Speed striking
Recognise the precise moment when you should strike.
(Barry Davies, SAS)
Speed
If you are faced with multiple opponents, you may find it useful to
pre-emptively strike more than one person.
Unless you can strike with speed, this will not be possible.
Substance
A fast strike is designed to stun, incapacitate or inflict damage.
It is by nature a quick attack so you will not have time to sink and penetrate.
Despite this, it must have substance.
Without substance, the strike is not worth doing.
Presence
You can only employ this kind of attack if you are totally present.
Being 'spacing-out' or daydreaming will make you slow to act.
Spontaneous action is necessary.
Any form of muscular or psychological tension will render you slow.
Centre
The power and speed must come from the centre rather than the shoulder.
This is not a 'jab'.
Flicking the centre abruptly to the side as you shift body weight will enable
the momentum to add substance to the mass.
Your delivery should knock the mitt back substantially despite only the briefest
commitment.
The 'no pushing' edict may seem clearer now?
Whole-body
Being loose and relaxed is critical.
This type of training will ultimately become fa jing just as the penetrative
striking will too.
If you fail to unite your body and simply punch with the arm, you are doing this
incorrectly.
The movement must be like an 'arm swing' - you are simply guiding the movement,
nothing more.
Starting training
The initial training involves one partner and two mitts.
You must strike both mitts in the time it takes to say "One, one thousand".
The strikes need a nice sound to them and substance enough to break a nose.
Going further
You can practice with two people who hold mitts in different locations; the test
will be to adjust your body position to strike as swiftly as you can.
Your partners should not move the mitts at all.
Remember, this is close-range pre-emptive striking; the opponents head will be
attached to their body - so where can they move it to?
Page created 5 August 1999