i think that a palm is a good option given that more moving parts higher risk of damage so the that law stipulates that a palm has less moving parts in it when u think about it also i find when hit by a palm in the head it does lesser external damage but tends to knock people about more internally which alot of martial arts focus on in thehigher levels internal injury this shows a direct coralation with the idea of palms more used in higher levels to as said previsly depends on the situation to though if the hand is open leave it open if its closed maybe keep it closed its up to the user
A fist doesn’t knock someone out “internally”? a hook punch to the jaw strikes a bundle of nerves in that area and also the jolt of the head turning makes the brain rattle around in the skull, resulting in a KO. How much more “internal” is there?
hmmm…although the palm does offer more control over the amount of force and prone to less injury, it does suffer from significantly shorter reach (a fist). It is also my opinion that in the context of wing chun, and not styles such as tai chi, hsing-I, bwa gwa; that the fist is the more damaging of the two. The palm is good for using lesser force but at the highest end, I would say a fist would do more harm.
I’m surprised so many wing chun ppl in this thread prefer a palm to the face. So the straight punch is mostly reserved to a mid-body weapon???
I remember reading a short article by one of Ip Chun’s students (or maybe a grand-student). He asked the question why it is called Wing Chun Kuen when, for example in Siu Nim Tau you only perform a punch 5 times: 2 at beginning and 3 chain punches at the end. There seem to be more palm and finger strike techniques in the forms.
I agree with those that state more can be done with the open palm. However, the palms generally have to be conditioned in some way, the same as conditioning the knuckles for when striking with the fist.
Following that, I prefer the vertical snapping fist, followed by the standard vertical punch, then backfist (mostly a setup strike), then regular reverse punch on rare occasion, save for free sparring.
Though traditionally a karateka, I too have transitioned more to basic sweeps, striking to specific points, using elbows, forearms, knees, and especially the open palm strike over the past 25 years. I enjoy the whole range of weapons that the upper limbs provide.
My shoulders not longer respect the reverse punch as they used to. I have in many ways made the transformation from being a karate practitioner to that of a kung fu practitioner. One could say I am simply a follower of budo and wushu.
It is better to go with the flow, than to move like play-dough.
for mid-body strikes what type of strike would you prefer?
if you had to choose, for a mid-body strike, between either vertical punch or reverse punch, which would you choose? why would you choose it over the other?
Let’s just say that mid-section is neck down to naval.
Perhaps an uppercut to the solar-plexus, or a vertical punch straight in using either anjing or fajing (if you are able)…Or side elbow strike.
Knee to kidney, or strike the kidney with an elbow or punch.
This is harder area to get to, since it is assumed a person knows enough footwork and center-line principles to either move the opponent or get their own body in position.
Knee to ribcage above heart or lungs.
One could also break a collar bone if one so chooses with a hammerfist.
There are also a slew of pressure points in which to choose from as well.
