is nothing new. Boxers often do the very same thing with hook and uppercut style punches. Made famous by the late Bruce Lee way back in the early 1970’s one of the most famous punching methods to be found in the martial arts is the one inch and the three inch punch. An inch to three inches by the way is around 8 centimetres at the most which is less than the length of your own fingers in many cases. At this point it should be noted that a punch only makes contact with the target for a split second in time. Anything longer than that and it becomes not a punch but a pushing action. When you take into account the limitations that a close range punch has, as mentioned already, then this ultra short one inch punch does not seem at all possible at such a very close range. However it can be done, and does work, but there are other elements involved to make it possible. Some however will call these extra elements cheating, or at the very least misleading, when you look at those other factors that are needed to make it work at that range. To perform such a punch with speed and total focus would for sure see your opponent stagger back and hold their chest in pain as a result but to see them go flying backwards like a stunt man on wires would not happen unless two other actions were added to the punch. And the way both combatants are standing is also part of it all. The target, opponent, you will often find standing in the normal way. If he were to stand in a fighting position, one leg in front of the other, he would have a far better strong balance and would be able to resist being taken backwards in most cases. On the other hand however the person performing the punch you will often find in a fighting stance so he can lean into the punch and turn the punch into a pushing action. It is in simple terms a case of how each person stands plus that pushing action that will send the target flying backwards. Remember that a normal punch only makes contact for a split second, any longer and it becomes a push with the fist. This can be clearly seen if you were to watch such a technique being done on a video and watching it in slow motion. At high speed it does look like a single stand alone punch but study of this punching method in slow motion does reveal those add on factors. This somewhat famous 1 or 3 inch punch therefore is not a clean single punch but a punch that also involves a leaning and pushing action in addition. When these two actions are added to the punch then that makes the punch longer in distance than the name suggests and a push action, many would say, is not a stand alone punch as the name states. There is something of a grey area with regard to it being a punch with a push action or just a stand alone punch. However if the punch results in the person, who made that punch, ends with a fully extended arm then that strongly suggests that a pushing action was involved. Remember that a close range punch locks on impact with a bent arm. Is the one inch punch real or is it a fake trick? I will leave it up to you to make up your own mind about that one. By the way if you have never seen this one or three inch punch demonstration before then please note that the punch is aimed at the chest area and never the face or head. 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