From Doctor Ron Chapel

A high-ranking Kenpo black belt hit me up with an email a couple hours ago. He wondered why I was so adamant about so-called “step-through” punches not being used in self-defense techniques.

Well, like most answers, “It depends.” It is predicated in small increments upon whether or not it is a mobile or static application, but even that is misleading because a static application requires a modicum of linear mobility either forward or reverse. It is the nature of the application itself, aided in part by the concept of “Spatial Distortion.”

That being said, the principle of Kinetic Linking of the various mechanical mechanisms to execute what would be better described as a “reverse Punch” is a process that begins with the hips transferring weight to the rear, moving counterintuitively to begin a “Wave Process” that culminates with the strike and Bracing Leg reaching maturity virtually simultaneously in the opposite direction. I say virtually because the actual “wave” requires otherwise, but upon execution is visibly imperceptible. Mr. Parker says, “Everything we do in footwork in the Martial Sciences is simple exaggerations of what we do in footwork every day.” A front kick from the rear is an exaggeration of taking a step or “walking.”

The primaries of the punch are a “Three Point Rotation” principle that requires the foot, hip, and shoulder to function in Mora Beat Timing Sequence, but the order can change according to application, intent, and desired results. In some teachings of the martial arts, there is a tendency to suggest anything other than a direct linear line of movement, is “inefficient.” They call it “Point of Origin.” The problem is not the concept, but their incorrect assumption and interpretation thereof.

They incorrectly assume “Point of Origin” is mandated to be a straight line from point A to B. It is not. Sometimes the most efficient movement in human anatomy takes a circuitous path or route, through various Index Points to align the human machine properly while turning on the appropriate muscles to support their movement, while also turning off those that do not. A classic, albeit extreme example, would be a baseball pitcher’s movements prior to throwing the ball, or almost any throwing movement to maximize speed and power. The human body is predisposed and designed to “wind up” or cock before moving. You cannot train it away however you can learn to minimize and disguise it.

Some would have you believe that the ball should fly out of your hand toward its target with some kind of “pushing” movement, to satisfy their understanding of “Point of Origin.” While this is possible, it is inefficient for the task at hand. Therefore, it is with the “Three Point Rotation” of the reverse punch action, the punch may indeed travel in a straight “Point of Origin” line, the body moves through a series of movements as it “gathers itself” in a wave-like Kinetic Linking Action that culminates in the punch making contact, but begins with the Hip to transfer weight in the Three Point Rotation, moving in the opposite direction of its final destination. A right reverse punch from a left neutral bow would, (it depends) begin with a slight adjustment and clockwise rotation of the pelvis, and end with a counter-clockwise movement of the same.

Because many brought with them their traditional training concept of “basics” The “reverse punch” and “step-through” that included the synchronized step-through punch, the assumption was that this wouldn’t change when moving to a self-defense-focused philosophy. This is incorrect.

First, examine the attack and make a decision, on what the default attack will be for scenario exploration. Once that’s decided, then you may proceed to fine-tune an acceptable defense, within the curriculum. Everyone seems to agree on only one thing; the punch is a long-range “straight” punch, as opposed to a roundhouse, hook, or some other variety. However, the step-through version is misleading because, in reality, street assaults don’t occur where the punching limb and stepping leg are synchronized in the forward movement of the attack.

Why? Because initial street punching assaults begin surreptitiously with an “Assumption of Success.” They attempt to distract you, or disguise their actions as they slyly get close enough to attack, and launch the punch as hard and as fast as they can fully committed to that singular punch ending the fight. The same occurs when they blindside you by attempting to strike when you’re not looking. The Psychology is slightly different but the physical assault is the same. This type of attack is the polar opposite of two people head up with both assuming a physical confrontation is imminent. The Psychology of Confrontation is different between the two although superficially they may seem the same.

Because in basics the terminology of the “step through” suggests a different action over the “reverse punch,” it presented a major misunderstanding as practitioners moved from traditional training to the relatively new self-defense training, blurring the lines between the two perspectives. Culture versus practicality. Further distorting things is the business of selling the art pretty much labels everything as “self-defense” when clearly many of them were never designed for that purpose. A good example is how Okinawa-Kenpo evolved to Okinawa-te, to Kara-te changing philosophical purpose along the way, moving from “self-defense” to “self-enlightenment.”

Ok, rant over, back on topic, although the shuffle “revere punch” is closer to reality, there is a major flaw as well in that interpretation. (It’s called a reverse punch because the hand and foot position at the moment of execution are “reversed” or opposite of each other as opposed to a straight punch where they are not).

Street punches of this type occur as a combination of the two methods. The attacker will lead with the reverse hand for an expeditious strike to the head. If he waited on his foot to get there at the same time, he would never hit anyone. It simply takes too long when trying to hit you quickly, and more importantly, it is totally unnatural in execution. Bad mechanics are born out of interpreting a “training regimen” as an application.

The attacker is throwing the punch with an expectation of making significant contact, therefore his body weight is behind the punch balancing on his opposite forward leg, but he is moving as fast as he can to catch you unaware, and his own body weight will carry him forward, and he will be forced to take a step to keep from falling on his face.

In actual execution; first, the attacker may shuffle, throw the punch from the rear, and his own body momentum will carry his rear leg forward to keep him from falling AFTER the punch has reached full extension and missed. If you try this in the air, under the guidelines I have described, you will experience the effect. The step-through is out of necessity not design.

The action is a natural one that mimics the well-learned body mechanics of bipedal walking. This is why the “falling” action is apparent. The act of walking itself is a series of “controlled falls.” The human body in seeking natural symmetry, moves opposite hand and foot. You take a step forward, and the opposite hand swings rearwards, but slightly out of sync with the arm motion, preceding the leg movement to create symmetrical balance and directionally congruent energy.

The now forward leg plants and braces stopping the fall, followed immediately by the rear arm moving forward to add to the energy of the push off of the rear leg, essentially pulling the leg forward to begin the process over again. So you see the arm movement is anatomically pre-conditioned to move first in human anatomy, AND the bracing step is also an extension of that sequence of actions. This is the reason a synchronized step-through feels slow, awkward, and unnatural because it absolutely is and has no place in an initial assault scenario and self-defense training. In practice, everyone does it because it is easier than defending “real” punches. It is slow and you can see it coming from a mile away. Truth is it is so slow I often wondered why no one didn’t just simply front kick for defense for something that obvious.

The Chinese used this methodology to train the lower platform while punching. However, it has very limited applications as much as standing in a training “horse stance,” and punching. You may find a way to utilize anything, but it is not natural or best in the application and is designed for training body parts, not self-defense training.

You must ask yourself which is prudent, and realistic if you claim to be doing “self-defense techniques. On the one hand, we have examined the step through and concluded it is not realistic or natural. However, the reverse punch while being realistic and natural does not fit the scenario either. Why? Because this puts the attacker in an “assault profile and posture” that warns the victim of an impending punch assault. The technique is designed for a semi-surprise attack. Why? Because you are not in a stance, to begin with.

You perceive the attack after it has already begun, and then you are in a reactionary mode, moving and blocking. You could change the scenario and place yourself in a ready posture on guard, but then this type of punch with full commitment is no longer viable because you know it’s coming, and he knows you know it’s coming and wouldn’t attack the same way. In my teaching of beginners, we compromise to start. We place students in a semi-ready position however the attacks are realistic with body momentum and back-up mass. As they rise in skill the points of engagement change to account for the rising skill level of both sides of the equation. Finally, the footwork is removed, hands down, a full-on assault that the defender must recognize, account for, and successfully defend.

I do not teach any “step-through” punches with minimal exceptions and never as an initiated surreptitious assault. They are allowed as a follow-up in multiple punch scenarios, usually as a cross or elliptical roundhouse, as they occur naturally in body mechanics and on the street.

Students reaching higher levels are taught to begin an attack with their feet even, or nearly even, depending upon the scenario. They are attacked by hard-lunching punches with body weight and body momentum fully committed to the action, as it would be in reality.

The defender must address the punching limb first, utilizing the appropriate footwork and block(s).

Last but not least, I was queried about the traditional “C-Stepping” which is a stylized cultural version of the step-through punch. Some have suggested it was a method put in to “slow things down” to make it easier to learn. That’s code for making it easier to teach, whether it is real or not. This whole “self-defense” thing is often portrayed as pretty simple stuff, and dumbing it down to make it easier for students to perform isn’t a good idea. And waiting until they come after you to find out, is the wrong time to be enlightened. Conclusion; if you’re defending yourself against long slow step through punches you already know are coming and take an eternity to get there, you are not training, you are performing.

Rant over.

“The material isn’t simple, but a lot of the teachers are.” – Ed Parker Sr.