The "Power Fist" style is a style created by Tetsu Ryoji, in an attempt to combine all of his marital arts knowledge into an effective, and strucured way of fighting. This style of power fist is about using what one knows to maximize they're fighting potential, while being as close to an opponent as possible. This in turn adds pressure, and defense, thourgh the use of a relentless offense. With this, Tetsu can counter grapples, locks, or any CQC, by implying his maximum hitting force through the usage of techniques dirved from Wing Chun and Jeet Kun Do. This style focuses on heavy blows, above average speed, trapping opponents with locks and throws, and footwork for closing or creating distance. Tetsu is best suited for this style due to his mastery of martial arts, also the style allows for flexibility in all areas, should one want to incorpeerate other martial arts, but to effectively use this style on has to foucus on the above mentioned.
Tetsu felt that the straight lead was the most integral part of Power Fist punching, “The leading straight punch is the backbone of all the styles punches.the straight lead is not a power strike but a strike built for speed. The straight lead should always be held loosely with a slight motion, this adds to its speed and makes it harder to see and block. The strike is not only the fastest punch in this style, but also the most accurate. The speed is attributed to the fact that the fist is held out slightly making it closer to the target and its accuracy is gained from the punch being thrown straight forward from your centerline. The straight lead should be held and thrown loosely and easily tightening up only upon impact adding a snap to your punch. The straight lead punch can be thrown from multiple angles and levels.1. High straight lead 2. Medium straight lead (to body) 3. Low straight lead 4. Slanting right 5. Slanting left 6. Double straight lead. Basicly Your leads hand should be like greased lightning and must never be held rigidly or motionless. Keep it slightly moving (without exaggeration) in a threatening manner, as it not only keeps your opponent on edge, but can also be delivered faster from motion than from immobility. Like a cobra, your strike should be felt before it is seen. Meaning that keeping close to the opponent is key, but a mid range can be used also. Tetsu felt explosive attacks with no tell signs of intention were best. He displayed that the attacks should catch the opponent off guard, throwing them off balance, leaving the opponent unable to defend against further attacks. The concept behind this is that you initiate your punch without any forewarning, such as tensing your shoulders or moving your foot or body, the opponent will not have enough time to react. The key is that you must keep your body and arms loose, weaving your arms slightly only becoming tense upon impact.Tetsu wanted no wind up movements or “get ready poses” before any of your strikes were thrown. From experience Tetsu knows how that any twitches or slight movements before striking should be avoided as they will give the opponent signs or hints as to what you are planning and then they will be able to strike you first while you are preparing an attack. Non-telegraphic movement is an essential component of "Power Fist". There is also the "shove" aspect added to the style. This "shove" is to implemented while preforming a seris of punches, and in the midst of a combination, one would shove, and then preform either a finisher, or continue the combination as follows. This shove can't have to much force as it could give breathing room, but it should be enough to stun an opponent, and leve them off balance for a finisher.
The kicks used in the style. High kicks can be used, but rarely.
Kicking[]
The wide variety of kicks in "Power Fist" make it distinctly noticable. Taekwondo kicks appear to be similar to many of the kicks found in Power Fist, though again circular motion is emphasized. Also, in contrast to most modern taekwondo styles, Power Fist utilises a wide variety of low (below the waist), hooking or sweeping kicks, with one of the most distinctive being the low spinning (sweeping) heel kick. Based on Hapkido's method of delivery tends toward greater weight commitment to the strikes and less concern for quick retraction of the kicking leg. Traditionally, Choi Yong-Sool's yu kwon sool (유권술; 柔拳術) kicking techniques were only to the lower body, but most derived varieties of hapkido, probably as a direct influence from other Korean arts, also include high kicks and jumping kicks. At the more advanced levels of Hapkido the practitioner learns "blade kicks" which utilize sweeping blade strikes of the inner and outer foot against pressure points of the body, which Tetsu is fully capable of implying.
An example of the grapples that can be enfused into the style in mid-combat
Basic reversal of judo throws.
Joint Locks & Throws[]
Based of of hapkido's joint control techniques they are said to be derived largely from Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu. They are taught similarly to aikido techniques, but in general the circles are smaller and the techniques are applied in a more linear fashion. Power Fist joint manipulation techniques attack both large joints (such as the elbow, shoulder, neck, back, knee, and hip) and small joints (such as wrists, fingers, ankles, toes, jaw).Most techniques involve applying force in the direction that a joint moves naturally and then forcing it to overextend or by forcing a joint to move in a direction that goes against its natural range of motion. These techniques can be used to cause pain and force a submission, to gain control of an opponent for a 'come along' techniques (as is often employed in law enforcement), to assist in a hard or gentle throw or to cause the dislocation or breaking of the joint. Power Fist differs from some post war styles of aikido in its preservation of a great many techniques which are applied against the joint that were deemed by some to be inconsistent with aikido's more pacificistic philosophy. With throwing Judo/Yudo tactics employ extensive use of throws, various chokes, hold downs, joint locks, and other grappling techniques used to control the opponent on the ground. there also exists a portion of the Power Fist curriculum which consists of techniques specifically designed to thwart judo style attacks. The judo/yudo techniques were however adopted with adjustments made to make them blend more completely with the self-defense orientation which hapkido stresses. For example many of the judo style throwing techniques employed in Power Fist do not rely upon the use of traditional judo grips on the uniform, which can play a large role in the Japanese sport. Instead in many cases they rely upon gripping the limbs,head or neck inorder to besuccessful.
Footwork is key, as in close or far distance can be useful in evading or countering attacks
Footwork[]
Foot work in this style is similar to that seen in Jeet Kun Do or Boxing. It is to be noted that even though the style focuses on close quarter combat, footwork is important as to close or create distance between the two people fightinng each other.It's also used for dancing around the opponent for confusion, or shuffling movements, to open areas on an opponnets body, or defend on ones own. There are basic shuffles, and then there are double shuffles used to close the area or speace, or open it. These footworks can be combined with kicks or punches or even parry attacks if timed percisely.The foot work is also key in terms of trapping opponents, continueing the offense, and adding tons and tons of pressure.Combine the footwork with the rlentless offense,a nd you haved the best possible defense, of course this is all dependent on the preson using the style, as some are more physicly dominant than others.
Stop hits and stop kicks[]
When the distance is wide, the attacking opponent requires some sort of preparation. Therefore, attack him on his preparation of attack." "To reach me, you must move to me. Your attack offers me an opportunity to intercept you." This means intercepting an opponent's attack with an attack of your own instead of a simple block.
Intercepting an attack
It is for this concept Jeet Kune Do is named and why Power Fist practitioner Tetsu Ryoji believes that this is the most difficult defensive skill to develop. This strategy is a feature of some traditional Chinese martial arts as wing chun, as well as an essential component of European épée fencing. Stop hits & kicks utilize the principle of economy of motion by combining attack and defense into one movement thus minimizing the "time" element.
Simultaneous parrying and punching[]
When confronting an incoming attack, the attack is parried or deflected and a counterattack is delivered at the same time. Not as advanced as a stop hit but more effective than blocking and counterattacking in sequence. This is practiced by some Chinese martial arts as wing chun etc., it is also known in Krav Maga as "bursting". Simultaneous parrying & punching utilizes the principle of economy of motion by combining attack and defense into one movement thus minimizing the "time" element a
Example of smilutanious punching and kicking
nd maximizing the "energy" element. Efficiency is gained by utilizing a parry rather than a block. By definition a "block" stops an attack whereas a parry merely re-directs an attack. Redirection has two advantages: It requires less energy to execute; it utilizes the opponents energy against them by creating an imbalance. Efficiency is gained in that the opponent has less time to react to the nullification of their attack while having to worry about defending an incoming attack.
Low kicks[]
JKD practitioners believe they should target their kicks to their opponent's shins, knees, thighs, and midsection like in wing chun, as such this is another aspect of Power Fist.These targets are the closest to the foot, provide more stability and are more difficult to defend against. Maintaining low kicks utilizes the principle of economy of motion by reducing the distance a kick must travel thus minimizing the "time" element. However, as with all other Power Fist principles nothing is "written in stone". If a target of opportunity presents itself, even a target above the waist, one could take advantage of the situation without feeling hampered by this principle.
