How do I train to punch harder?
Here's a bit of context, because it wouldn't exactly fit in the post title.
I've studied aikido for many years now. The martial art is kinda notorious for usually being practiced in an unrealistic, counterproductive and sloppy manner. Maximum efficiency in a fight is not my absolute goal (I don't foresee getting in many fistfights and I don't plan to fight competitively), but aikido is still supposed to be a martial art and I take care to train in a way that translates into some actual, usable skill. If I wanted to focus on immediate efficiency, I'd pick a different martial art, yes, but if I just wanted to study physical movement, I'd learn how to dance or whatever.
Setting aside the question of whether aikido is a useful martial art, it's pretty much indisputable that certain aikido techniques require a strike to the face or to the ribs. And punching is not something that's practiced in the style of aikido I study. This lack of emphasis means that I'm not so sure those techniques would do their job properly in an actual self-defense situation.
For those who don't know much about aikido: the point is not to knock someone out with a punch or even to do any significant harm. But the punch needs to be enough of a threat to be a distraction and to provoke a defensive response. In aikido, a strike to the face (or whatever) is pretty much the setup for a follow-up technique.
But that's just the thing - I need to be able to punch well enough that even someone used to taking a punch will at least react to protect themselves. And my punching, I'm pretty sure, is seriously weak relative to my strength and mass. I've tested the reaction to my punches on willing participants - and I'm convinced I'm not punching hard enough even for the purpose of aikido techniques.
So here's my stupid question. What's an effective way to train punching power and speed? I trained martial arts that incorporate strikes (karate, hapkido) for a combined total of a few years, so I know the very rudimentary basics of form. My aikido sensei has some background in karate, so he pays special attention to our attacks in aikido practice being somewhat realistic. But I'm still looking for a way to train on my own, for the narrow, specific purpose of adding a decently-powered (and therefore sufficiently intimidating/off-balancing) attack to certain situations. What I do in aikido practice doesn't cut it, mostly because it's not ever going to be the focus.
The go-to solution of simply training boxing or karate or what-have-you in addition to aikido is not an option for me. My time and finances allow me to train aikido and that's about it. Finding a person to train me in punching alone is not likely to happen, either. So, is there any way I can train on my own (provided I have a suitable punching target)? How do I know if I've made much progress? Is there something I should avoid or look for? What target should I practice on? What exercise works to build up the strength and stamina needed?
The simple answer of just repeatedly punching stuff for X minutes a day is something I've tried before, but I didn't notice much progress, from what I could tell. I imagine I was either doing something wrong (but again, in theory I know the proper form to throw a punch, so while I'm probably making some serious mistakes, I should be making at least *some* progress), or I was going about it in a counterproductive way and my progress was simply very slow.
Or perhaps it's not really viable to train on my own, without someone overseeing what I do? That'd be a bummer, but I'd rather know that rather than try to train and just waste my time.
Posted Dec 2, 2018, 9:36 AM UTC
A fellow aikido practitioner here, just giving my five cents.
In my experience, it's actually irrelevant how hard you can punch someone. The target won't know how hard the punch is without experiencing it first-hand, and because your goal is to not actually hit them, it kind of defeats the purpose.
However, instead of focusing on the ultimate strength of a punch, you should instead trying to make it look threatening enough for the offender to take action against it. This is achieved through stance, poker face and a dash of natural talent as an actor/actress.
Of course, as you mentioned, there are times when even that won't work. In such cases I'd advice to simply change your strategy, and using a technique that doesn't rely on faking a punch. Running away should be your ultimate goal, because the best way to win a fight is to not have one in the first place.
Thanks for your comment. But I respectfully disagree with what seems to be your sentiment.
The expectation may very well be that the punch strength is irrelevant, but that's only assuming everything always goes to plan. And it won't, not against a person who also knows what they're doing in a fight.
Realistically, not every technique will be executed right. And when it isn't, the punch should still connect. What's more, in techniques that rely on the other person moving away from the punch or trying to block, at least our sensei says that if they don't react - well, they get punched in the face. You can't expect people to react in a textbook manner, and if they do not react to defend themselves (because they're too slow or something), the atemi can't simply do nothing at all.
Heck, in our aikido practice the sensei emphasises over and over that whenever you strike, your intention must be to connect, even in repeated practice where the uke strikes and is expected to be thrown. It's not much of a difference, but people who defend against heavily choreographed strikes that are actually not meant to connect tend to be helpless against actual strikes from people outside of the aikido field, even when they punch in the same prescribed way. The only difference is that the punch is intended to connect - and it makes enough of a difference that the technique practiced over the years against uncommitted strikes just doesn't work out. And it invariably puzzles and confuses the person who used to practice against weak strikes. I've seen it happen repeatedly, actually - even against myself, and as I mentioned, I'm not that good at punching.
Since our sensei emphasises the point (if you strike, your attack needs to actually be committed and connect, even when you intend not to do much damage) over and over again, I trust that judgment. And I think it's fair to apply that logic not just to being uke, but to being the tori as well (not to mention an actual fight). And that means I feel I need to punch with the intention to punch. Otherwise, every half-botched technique will be completely useless and not salvageable. And if there's one thing I know about actual conflict situations, it's that things don't work out as cleanly as they do during practice. No matter the level of skill you have.
I mean, YMMV, but I'm basing this on what my teacher emphasises as well as my own decade or so of experience. I've also talked to people who either have been in fights or incorporated aikido techniques in sparring and combat sports, and the consensus seems to be very much that you need to back your techniques up with convincing, strong atemi unless you trust your execution to be always flawless. Which it never will be.