:: Body Weight Power :: 12/05/2002

We all have our body weights. If we apply our body weights in attacking and blocking movements, the power resulted will be much greater than that resulted from only your limbs. This is the fundamental theory underlying “Body Weight Power”.

When learning how to move body positions for different attacking or blocking movements, one may come across saying like “limbs and body in one unity”. Actually, this is the essence in the application of “Body Weight Power”. For instance, when applying “Oi-Tsuki” (back leg stepping forward with back hand executing a punch), an enormous amount of momentum will be resulted as a consequence of body movement; one can make good use of this momentum as follows: When the body is about to complete a forward movement, one should simultaneously complete other complementary movements like rotating the waist, pushing forward the shoulder, punching and etc. at one instance. In this way, one will achieve immense attacking power by combining energies not only from the limbs, but also from the body momentum at one instance. In contrast, if one executes a punch after completion of the body movement, the subsequent power will only be derived from the limbs; this is because following the completion of the body movement, the momentum accompanied will also disappear. Without the additional power generated from the momentum, the end-power will naturally be greatly reduced.

“Body Weight Power” can be applied to general punching and kicking techniques for attacking and blocking alike. This power is also very useful if applied to kata practice.