Adding Power To Your Kung Fu

I often teach a subject in class or seminars called the “Three Elbows”. It’s a way to describe the proper use of the elbow and how it leads and/or supports power.

There are three moves that exemplify my theory: 1) ridge-hand; 2) hammer-fist; 3) and the reverse punch (straight punch).

The ridge hand is a pulling technique in terms of the way it uses the arm and body. The arm folds during the move, utilizing the bicep for strength on impact. If the ridge-hand is thrown with a straight arm, the fighter will hyper-extend the joint and cause more damage to himself/herself than the opponent. Always remember: pull the hand through the target with a ridge hand — do not push. And, most importantly, do not lock your arm on impact.

The hammer-fist is an unfolding style technique. The arm is completely folded (bent) at first and then opened quickly to extend the fist through the opponent. Throwing a knife hand strike (not block) uses the same movement. In this technique, the elbow actually leads the fist (hand) to the target. The overall action is one of a whip.

The elbow supports the reverse punch. The fist is kept in front and in line with the elbow throughout the entire move. On impact, for maximum power, the elbow needs to be directly behind and in line with the fist to support it well. Whenever the elbow is bent out to the side or aimed to the side during a reverse punch, it will cause the punch to be weaker and you have to make up for that weakness by using more body behind it, more rotation with the waist or involve the shoulders.

These are three basic ways to use the elbows properly. Go through all of your different strikes and try to figure which kind of elbow support it relates to the best. You can experiment with the concepts on a heavy bag as well. Be careful though.

These concepts will help you organize the way you use your body and therefore, maximize your power.