It is not who punches first that wins the battle; it is the one who punches best – C.G Grit. In the art of hand to hand combat there is always a winner, and a loser. The one who is most prepared for the battle will revel in the glory, while the loser will go and lick their wounds. As we go through life there often comes a time when men and some women will test themselves in hand to hand combat. It has been around since the dawn of time and is securely woven into human nature as a problem solver. Whether it is out of pride, protection, fun, or youthful naivety, we feel that we must stop using words and answer with knuckles. We all have fists that empower us to force change when things go wrong, only very few really know how to properly use them. When it comes to all of the functions of the punch, even trained fighters can throw them ineffectively. The question of the day is where does the power come from in a punch? Even though there are many variables that are taken into consideration, this can be answered by which of the mechanical functions are employed as the punch is being thrown. These functions are known as kinetics, which is the study of motion with applied forces. The key to focus on is the kinetic linking that generates proper fundamental movement and creates a punch with explosive maximal force. This movement involves all three planes of movement focusing on linear and rotational momentum. Kinetic linking is the term that is used to explain the flow of energy that begins at the feet and travels up the leg, through the hips, up the back, into the arm, and ending at the point of contact. This serial movement uses a sequential order of kinetic energy from start to stop to generate force. When proper kinetic linking is added to mass and speed, a punchers power will be devastating. However, if the puncher fails to rotate at any part of the chain, the punch will lack the necessary power to cause fight ending damage. Punching is not often thought of as an art or a science, but the elements that drive the force is. I will break down the punching mechanisms to show how punching power will fall flat if kinetic linking is not used. This document is not intended to promote violence, but it is intended to show how to use proper technique. It is better to know how to punch properly and never use it, than to need the knowledge and not have it.
Article Review
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In the world of boxing, we have seen many different representations of punching power. Mike Tyson used devastating hooks and crushing upper cuts to dismantle opponents. Rocky Marciano used a vicious whipping overhand right to put his opponents to sleep. Mohammed Ali used crushing straight right punches to finish his competitors in short time. The thing these fighters shared was balance, inertia, and fundamental ground built power. Watching with a novice eye you can miss the eloquence and form that these great fighters used to knock out opponents on a regular occasion. These men spent decades perfecting and honing their skills. With the emergence of MMA, you see the mechanics of the punch waiver with each fighter. Fighters who have a boxing background still use great fundamentals, but with the addition of wrestling in the mix it changes the footwork. Fighters who were traditionally wrestlers use a different form of punch all together. These different styles are best put in terms of implosive and explosive punches (Nguyen, 2012). According to the website article Punching Power Secrets, the author speaks candidly on utilizing true power that comes from implosive punching. Implosive punching power uses kinetic linking and close pack movement to generate the punch without the fighter losing balance. Explosive punching is an open pack movement (unstable) that causes a fighter to lose form, function, and stability which causes power to be shorted. Explosive punching is characterized with beginners due to the wild up and out motion that is used. It creates loss of balance and a misdirection of power (Nguyen, 2012). The up and out motion also causes the body to use more energy then what is needed because it primarily relies on limb strength for power. This technique also causes the feet to become too wide or the trail leg to be lifted from the floor dislocating it from the power source (Nguyen, 2012). This is the technique many MMA fighters use for their striking technique. The author then goes into the implosive technique and likens it to exploding inward. This form is grounded and causes stability within the puncher. When a puncher maintains a stable grounded position as the punch is thrown, they are able to create much more power. In order to be implosive, you must prioritize angular displacement and torque to generate power in the punch (Nguyen, 2012). This punching technique uses the energy from the core and entire body to generate power which is much more efficient than using all of the force from the arm or shoulder. One of the greatest points the author makes in using the correct form of implosive power is how being balanced and grounded causes you to be more of a coil of energy. The body is loose until the time contact is made and then it is tight and devastating (Nguyen, 2012). When a puncher is tight and forces a punch, their power is withheld and redistributed in other areas of the body. The power should be felt within the core and not in the fists. This article did a great job in breaking down the fundamentals of two very different approaches to punching power. It also covered a great deal on the technical side of punching rather than the biomechanics break down of punching. So in order to analyze the biomechanical mechanisms a study must be performed.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
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To look into the science behind the punch an analytical test must be performed. I needed to perform a right cross that uses proper kinetic linking, and a right cross that does not. The right cross is a punch that utilizes power from the dominant hand of a right handed fighter .It is also known as the trail hand because a fighter will position it furthest from their opponent. It is the punch that a fighter depends on most to deliver straight crushing blows to an opponent. This study was held in the boxing room in McKay Gymnasium. I requested the assistance of Dr. Partlow who has studied martial arts and striking for many years. He is in charge of setting up and managing the testing apparatus that I will be punching to perform the test. I chose myself as test subject due to my level of experience punching things. I have spent the last 5 years boxing professionally and have spent countless hours molding my technique. I am 33 years of age, stand 6 feet tall, and weigh 225lb (102kg). To show the importance of kinetic linking I will be performing my right cross on 3 re-breakable boards that are used in obtaining your black belt in karate. Each board is 12x12x 3/4. The total estimated breaking poundage is between 800 and 1000psi. In order to create the impulse force needed to break the boards, the proper kinetic linking technique must be used. To get the greatest perspective of punching power, proper functions must be looked at to identify the biomechanics. Force, power, rotation, velocity, and mass will all be taken into account to get a better grasp on how the kinetic linking produces power. We will also be looking at the anatomy of the punch and identifying which muscle groups are used in this test. The boards will be placed at shoulder level in a board holding device in order to make a straight punching path. Hand wraps and bag gloves will be used to protect my hands from injury while punching the boards. Multiple hits will be performed to collect the best data possible. Tape is placed at the shoulders, elbows, hips, knees and ankles to identify the boney landmarks and help determine movement. This experiment will also be showing the elements of energy transfer and where the energy will be displaced after contact is made with the boards.
RESULTS
Kinetic linking proved to be the process that generates power in the punch. With 5 attempts the boards were broken three times and not broken twice. Using the bio-mechanical computer software Kinovea, the physics criteria was analyzed in detail by breaking down the video. It showed that failure to rotate and follow the sequential order of movement decreased speed and lowered force of impact. The physics rundown include my body mass which was the weight of my body at 225lb (101kg). The distance to find speed and acceleration is 25 inches (.635 m) from my right hand to the target in the break and 33in (.83 m) in the non-break. The time it takes my hand to reach the area is .5 seconds with a velocity (v/t) of 11.14 m/s² in the break, and .6 seconds with a velocity (v/t) of 10.4 m/s² in the non-break. The angular displacement at hips on the board break is 90º with an additional 15º at the shoulders. The angular displacement at the hips on the non- break is 85º with an additional 10º at the shoulders. The force generated (Impact Force = 2 mv/t) on the break was 4500 N (1011 lb.) and the force generated on the non-break was 3501 N (843 lb.). Distance, angular displacement, and timing played a key role in the difference of power between the two punches. One of the elements that occurs yet goes undetectable to the human eyes is the energy transfer. We know that the first law of thermodynamics is that energy cannot be created or destroyed. That is what makes the science of this movement so amazing. Without energy, how was I able to create the force needed to break the boards? By using stored ATP from my blood, my muscles contracted and relaxed which initiated movement by generating force. This force created by pressing against a static surface gave birth to movement. The friction between my shoe and the floor increased my momentum by allowing a secure surface to push off without slipping. The force generated down was rebounded out moving my mass towards the target in a linear fashion. This is the law known as every action causes an equal reaction. This reaction of linear motion then was transferred into torque by the generation of centripetal force. This positive rotation increased my speed and power by shifting weight from my hips into my hands. The speed, power, and force were then directed into the boards in an inelastic collision. The muscle energy that created movement was later transferred into heat and sound energy as my hand hit the boards. Some of the energy was also reabsorbed into my muscles through recoil. This gives me the opportunity to generate more force and more punches. This proves energy is our most valuable resource.
DISCUSSION
Kinetic linking is the principle of generating force through the means of angular velocity. It is used in sports such as throwing, batting, golfing and boxing. It links muscle groups sequentially which increases muscle contraction and relaxation to achieve maximum velocity from the proximal to the distal points of the arms or legs (Brown, 2011). To increase this force, we must use the recruitment of many muscle groups. The maximal power in a punch comes from the ground and moves up. The legs become engaged as the muscles contract and push off the ground. This movement creates extra force by using friction from the ground. The energy moves to the hips, which torque with angular velocity, causing the back, chest, and shoulders to engage the target. The chain then moves to the arms; triceps, forearm, and wrist, creating a devastating whip of power. Each ending motion is the start of the next (Hariri, 2011). Kinetic linking relies on the ability to keep the balance point within the center of gravity of the subject. If at any time the transfer of energy goes off rhythm, or you break stability guidelines, power is decreased. It is true when they say, “you are only as strong as your weakest link”. I believe the understanding of kinetic linking and its properties are not yet fully grasped in the world of sports and the power it holds. The better we understand motion with applied forces, the better athletes we will become. Energy transfer should be drilled and trained at adolescent stages of athletics so as one grows up, it becomes a smooth natural process of power generating greatness. Proper movement will allow athletes to not only be faster and stronger, but to also be more efficient and less prone to get injured. During the production of this experiment, I noticed a few things that played with the performance of the test. The first thing I noticed was that even though I have trained for years, the lack of training has slipped me into reversibility and caused my timing and rhythm to be impaired. If I had remained in my training, I may have produced a far greater force of impact. The second thing I noticed is that when I was being filmed for the project, the atmosphere seemed more like a test than a cool experiment. It was awkward to have onlookers place judgment and offer advice on a movement that has always been natural to me. This atmospheric decline caused too much thinking as the punch was being performed which caused slips in my kinetic linking. The last thing I noticed came from the Kinovea program and putting the missing pieces of my physics together. Kinovea is a good tool and I’m sure there are details and extras that I have not yet discovered. If it had more user friendly software I believe I could have put together a great presentation of the physical properties of the punch. It also became stressful when the program kept shutting down and not allowing me to save data. I hope to continue to play and better associate myself with the software to allow a tool to better equip me as a coach and developer of athletes.
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CONCLUSION
It has been proven time and time again that without proper technique we will never hit the levels of success we strive for. Whether it is a professional athlete or just a novice looking to have fun, using proper form and function will separate them from the rest. From golf swings to knockouts, kinetic linking will put the power in your hands. The flow of energy will help you on any playing field and put advantage in your court. The Kinovea tool has allowed access into the world of physics that equip us with detrimental power in a punch. It puts the power in our hands. It is up to us to make the next move. Will we listen and follow the structure or will we stay in the status quo of mediocrity. When proper kinetic linking is added to mass and speed, a punchers power will be devastating. However, if the puncher fails to rotate at any part of the chain, the punch will lack the necessary power to cause fight ending damage. The more we study and practice this flow of energy the more records you will see shattered.
Works Cited
Brown, D. E. (2011). FACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONCEPT OF THE KINETIC LINK PRINCIPLE. Retrieved from Kineticlink.doc: https://www.msu.edu/course/kin/830/kineticlinkprinciple.doc.
Hariri, G. (2011, mar 4). Kinetic linking: How to Maximize Striking Power. Retrieved from georgehariri.hubpages: georgehariri.hubpages.com/hub/kinetic-linking-and-striking-power
Nguyen, J. (2012, Aug 27). Power Punching Secrets, PART 2: Implosive Punching. Retrieved from Expert Boxing.com: http://www.expertboxing.com/boxing-techniques/page/2
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