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"Types of Destructive Energy
Used in Martial Arts"
If there is one word that can sum up what
martial arts teach, that is power. The creation and use of power or
energy (Chi in Chinese or Ki in Japan) is the primary focus of many
martial arts. Breathing techniques, weight training, conditioning
exercises, drills, forms, nutrition, and meditation all are ways of
generating and directing energy. All masters know that there are two
forms of this energy, the ying and the yang, the creative and the
destructive.
Martial arts rightly focus on generating creative energy through
fitness, self-discipline, and honor. Nevertheless, a martial artist must
also learn to master what I like to call the dark side of the force, the
creation and application of destructive energy. The following describes
three types of destructive energy, how they work, and where and how to
apply them in combat.
Penetrating Energy
All striking techniques generate one of three types of destructive
energy: Penetrating, Crushing, and Transferring.
Penetrating strikes focus energy generated by velocity into a small
surface that is directed into the body in such a way that the skin and
muscle are forced inward and sometimes torn by the impact of the blow.
Anatomical weapons that utilize penetrating energy include fingertip and
second knuckle strikes, lunge punches, knife-hand chops, and side-kicks.
Examples of weapons that utilize penetrating energy include the spear,
sword, and knife.
Penetrating strikes are best used against soft tissue targets such as
nerve clusters, and internal organs. For example, if you were to use a 2
or even a 4 finger strike directly to an opponent's chest, it has no
real chance of penetrating the sternum and a high chance of breaking
your fingers. However, if delivered to the throat, it is capable of
lacerating the larynx or blistering the carotid artery, both lethal
injuries.
To apply penetrating energy requires you to focus through the intended
target. For example, a punch to the solar plexus should be focused
through the opponent's body as though attempting to strike the spine
rather than the stomach. This helps to neutralize the subconscious
tendency to slow down the strike as it nears the target. A simple way to
train and test your penetrating strikes is to take an empty cardboard
box, not too thin, then set it on a table and insure there is a clear
area all around. Now strike the box using a finger poke or maybe a
half-fist. If you can punch clean little holes in the cardboard without
the box flying off the table, you will have mastered this method.
Crushing Energy
Crushing energy uses the weapon's mass to focus energy over a larger
area to rupture nerves and blood vessels and to break bones. Anatomical
weapons that use crushing energy include the head butt, elbow and knee
strikes, most punches and kicks. Weapons that use crushing energy
include the mace, hammer, clubs, bats etc.
Crushing energy strikes are best directed at areas less massive than the
weapon used. For example, a punch to the bridge of the nose can easily
crush and break the septal cartilage causing extreme pain and bleeding,
but a punch to the forehead will probably break the puncher's hand
instead.
To apply crushing energy, you must engage as much of the body's mass
into the strike as possible. To bring the body's mass into a technique
requires that the center of gravity move along with the impact. For
example, in executing a Hammer Fist strike to the opponent's collarbone,
you must lower your center of gravity by bending the knees with the
impact. This adds the body's mass to that of the fist. In punching
forwards, the legs are used to propel your center of gravity forward
behind the punch as though the arm where a battering ram and the body
the carriage.
Transferring Energy
A strike that uses transferring energy causes a concussion by creating a
pressure wave that transfers energy directly into the body without
penetrating the outer skin and muscle. The other day I was at my brother
in-laws house and we were playing billiards. So the best way that I
could explain this principle can be seen in action on the pool table.
Ok, lets see. a cue ball striking a stationary billiard ball will come
to a complete stop while the billiard ball rolls away with the momentum
the cue ball had. The cue ball had transferred all its kinetic energy
into the billiard ball. Transferring energy strikes work in the same
way, the striking weapon comes to a stop on the surface of the
opponent's body but the energy has been transferred into the body in the
form of a pressure wave.
Anatomical weapons that employ transferring energy include certain
punches, palms strikes, and the roundhouse kick. Because of the
complexity this technique, few ancient weapons employed it. To some
extent, whips and flails such as the Nunchakus employ transference
energy. A bullwhip, while it uses the reverse motion to generate an
energy wave, focuses the wave into the whip itself to increase velocity
so that the tip becomes a cutting weapon.
To apply a transferring strike you must incorporate a reverse motion to
the technique by drawing back on the strike just before impact. This can
be likened to a whip, in order to `crack' the whip you must pull back
just before the end of the swing. This pulling back is best done by
using the waist and is what some of my Chinese martial arts friends call
silk reening. For example, to add concussion energy to a reverse punch,
your hips should first shift forwards throwing the weight of the body
into the punch, but just before impact, the hips shift back so that the
kinetic energy behind the punch travels into the target but the fist
does not.
Conclusion
These three destructive forces have been used in warfare since earliest
time. The spear, club and flail are probably the earliest weapons
invented that use these three forces. Even modern warfare employs these
time-honored principles. For example, to disable armored vehicles the
military developed three weapons. The SBOT round, which is a sharp hard
projectile made from depleted uranium designed to Penetrate the
vehicle's armor. The HEAT (High Explosive Anti Tank) round uses high
explosive to Crush a vehicle, and the old fashioned bazooka uses the
Transference principle to blast off a scab of amour plating from the
interior sending chucks of metal ricocheting inside the vehicle.
The martial arts teach not only how to develop strength and power but
also the knowledge and skill to deliver the three types of destructive
energy to their appropriate targets. A side-kick to the solar plexus
(Penetrating), a hammer-fist to the brachial plexus (Crushing), or a
palm strike to the forehead (Concussion), will often instantly knock an
attacker unconscious while causing you the least injury. In this way,
even the dark side of the force can be used for good, to protect you and
your family, and cause the least amount of harm in return.
.
Sincerely,
Mr. Maurice A. Gomez Sr.
American Kenpo Karate Black Belt
USA- Head Instructor
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