Why do fighters always drop their hands when punching like karate katas?

[@hasanagic96]

As a teen we were neighbours with a shotokan karate gym. So we sparred full contact a few times to help them. When they learned to keep their chins down n cover better allowing them to handle pressure calmly, they did AMAZING. Super fast blitzing, fast movement, kicks we weren't used to at all. They certainly were very competitive vs us decently experienced amateur competitors on k1 / muay thai

[@krytycznyskaut3450]

If you have big gloves sparing, karateka has to learn how to fight with big gloves. If there are smaller and smaller gloves karate will be more and more effective

[@Jujitard69420]

@@krytycznyskaut3450not really they still get caught with their chins up and hands down karatekas have to realize that its terrible if you dont also have some very basic striking principles from boxing or kickboxing

[@DouglasGomesBueno]

​​​​​@@Jujitard69420that's because Funakoshi Karate Shotokan are a Joke is more a Dance Club for Kata it's not the True Karate they focus more in dance and philosophy not real fight, I trained Motobu Karate and are much better I'm started train Boxing last week and kick the ass of a lot of Boxer in spar relying on my Karate they can't believe.

[@DouglasGomesBueno]

​@@Jujitard69420Motobu Karate are Karate for real man truly effective.

[@kbanghart]

​@@Jujitard69420sports is one thing, I train just for real life so I don't claim to be super athletic, I'm overweight but if something goes down for real, I don't want someone to know that I know how to do a little fighting, so I might keep my chin up until the last second.

[@robertsutherland6162]

It is very illuminating when you start to look at a kata in more of a grappling or defensive way as opposed to just some blocks and strikes.

[@fireeaglefitnessmartialart935]

I thought the same. I don't remember my old taekwondo forms very well, but some movements do make more sense from a grappling viewpoint.

[@Jenjak]

Yeah people don't realize martial arts weren't as segmented as they are today.

[@kbanghart]

​@@fireeaglefitnessmartialart935I've been training for a few years and it makes total sense to me. Because if you trained constantly to go forward, to try to keep your opponent off balance, then it seems natural that in most cases you would end up close enough for a grapple, and then all kinds of things like different arm bars, wrist lock, shoulder, etc. Come into play where you can work against one arm or one leg instead of their whole body

[@californiacombativesclub202]

Yeah, that’s what people don’t realize it’s like framing and clenching and throws

[@californiacombativesclub202]

@@Jenjak they were mass produced after the war from military dues and then all those military dudes opened up strip mall dojo in America

[@MasterPoucksBestMan]

As mentioned in the video, the hand pulling back during a "punch" (or a throw/takedown using the same mechanic) in karate is supposed to have some part of the opponent's body in it. That's why it's called "hikite" - pulling hand, just like the "hikite" in Judo. Karate is supposed to be a clinch fighting art, not the long range art it morphed into just before it's export to the world. A block is a lock is a blow is a throw, from an old 1980's advertisement in Black Belt magazine for Bunkai videos :)

[@Mr440c]

You can also maintain hikite internally if you punch even if you haven't grabbed opponent.

[@gatocles99]

@@Mr440c No, you can't. If the hand is not pulling on a part of the enemy's body, it is not hikite.

[@Mr440c]

@@gatocles99wrong.

[@gatocles99]

@@Mr440c Please show us how you grab and pull on air. Super grand master. Meanwhile while you continue to play video games and fap, the rest of us will be doing real karate.

[@elijasuiters9932]

Another way in which dropping a hand can be both offensive and defensive is framing. Based off of my sparring experience, I think that most karate hand postures represent framing on an oppent for a fraction of a second in order to put yourself in a position where your attacks work and theirs don't. (That position also only lasts for a fraction of a second, so you constantly have to be framing, attacking, and outmanuvering if you want your techniques to work.)

[@maluill]

Haven't seen you in ages, suddenly the algorithm has bought you back to me and I remember why I watched you. Your ability to maintain attention is impressive Master Dewey

[@moimeme9861]

Same here, long time no see.

[@BWater-yq3jx]

So to complete answering the question... it's because it's biomechanically a better way to throw a really hard punch. Dropping the opposite hand brings everything down more to your centre of gravity, engaging the body more fully and grounding your balance. Keeping the hands up is a compromise you make because it's generally worth losing a bit of power to not be KTFO'd. To answer the very specific question of why pro fighters still drop their hands, I'd assume 1 or both of 2 things. 1. They really want to drop a bomb on the other guy, and in the heat of the moment let the hand drop. 2. They have a well-honed awareness of their opponent's positioning, and sense that they can get away with the hand drop in that situation.

[@cheeks7050]

Great summary

[@adrianarroyo937]

I like your answer better than Ramsey's

[@UnexpectedWonder]

That's a really good Perspective on the matter.

[@NDOhioan]

The second point reminds me of how you can see occasions in Sugar Ray Robinson's fights where he lands full-on haymakers on his opponents. His ring IQ was so high that he knew *exactly* where he could throw massive shots and get away unscathed.

[@haffoc]

well said. also, I think that dropping the hand may help with the shoulder turn, thereby extending the reach.

[@cherryb0ng]

With the whole mess that is KZbin, it's nice to listen to a slow paced video from time to time.

[@vedranlucev1837]

The bunny hops came from the idea (or ideal) in Shotokan karate that forms should end at the starting point, to make sure your steps and stances and footwork are controlled and consistent, and you're not flailing and staggering around. So when Chinte got adopted into Shotokan, the form was adapted to end at the starting point by adding the three hops.

[@MrMeltdown]

Iain has an interpretation of the last move of Chinte as an arm lock which he He then added an additional shock using those three moves, I'll try and find the video Edit: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYm1eYCIbternbc I have no idea if that actually matches a more common interpretation.... Intesting though.

[@larrycrowne8330]

I can’t speak to its utility, but it sure does look cool. That’s why I keep my hands down in all my street fights. I’m 0-12 in streetlights, all losses by KO/TKO.

[@cosmoreverb3943]

You'll get them one of these days bro

[@saiyanninjawarriorz]

I've landed the traditional reverse punch on a regular basis, it's a really good technique, when implemented properly. Respect Ramsey for breaking down topics like this OSU 🥋

[@khatack]

This losing of meaning while keeping the form is the very essence of the decay of tradition, and it happens eventually to every single formalized tradition. You do things because they've always been done a certain way and forget the reason why, and once the reason is forgotten, the connection between the tradition and its meaning is broken and small variations and corruptions begin to creep in. Traditional martial arts are corrupted precisely because they've been traditional for so amazingly long that the form has become more important than the meaning. All traditions need constant revitalizing to purify them from these corruptions and reconnect with the meaning.

[@khatack]

What I was trying to say with this long winded explanation is that this particular phenomenon isn't limited to martial arts.

[@UnexpectedWonder]

Very well said. 👊👊

[@khatack]

@@UnexpectedWonder Thank you ^^

[@drioustb9182]

thats a cool explanation, how do you think we can revitalize traditions?

[@khatack]

@@drioustb9182 By rediscovering the meaning of course. If you forget the reason you look both ways when crossing a road is to not get hit by an incoming car, you probably won't pay attention to the correct things when doing so. Just turning your head around a couple of times and ignoring the traffic would likely result in a disaster, and would most certainly count as a corruption of that habit. Almost being run over by a car on the other hand would likely result in you remembering that "oh, that's why you look both ways", and in the future you would pay attention to the correct things when doing so. When you remember the proper practical reason for doing something, you naturally pay attention to the things that are relevant to the fulfillment of that reason. This way you stay grounded in reality and your habits remain uncorrupted. The moment you forget the purpose of something is the moment your habits begin to get corrupted.

[@saiyanninjawarriorz]

Also you covering having the hand to have the next punch loaded is a great tip! I can't wait to show my students 🔥

[@obiwanquixote8423]

I learned way more about the kata bunkai from the karate of my youth watching my kids work on judo with their coaches. So much of the grip fighting and details of a throw they're learning are the same movements as the kata.

[@moimeme9861]

Ramsey is back in the game. Good video, thanks. Keep going man.

[@arcfide]

It's also worth noting that the ruleset today might have affected where it is best to keep the hands, a low chambering can be quite useful to create punches that are harder to see coming, and if you have the range/timing down appropriately together with positioning, you can utilize the counterbalance and rhythm afforded by such a chambering to get some really nice shots in (IIRC, a lot of liver shots were set up this way). I think some of the Karate applications you see in MMA fights demonstrates this, where there's a lot of rotation around to get a good angle, and you often see that low chambered fist coming in for a strong hit on an angle. My personal pet theory is that when many of the older forms were created, there was a lot more emphasis on body shots because there wasn't the same emphasis on the use of gloves, in addition to the takedown and clinch side of it. Even older Western boxing you see with the hands much lower for the same reason. When you have gloves and can strike more freely to the head, that changes where you need to defend.

[@withers3320]

I was blown away the first time I ever saw Demetrius "Mighty Mouse" Johnson fight... It was the first time I'd ever seen an MMA fighter maintain what looked to me like a textbook-perfect guard no matter what he was throwing. And he was insanely fast. I mean, they were in a light weight class, and they were BOTH fast. But Mighty Mouse was FASTER. His opponent just couldn't stop most of the combination punches from sneaking in. He even threw his double leg takedown with his guard up until he was cm from his opponent's hips... Just awesome to see.

[@druidbonez]

Master Dewey you truly have a way of commanding well deserved attention

[@justinAclark2075]

Solid video. Definitely a good thing for people to know. There's always exceptions, and usually there's a reason for it. Make your trade-offs and put your hands where it makes more sense for you.

[@UnexpectedWonder]

Coach Ramsey, you're correct about the next strike. That's the offensive application. The defensive application that I and others teach to keep their Hands up to beginners to keep your guard up to block, parry, or evade Counterpunches because most novices don't have the Reaction Time with Head Movement alone or won't see a punch coming. Also, often the novices or amateurs will have bad form with their punches. More Advanced Fighters and Boxers may drop their guards. It really also depends upon one's Fighting Style, but that takes quite a while to develop as you well know. It's just offensive and defensively responsible, but I agree that it shouldn't be a hardened rule. It should be a reminder from the Trainer to his or her Fighter.

[@RamseyDewey]

Slip at the same time you throw a jab or a straight punch. Cut out the middle man. Don’t wait for the other guy to punch at you so you can respond. Beginners should learn that.

[@jimhattery4348]

As always, thank you for your insights and wisdom!

[@Kicker1994]

Clear, concise, basic, and simple. It was an interesting watch and I believe a person needs to think like a warrior to win fights not just be perfect at one style through the study of the warrior mindset, through philosophies like BUSHIDO and many others to learn to think like a warrior, even ancient KARATE masters practiced it for perfecting their techniques, when they were defenceless with hands down so that they were ready for the worst at war, where they didn't fight limited to a singular technique, like KARATE, using even KOBUDO, perhaps JIUJITSU why not? They didn't fight like today's point sparrer KARATEKAS. I bet you know

[@lethn2929]

It's always nice to see you go into detail with kata bunkai Ramsey, I'm still watching occasionally just very busy these days, you're technically correct for sure about the usage of the grab when they reverse the hands in a punch. I can't comment on other styles because they'll have their own ways of generation power, but in Shotokan as I'm sure you'll know since you have a bit of a background in it it's worth pointing out that the reverse is also part of strength training to get a proper technique as well as part of how you generate power generally because it's Shotokan. The goal of the reverse punch is to punch not with physical strength but with body weight which is why the movement looks so weird but when done correctly it definitely works it's just obnoxiously difficult to pull off which is why so many people who have been taught it wrong look like absolute lemons when they try and do it in a fight. It's also worth pointing out, karate training is very different from karate in practice, deep stances are thrown out the window in semi-free style and free style sparring which again is why karate types who know what they're doing look so different when they're in MMA or sparring because the techniques are deliberately shortened as the theory goes you should now have the strength and technique to do fast techniques correctly. That's of course being very generous in assuming that the teaching has been done correctly which let's be real is a major problem in karate as you rightly point out. I'm really surprised by the way for your content you haven't you haven't tried to arrange for a trip to Japan yet, I know that's not something you can arrange overnight though. It would be awesome to see you check out how the Japanese train because they're something else and they'll definitely be able to give you a lot of pointers on kata and it would also probably blow the minds of a lot of MMA types out there I'm sure.

[@JamesBrown-ep2rf]

1st! I’ve always wondered this. Also just finished season 2 of USDC! It’s epic.

[@ramondiaz2851]

Very well said!!

[@SonnyCrocket-p6h]

we dont use a, b, c when we speed-read, either, but we LEARN that way Just because it's not directly useful in a fight does NOT mean that' it's not good training for the novice. Kid's dont learn to read by being handed a book and told "here, speed-read this"

[@UnexpectedWonder]

Absolutely! You understand the Fundamentals. 👊👊✊✊👏👏👌👌

[@Tr8nt]

It’s better to learn what works than waste your time training your muscle memory something useless

[@kanucks9]

​@@Tr8ntindeed. We learn the fundamentals of movement by flailing around as toddlers. Alphabet complete. If somebody believes the a b c thing, then they should do it as a phase that lasts only as long as it takes to mostly do the whole movement, like they do in every other discipline.

[@gersonencarnacion3744]

What you said about training combinations is so true. The reason a pro fighter drops his other hand as his strikes is because he intended to finish his opponent with one single strike instead of prioritizing doing as most damage as possible. Think of it as firing a semi automatic weapon, in order for a weapon like that to fire more than one round it requires repeated pressing of the trigger, but if you only want to use one round you press it once.

[@RipleyEll]

Having hands down can pressure an opponent to attack. However there are few people good enough to take this risk and have it pay off, especially against fast people who can seemingly hit you if you blink to slow. Its hard enough to stop a good punch even with the hands up.

[@piotrd7355]

In the case of Nate's Diaz 1-2, when one hand struck the other was halfway to the target. Which doesn't give much time to cover face.

[@christophervelez1561]

Why do people insist that the Gracie self defense curriculum is the gold standard of using bjj on the streets? We have videos that show bjj techniques in fights, and these techniques rarely materialize even against untrained attackers. I run a school and the Gracie self defense techniques I use to teach a concept during drilling. For instance the seoi nage from the rear neck hug that’s not a choke isolates the concept of getting hips below your opponent to throw. Thanks for the answer Coach I hope your knee gets better!

[@tomeralper2827]

Regarding "A block is a lock is a blow is a throw": On the one hand, I agree that it's kinda stupid that we all try to find meaning because the original one got lost. On the other hand, it does provide alot of freedom and innovation in how you perform movements. If you actually make it practical, who cares what was the original meaning. It's usful. So if your goal is to make something out of forms, you don't want to be confined with the bunkai.

[@Archone666]

Speaking as someone who not only trains by doing the "wax on, wax off, turn daily activities into practice" method, but who ALSO uses martial arts skills to make the daily activities more efficient... techniques are tools. Just like with weight lifting - a deadlift motion is perfect for any time you want to lift something heavy a few inches. For the same reason, an outer form block/backfist/hammerfist/whatever with proper footwork is awesome for when you want to deliver an explosive and efficient lateral movement... like, say, when you're throwing debris or something to one side. Or the reverse punch/rear cross/whatever, for whenever you want to do explosive and efficient movement forward and backwards (like when you're using a shovel, pushbroom, rake, whatever).

[@kingartifex]

hi coach, I was wondering what is your take on blending default stances in an MMA fight? For example imagine a kickboxer who uses an orthodox stance by default, but then learns wrestling later on where they teach to keep your lead leg in front (so "south paw"). Should he force himself to grapple in an orthodox stance because that is what he is used to in kickboxing? should he do a bit of both and switch stances? or should he learn to grapple "the correct way"? This goes viceversa for people who learn a grappling art first before learning a striking art Not sure if I explained clearly what I mean...😅 in essence, how should a fighter "blend" the stances from a striking sport and grappling sport together in an MMA fight? I'm aware that there is a lot of personal preference that factors into it, but for the sake of argument I was wondering if there is an objectively more optimal approach to the problem. I'm not sure if this question has already been raised in the past, if so apologies.

[@cmahar72]

Something I found intriguing with hikite was that pulling the hand low doesn't pack the upper body as well to brace for the force, which didn't make sense until I trained to be an extendable baton instructor. Then it fell into place when I learned the basics were to parry with the front hand or create distance and the other hand went to the baton or other implements on the belt, just like Asiatic societies in more ancient times would have carried implements or small weapons in their belts. Great penny drop moment for me.

[@flamezombie1]

11:05 I love hearing actions in combat mentioned as "beats" - that's the exact kind of language Fiore d'ei Liberi uses in the 1400s. Tempo - you're trying to fit as many actions into one tempo as possible. One of my favorite quotes is from Joachim Meyer: "He who steps after striking deserves less joy in his art"

[@anastasiossioulas83]

Actually kickboxers were karateka and taekwondo people wanting to fight. Unfortunately in these art you don't learn to fight freely in flow and that's why they aspired to boxing. Even traditional Muay Thai got affected by boxing. Bunkai and application are always good and handy just for their moment.

[@Archone666]

It's not just "a strike is a block is a throw is a lock." Techniques are TOOLS. Tools make a job easier. And I'm saying that as someone who not only trains by doing the "wax on, wax off, turn daily activities into practice" method, but who ALSO uses martial arts skills to make the daily activities more efficient. Just like with weight lifting - a deadlift motion is perfect for any time you want to lift something heavy a few inches. For the same reason, an outer form block/backfist/hammerfist/whatever with proper footwork is awesome for when you want to deliver an explosive and efficient lateral movement... like, say, when you're throwing debris or something to one side. Or the reverse punch/rear cross/whatever, for whenever you want to do explosive and efficient movement forward and backwards (like when you're using a shovel, pushbroom, rake, whatever). "It's better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war." Depends on how you do your gardening. ;)

[@khaderalikhan3029]

You've brought in an entirely new perspective. ❤🎉

[@Endru85x]

Wow, this reminds me of shovel hook used by Jack Dempsey. Manga " Kenji" had a chapter about this boxer, and there was an explanation how his attack looked like move you do with shovel.

[@Archone666]

​@@Endru85x Oh yes - in fact, digging ditches is a great way to practice the hook. George Foreman's training regimen, when he was in his 40s, involved a couple hours of digging ditches and filling them back in.

[@TalentDanceTV14]

Goal in life …to one day meet Ramsey Dewey

[@DrTzeus]

I did it when I went for the "finish him" shot in my MMA ring fight, and I do Wing Tsun, with chain punching and a wu sau hand by the chin. I believe when my mind "aimed" that uppercut with such intensity the other arm just lost all signals, and floated around for the ride. It did not drop as far as a chambered karate arm, nor as far as I pull it back in the form that has the lifting punch I was aiming at his head, but it did not stay in the place it should have!

[@valygomu]

Hi coach, have you seen that Jesse Enkamp video where he invent a modern kata for MMA with his brother ? I thought it was a pretty good concept, maybe for mma warm up or other application, anyway what do you think about that idea ?

[@alexanderren1097]

Oi zuki which is usually translated as a “straight stepping punch” was NOT originally intended to be used at open boxing or kick boxing range. It was originally intended for grappling range as either a takedown (that’s why it’s accompanied by a “c-step”) or a “grab and smash” punch where your “pull back hand” actually has a hold of the opponent, their wrist, hand, sleeve, etc. to prevent them from hitting you back while you’re punching them.

[@scottmarlow6018]

"A block is a strike, and a strike is a block," is one phrase I have heard. This means that the block should have power behind it as you strike the limb and is different than a parry. It also you means you should be able to quickly transfer your strike to a block if needed.

[@MrMeltdown]

Recently I saw a video (might be Jesse or Seth or another youtuber ) that suggested it makes more sense to teach kata after the bunkai moves have been taught and practiced at the dojo under pressure testing. Then do the kata at home on your own so that you can visualise the movements as if there was some one else there, but can also work on spead body movement and balance on your own. If you try that by learning the kata solo and there is a complete lack of understanding, and then potential overemphasis on exact details rather than what you are supposed to be doing.

[@jonatho85]

Exactly. Opposite forces working together. It’s like when people complain about roundhouse kicks with the arm going behind you. It’s just trying to generate more force. Boxing and sport has a lot of tag. I mean Tysons back hand would be lower on the heavy hooks. Let’s say karate, how it’s at the hip, is for form. But I’m kung fu, the arms carried at the side but higher, and you know the rotation plays, and that emphasis looks a lot more like executing proper boxing hooks. But again, nothing should be set in stone as far as placement.

[@M_K-Bomb]

I felt some of the stuff in Kata or Talou forms were training muscle movement as you may not do it exactly as it's done in the forms but it develops that movement. I draw comparisons to a Kung Fu form where the other hand is swung out to the side on a punch. Much like how Ramsey Dewey shows how he may do that on an uppercut. This can help rotate the shoulder back. So that's actually training muscle movement and not necessarily how you would throw the punch. On pulling your hands to your hips. Well, I've heard people say you can fire off more strikes that way as you have already aimed the fist at the target. But traditional Kung Fu and Karate punches differ from those used in MMA.

[@andymax1]

Laziness, but I question the need to always keep the hands up. Whats always worked for me is more of a open guard, if you can’t hit me its working the caveat is distance. I prefer kicking and typically maintain that optimal range, early perception of things that can hit me at that distance is paramount and covering up obscures vision. My Ninjutsu instructor pretty much always coaches hands up and sets up training scenarios where the effective use of distance is nullifyed, then the hands up position is advantageous i.e. I don’t get to choose the distance and I have to fight in the pocket typically up against a wall. I feel like he is training me to fight in a style more suited to his own mindset rather than my own, I prefer utilising my natural advantages. I guess it might be a self defence situational thing, training to fight at disadvatage. My sparring preferences might be just because I don’t know how to fight yet.😂

[@mituc]

The Kata with the 3 bunny hops backwards (and angled) is Chinte kata of Shotokan. And those bunny hops may be indeed the result of the influence of competitional/sport Karate over the traditional (and the hard requirement that in a lot of karate styles a Kata should start and end in the same point). I believe a lot of free thinking karate masters who either have youtube channels or are featured often enough on some) such as Iain Abernethy, Tatsuya Naka, Andy Allen, Scott Langley - suggest alternative and more realistic/practical explanations for those hops. However, those movements were added at some point and how trying to find applications for them is somehow debatable IMHO, and it pretty much fits your concern about passing on the movement and not the idea/meaning, because we had the practical application and only then Katas were conceived. And basically this is one of the reasons why today's bunkai (Kata practical application/explanation) looks either acrobatic or senseless/impractical (one other reason being the effort to adapt those movements to modern combat sports - so with rules, while all these ancient martial arts, asian or from anywhere else, were born from pure survival fighting and not from sports, ballet, or whatever).

[@richardhinckley9690]

As a multi-martial arts nerd (particularly "karate-like" martial arts) with limited, amateur competitive experience, I do pull the hand back sometimes. It feels weird, like I'm asking to get hit, but I almost never actually get punished for it. I think it's two things. One, I'm doing a heavy hit when I do this, so unless I'm walking into a trap, I should be dominating the fight in that one instant anyway. Two, the power of the hip action that the hand contributes to makes the punch way more effective, without the huge effort that rotating the shoulders harder would involve. I used to train with Joe Lewis, and his take on this included that he believed "pulling" to be more physiologically effective power generation overall than pushing.

[@simkoning4648]

Pretty strong evidence that old striking styles extant during the late 19th and early 20th century really did punch from the hip can be found with old savate footage. French boxers can be seen chambering their punches at the hip or ribs almost exactly the way it's done in Okinawan and Chinese forms. I think the simplest explanation as to why striking with hands low and punching from the hip is common in karate is that's simply how they fought in the past. Yes, there are instances in kung fu and karate forms in which the application is a grabbing and pulling motion, but I think for the most part, that is simply how they threw punches. A hands down style has been shown to work in a modern MMA context (it comes with risks of course) for reasons that may explain why it was done in the past.

[@simkoning4648]

I think people tend to overthink this a bit. Yes, in some forms, the motion represents a pulling motion, but as evidenced by the two-person forms of many traditional Chinese styles, they really did punch from the hip in some styles. Some systems like Choy Li Fut even heavily utilize windmilling and haymakers! Some styles used a more hands-down approach to punching, while others, like Praying Mantis, Wing Chun, kept a guard hand up, though not always at the head level. Some like Hung Gar have punches from the hip while also having a guard hand up by the head at times somewhat like modern boxing. This seems analogous to how there are hands up and hands down styles of striking in MMA. There are tradeoffs with each way of fighting. Jeff Chan and Wonderboy have some great videos on this. This was once a hobby of mine too, but it led to me abandoning forms training altogether. If it's so easy to lose the purpose of the movement, or if the movements have become so abstracted from their application, why bother with the forms? I extracted the techniques that work from the forms I learned and I just drill them as individual techniques or as part of combinations now. I find myself wasting less time and it's easier to teach my son what actually works without forcing him to go through a bunch of old stance training, correcting minor errors in his forms etc.

[@remib2320]

Hey Ramsey ! Really really loving your videos here ! I was wondering how is your knee that got injured last year ? Also, I started powerlifting a year ago and i love it a lot : i got bigger and stronger. But i stopped my muay thai trianing and when i came back to it... I felt so slow, so out of breath, it was a cold shower ! I'm now considering teaining in boxing and powerlifting. Any tips on how to make these two sports I love work together ? They sometimes feel sooooo different and almost like they are cancelling each others. Have a great day !

[@RamseyDewey]

I need a total knee replacement surgery I can’t afford. Thanks for asking. So you completely stopped training in Muay Thai for a year and then you felt slow and out of breath when you did it again? That’s very normal. Your body will adapt to the athletic demands you put on it. If you don’t require your body to move like a fighter, it won’t. Powerlifting doesn’t cancel out athletic specificity for Muay Thai. Not doing Muay Thai is what cancels out the athletic specificity for Muay Thai. You can do both concurrently as long as you have the available time. Think of it this way: if you spent the next year only doing Muay Thai and no lifting at all, would you expect to have a better squat, deadlift, and bench press a year from now? Of course not. You will only improve by n the areas you invest your time. The athletic demands for lifting and fighting are different. There is athletic crossover to every sport for increased strength, but it’s supplementary, not a replacement for the sport itself.

[@remib2320]

@@RamseyDewey that makes sense ! I may have a tendency, like many to try and optimize everything and then not doing a lot... Thanks for your answer and I hope you can come back with a healthy-ish knee soon !

[@DouglasGomesBueno-jw9lh]

I use the classic guard protecting the chin I'm lucky my master of Karate are very open mind and know teach properly.

[@WadeSmith-oe5xd]

In Kata, when you bring your hands back to your hips, it's part of submission maneuver. Some people who don't know good Bunkai don't know when to use which mechanics, and they habitually do the wrong thing when fighting. I tell boxers and karatekas all the time to keep their hands up, and they ask "why" as if their sensei never told them to guard their face from getting knocked out.

[@Mr440c]

Beside rechambering there is also the alignment of your structure. The more actively you pull back your elbow with an opposing arm (as if you elbow strike backwards) into hikite the stronger the punch naturally becomes and less energy is wasted. If your opposing arm just swinged back it wastes more energy as it travels further distance. The reason it happens is because we lack discipline to train enough to make the correct skill natural enough so we stop swinging sloppily. Bone alignment is crucial to preserve energy while also maximizing power output as well as for safekeeping our joints. It's the same as with powerlifting really. The bigger your weights the more important the correct form is.

[@adcyuumi]

The shoulder of your rear (guard) hand raises out of position when the hand is brought up to protect the head. This robs your striking hand of power -- more of the impact is absorbed back into your body instead of transferring into the target, and you lose most of your follow-through power because your shoulders are not solidly connected to each other. The proper technique for maximum impact and power is for your elbow to be roughly one fist's distance from your ribs, in a neutral position by your side. Where your forearm and hand are is less important, but a bent arm is better because it is in better position to make a new strike and brings your hand closer to your face and ribs (for defense). An elbow that is too far away from this neutral position displaces the shoulder, disconnecting it from the opposite shoulder. Think of one shoulder as the rock upon which the other shoulder stands, as that arm strikes. Take the base away, and you have nothing solid to push from. A solidly built body CAN compensate to a degree, but you lose a lot even if your body is rock. And as an extra detail... the "why" of why you want the one-fist distance between your elbow and ribs is that holding it there engages your muscles to solidify that platform the other shoulder is wanting to push against. Most of what I'm saying applies to straighter punches that drive forward. A particularly wide arcing swing, such as a hammerfist, doesn't really benefit in the same way. Those kinds of strikes are all momentum, and they have no real driving power through the target once the initial energy of the strike has been blunted by impact. You'd need to be holding a considerable amount of mass in your hand (like a dumbell) to mimic the follow thru power you can get with a straight punch that uses good body position (mechanics). When a fighter knows where the counter-punches can come from and just wants to ready their own next strike, dropping the guard hand for more power makes sense. What happens though is that some fighters overuse this, and get caught because their first punch isn't landing hard enough to stop a counter-punch from being effective. We never criticize them when their hand drop helps them hit harder or ready the next shot - most spectators (even trained ones) don't always see how it helped. We only see when it fails badly, because when it fails badly it's usually the turning of a combo into an even exchange or is a desperate KO attempt by a reeling opponent.

[@nickmeistersa123456]

if the other guy is not in a position to counter punch, it's necessary to hold your other hand up. depending on the situation or if the opponent is not capitalizing on the opening.

[@khaderalikhan3029]

The Machida brothers seem to have found a solution to combine their karate with MMA

[@PalomasMusic666]

Icy mike brought up an interesting idea when talking to his boxing friend, That the far more you wind up your opposite shoulder, the more power comes in the punch

[@RamseyDewey]

That’s a basic boxing tenet Jack Dempsey was teaching 100 years ago: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqXRZ3uhjtd8ocUsi=hT7SX87ztz07dYgG

[@nickolasdesouza3610]

10:10 grest video and analaysis Mr Dewey

[@zman4116]

I looked for this comment but didn’t come across it. Briefly, sport - hands up; street - hands slightly lower. Hands up you won’t necessarily see the next attack/er. Hands down and you have a better chance of seeing weapons additional opponents and even opportunities to escape or use available resources. Try that with gloves on. And hence that there is a difference.

[@jamaratchison9977]

6:00 A block is a lock, is a blow, is a throw.

[@zedusan2141]

Dropping hands might generate more power, but what about throwing your hand behind you like in Pao Quan (Cannon Fist) (I think that was translated right?) I also have some other questions regarding punching How much are the legs actually 'used' when punching? I have pretty strong legs, and pretty strong punches according to those I train with. However, sometimes I don't quite feel leg engagement, especially if using a long left hook. I know my legs are moving, but I don't feel a strong exertion from them. Can a long left hook still be a 'straight line'? Mine are definitely what would be called 'swings', with the arm extended and the pecs and bicep contracting in order to bring the hand in, which results in a circular movement (more obvious when I miss or the other guy dodges) Can lifting weights before shadow boxing improve technique? I did some light lateral raises before shadow boxing, and I could feel that I could get some more rotation with the shoulder whirl. What are your thoughts on flicker jabs, Hitman style?

[@nawaMLG]

This is my comment !!!!

[@v.nd.tt.s8943]

Congratulations.

[@Docinaplane]

The pulling hand in most situations works better pulling in other directions than to the waist.

[@NathanMladenik]

9:47 My coach teaches us "Give One Keep One"

[@KingKatura]

0:54 ITs not a constant & its to get more strength behind the hit. I've seen people do it & almost every time knock someone out. Personally i think its more about focus & reaction that anything else. Keeping a hand up in karate & such usualy has to do with Keeping one hand to defend & one hand to attack so your never caught offguard & it does most certainly work. Some of those movements i think is also how they set thier martial art apart from others over the years.

[@Cavouku]

I'll preface this mini-essay by saying: most of this is conjecture on my part. I will make statements below as if they are factual, but keep in mind these statements haven't been subjected to scientific scrutiny, merely personal deduction. I accept counter-arguments that have meritorious points to consider. Of note to anyone wondering "*Why* is this the natural body mechanic?": it likely has to do with your natural tendency for maintaining balance. When you shoot your hand out, like in a punch, you're generating momentum that pulls your center of mass forward with it. The faster the strike, and the heavier your arm, the more force is pulling you forward. Your natural instinct is to then move your free arm towards your center in a counter-action to maintain stability. This isn't so much of a problem if you correctly pull the off-hand into the more typical chambered position, as Ramsey says, because that motion also acts to counter excessive forward momentum, as well as generating force with your hips and shoulders, to improve the impact of the punch itself. But as also said, arm-punching is more instinctive, and even good fighters fall to their instincts under combat stress. Why is it instinctive to arm-punch instead of engaging your hips and shoulders? Because the former is less committal--you're not putting as much of your body on the line if you're just pawing at someone, so if something dangerous happens, it'll only effect the arm. It may not even cost you much damage to the arm; since you're not carrying so much momentum with it, it's easier to maneuver out of danger. Remember that most forms of combat throughout much of human existence has been largely non-committal skirmishing, or trying to find alternatives like intimidation or diplomacy or positioning strategies, even insult battles (lots of cultures had insult/rap battles, funny enough), to avoid damage to the self. Because if you get sufficiently damaged, you're screwed. But if you can convince the opponent that you can do that damage to them more easily than they can do it to you, you're golden.

[@larryleguizamon2906]

Alot of martial arts incorporate Katas and many students don't understand what it's for, it's better to do 2 man drills with techniques against various sized opponents in the process you will develop muscle memory where your execution is always proper.

[@DG-oo8zf]

Easy. Like in fencing, you don't want to push more weight to target for speed, so you leave the weight behind not having to push it anymore, also serving as an anchoring allowing you to make it out to safe space again. Who cannot see this?

[@SamuelSocceresports]

One best example is kyoji horiguchi doing this in the ring n never got countered. This is straight from his main fighting style, Shotokan Karate

[@Sbv-25]

Hi Ramsey. Without needing to transition to a conventional single leg grab, what other takedowns are there you can do from a foot grab besides the golfswing?

[@Carell117]

The kata Jesse was talking about is called Chinte

[@khaderalikhan3029]

Boxing is not just about rotating the shoulders, boxing too emphasizes rotating the hips. That's where the power comes from.

[@RamseyDewey]

If you want a complete dissertation on the 7 major body mechanics of punching, I have videos that topic.

[@adamdanielsheridan5957]

S&C coach and former surgical anatomist here - this lower chambered position better braces the core and spine to absorb impact, thereby minimising the risk of injury to the striker when performing high-force striking. *mike drop*

[@DouglasGomesBueno]

I trained with Yoshizo Machida in Brazil and I remember one of his leasson are NEVER DROP THE HANDS a Karateka that fight off guard are dumb protect your chin all the times.

[@mritchie85]

I think they want to look cool and slick in a nonchalant manner, a form of show boating brought from Boxing especially Boxers who showboat and drop hands, Roy Jones Jr, Vitali Klitschko, Sergio Martinez and Prince Naseem come to mind, also it draws your opponent to make an offensive attack which can be countered e.g a strategy a counter puncher would employ. From an offensive pov shooting from the hip aids not telegraphing a punch so having both hands down would add to this non telegraphing, look at Prince Naseem especially.

[@hkunsam2410]

Putting hands in your chest or waist before punching depends on Power Line Theory and putting your hands in your face before punching depends on your raw strength.

[@robharris7696]

In that Connor pic, he's throwing a straight right or straight lead- not necessarily a Karate style punch. He often threw those when toe-to-toe & countering. I've seen him throw a couple from the couch and the commentator called it an uppercut. Traditional Karate does have some vertical and hooking punches; tho they look kind of funky compared to Western Boxing 🥊

[@DouglasGomesBueno-jw9lh]

Karate Kyokushin have these punchs too because Oyama are originally a Boxer before create his Karate Style and is very effetive.

[@PhilipAJones]

A block is a lock is a blow is a throw.

[@RamseyDewey]

Sometimes… and sometimes it’s none of those things!

[@ApothecaryTerry]

I can't help hearing "dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge"

[@RamseyDewey]

Honestly, the only practical applications for the so called “blocks” (which are never called blocks in the original languages) that I actually use consistently are for stripping grips and changing grips- neither blocking, locking, striking, nor throwing.

[@brentpieczynski]

The double block against an arm, cause the first arm to distract and cross over to interfere with the other side's follow-up strike. Then two arms extended, means, I can do a palm strike to the face. The setup is the announcement of intent to strike followed by a charge. The fully telegraphed punch, makes possible the double block. With this individual proclaiming they are calling Law Enforcement on my not being nice, when the individual was desiring to Only-Mess-Me-Up!

[@MrRourk]

Lookup one of the most important Boxers in history Daniel Mendoza. Mendoza invented the science.

[@Xzontyr]

Both stance and arm position have become a fairly large deal to me as of recent. I'm not a large fan of fighting with low hands, though it can be advantageous in the right way, much like Fedor did. What people need to realize though, is that when they mimick Fedor, or some other good samist grappler, that they are infact not that fighter, and it may not work the same way. Everyone is different, and hobbiest to pro's is a very different grouping aswell. I'v sparred fairly heavy with guys years ago, that were heavy weights and tried to copy Fedors tactics, Which Khabib did aswell, until he changed it to working on getting his single leg. They'd throw a few heavy bombs, sometimes slow and sloppy to try and get into to judo you down to the mat. What they often didn't see coming back the back stepping jabs and hooks. I primairly fight a southpaw stance with my feet at 12 and 10. My coach and his assistant decided this would work best for me due to fast right hand, and suprisingly not wrestling shots, but my inside Judo work, that i didn't need to turn into, which alot of folk styles of grappling i notice really enphasize, but for some reason alot of people still don't use this principle alot today, and seem to go for the really hard and enphasized long movement strategy to get kuzushi and than go for a technique. Maybe it's only my observation, but not to butter my bread, i may have never competed in judo exclusivley, but i did great when sparring against someone that had done fairly good in Judo with just basic short and simple kuzushi strategies. Especially against wrestlers to. We had some great grco roman instruction here, my old boss Joseph Tesar being both a national, and international medalist in both greco and freestyle wrestling. He taught some good wrestling here. However, there was also a few other guys that came over from Eastern Euroupe around the same time, but never had any big credentials, but just wanted to train, and teach others casually. I'v been ragdolled by some good wrestlers, no doubt about that, and i'll always tell someone that they arent getting enough wrestling, but the darn tricky thing about some judo is that, when a wrestler is relying on using too much force to try and get a bite out of you to counter his force, which ofcourse is similar to getting his own kuzushi, if you already know that thats what they are going for, and time it properly, well, than they go flying without a plane ticket. My spinning round kick from that stance was good to. The stance always did me well, and though i'v never initially really tested myself by competing, i always did well just sparring against local athletes that did, just like many others, so I could say it was a competent stance. Martial arts is interesting though, and i'm really back to studying up and trying different things. There was one guy recently this summer that completely broke my understanding of stance. It really frustrates me to this day. Mostly because it makes no sense to me, and why I'v never really seen it used before. However, thats when i realize, I have, just modified a bit. Lately Bas Rutten's techniqes have been showing up like frogs in the rain during my studies. What the heck Bas, from the wide swinging palm heel and forearm strikes after a front kick as a feint, to someof his odd submissions that he used in success that nobody has ever used in pro mma. However, his stance, and the way he would strike, is also similar to Alex Pereira in some ways, but they still utilize the shoulder and hip slightly to strike out. The guy i fought didn't. I think he beat me more mentally than phsycally, though i was physically done aswell. His punches werent knockout shots, but he still managed to get alot in that you didn't see coming since he essentially was utilizing a double long guard, while also facing parallel to me. Didn't have his arms perfectly straight out though, and had them more like crab arms, and ofcourse sometimes at uneven levels, sometimes to actually feint, similar to knife attacks. the typical jab at the guy high, than switcheroo with the other hand, get him low, than actually get him high. If a persons boxing for points, they need to learn this style of fighting, it's incredibly deceptive. People might think i sound like the most incapable mcdojo deffect or something, but pleases take my word when i say i do not think i am an incapable fighter. He got me pretty good in our first meet, however, i did get him in our second meet up. Do i feel like it was a clean victory? Not at all. I felt like i spammed the cheapest move i'd normally never use to beat a hard boss on a video game. It worked, can cry, won by the judges decision, but i'm also glad it wasn't recorded, regardless of how theatrial it was, because it's not something i'm proud of, but i suppose if it works, than you should let go of any doubts about it, because thats what a fight is. It's knowing your opponents weaknesses, and exploiting them to win. You can't always use what you like, and what makes you feel complete. To this day i'v been trying different stances. I am also a firm believer that a great defensive will beat your opponent mentally, and from there, it's alot easier to get a physical victory. I'v been there.

[@dustencross357]

It's about the snap...

[@Rasheed9957]

For those of you that dont know a kata should be broken down into components of movements strikes and blocks. Each component in and its self a ability. A kata combine these abilities so the Karateka can develop those weapons. Free style is ones own use of the single forms. The more katas one knows the more weapoms one have. Maybe less then a 100 years ago most masters of Karate only had one kata to master. In modren Karate there are many katas in the style of Karate i practice there is 7 open hand katas and 4 closed hand katas.

[@RamseyDewey]

Where does all the grappling from the katas fit in then? About 80% of the movements in all karate forms are grappling techniques.

[@Rasheed9957]

@@RamseyDewey Good question! It above my pay grade though. The styly I practice has far less grappling, but grappling is there. Seems I have my homework to do...😅 Thanks for the reply.

[@bartniem9]

I'd love to hear more about difference between generating power from the hips vs from the shoulders. I started with shotokan as a kid but my punches got strong only after I learned to use my shoulders more. Which is the only objectively correct way?

[@DouglasGomesBueno]

Do you learn Funakoshi Shotokan ? I trained Motobu Karate and we only use the shoulders to punch.

[@salvatoreplacidoplumari3840]

my personal take on oyo / bunkai: KISS-theory..."keep it simple, stupid"...what do I mean? Exactley what Ramsey declared: Elaborate a pratical, natural based movement or response to the aggression. It is not always an esthetic performance, but more realistic

[@jayfisher3359]

I would pay for Jiří Procházka to watch this.

[@RamseyDewey]

Go pay the man! I need another view!

[@ninjafruitchilled]

That withdrawal of the non-punching hand in karate, "hikite", is not specifically about grabbing and pulling an opponent. It can be used as that, but it is not that always. I mean that would make little sense, it is used across all of basic syllabus, it would not make sense for it to have that application in all those cases. I think it is best understood in terms of what you first mentioned, that is natural body mechanics. It's just part of teaching people to use their hips and torso when punching. When it comes to sparring practice karate stops teaching to punch like that, and instead teaches you keep your hands up. But hopefully by then people already learned to punch with their body from practicing the basic form.

[@VictorGalarza-ok5jq]

I would like to ask what you think of these controversial weight cuts promoted by professionals. Greetings from Argentina

[@josephbedwell3164]

A lot of Asian martial arts are training instinctive defense mechanisms for combat. That's why a lot of them are based on animals. Those arts are based on how that specific animal survives. Funny thing about Asian arts is that the human form is the usually the highest of those styles (much like Silat where you advance from Dragon Style to Human Style).

[@pe5mars]

I've often heard you say things "don't fight if you're not getting paid" so I am curious as to what your opinion is on amateur boxing.

[@jonharris3857]

Dear Ramsey, is it possible to use the light reflecting from your hairless scalp to blind an opponent and gain the upper hand in a fight? Have you ever heard of this being done and would such a technique be useful in the UFC?

[@BMO_Creative]

Hand dropped sometimes is for baiting you into their strikes! Dropping a hand is sometimes to take it out of view for a strike. There are so many pro reasons to drop a hand... And you have covered dozens of them in your past videos... I guess no one likes doin homework and watching "old" videos... LOL

[@zekelerossignol7590]

10:47 Ah yes, the Popeye.

[@KyeCreates]

the greeks way back then already knew that punch is considered a knock out punch. if you pay attention to mike tyson, even his KO's consist of this stance sometimes. I learned this from a youtube channel where he teaches/talks about praying mantis kung fu, and used it in a real match and won.

[@remymouskewitz5774]

I have a theory mister Ramsey on why MMA fighters' don't keep their guards up in the silly knuckles-facing-opponent way like Leonardo Dicaprio in Gangs of New York that you did 9 minutes in. It sounds crazy because I'm just some amateur who probably doesn't even train but just listen: their arms get tired after 5 or 10 minutes of kickboxing & wrestling. I personally can't even fault any fighter making a tactical mistake or missing a chance after the 1st 2 rounds anymore because I know how tired they get.

[@pyronicdesign]

The entire discussion of bunkai reminds me of the inly "useless" parts I have found in my southern long fist forms. In the second form there is a series of three butterfly kicks followed by three dragon tain sweeps. My sifu hated them. He continued to teach the form that way because he wanted to reserve the history of the form. ( evidently southern longfist is a dead martial art and only a few of us are left) Anyway, he maintained that there was no combat use for the three butterfly kicks. It is a waste of energy, nearly impossible to land the kick on anyone who is not "wobbling in place with a finish him sign over his head" and besides all of that, is placed in a part of the form in an awkward place. It does notvteally future with the rest if the forms. You basically go from very practical combat movements that can be used for grappling, striking, and weapons to a high flying acrobat out of nowhere. So later in life when i asked him about it he laughed and said. "What was your favorite part of practicing your forms when you were a kid" And I had to admit...it was the flying butterfly kicks and sweeps. And

[@stevemann6528]

Sometimes a fighter will see an opening and will drop the other hand in order to increase their reach.

[@blockmasterscott]

‘I always thought that the reason the hand was at the hip just before the punch was because no one walks down a sidewalk with their hands in a guard position like in a sanctioned match.’

[@RamseyDewey]

The hand at hip after a hikite in every kata does not start at the hip. The movement is to reach out, grab something, and then pull it toward the hip with one hand while the other hand extends outward.

[@blockmasterscott]

@@RamseyDewey ‘that’s a good point’

[@RamseyDewey]

I find that if you want to get the most out of bunkai, take the entire movement of the form literally. Do the exact same movement, not just part of it, and you will often find that your previous assumptions about what was a punch or a block are something else entirely.

[@DouglasGomesBueno-jw9lh]

The Main Problem is not everyone have reflex of a cat the Masters of Karate can't teach everyone that off guard, Classic Defense protecting the chin should be teach in Karate too.

[@Danetto]

ahaha i remember there was this kata form which makes u hop like a bunny xd

[@justinAclark2075]

Hyperbolic martial arts dialogue chamber. AKA KZbin