Boxer vs Martial Artist

There are many hand movements which can be termed as a punch, but are they a real punch? Well, a slap can be also be categorised as a punch since it is thrown from our body part. Any reflexes thrown by the hands can be regarded as a punch.

People are always confused to train themselves in regards to throw a devastating punch, so they try out new things to increase their striking powers by their hands. Different people opt different ways to increase and unleash their punching calibre. Many punching styles were well choreographed and shown in number of Chinese movies.

But, the only punching style with its unique ability and stands to its peak is the way how a boxer boxes. Many martial artists have adopted western boxing to increase their hand techniques and to improve their footwork. But does boxing is the real bread and butter when it comes for hand techniques?

Many experts rely on western boxing due to many reasons, and one such reason is, it subsides the unnecessary move when thrown during the delivery. Whereas, a martial artist would throw the punch from his waist which makes the punch to cover more distance, thus leaving it telegraphed and makes it slow.

Moreover, a boxer’s punch is straight without any fancy moves, the “straight lead” is thrown without even bringing the punch back. Whereas in karate, the “straight lead” is pulled back to the waist to unleash enough power from where it’s transferred, thus making it slow and fully exposed for the target to block it.

A perfect punch should be able to hit its target in a shorter span without getting it blocked. It is because of this a boxer with ease profits with his punches making good use of his footwork. A punch should not only be delivered by the twist in hip but also should be able to cover enough room by proper footwork.

A punch when thrown by a martial artist has enough power because the hand is thrown from the waist and he makes good use of his waist. But the major drawback of a martial artist punch is that he is ill-literate while making good use off his foot.

If a martial art punch is filled with power then a boxing punch is wrapped with speed and non-telegraphic attributes. Sometimes many fighters regard a “swing” as a perfect punch, but it is denoted as a punch “without action”.

In a “swing” the punch is thrown in a circular path and makes no use of waist and feet. Moreover, the “swing” is telegraphed thus making it easy to be blocked while in action, but what about a “hook”?

A “hook” shares a similar action with a “swing” but it is far more devastating than the latter. A “hook” is thrown by making good use of the footwork which means the puncher is not stiff during the delivery.

It was because of the flaws of martial arts punch, Bruce Lee was forced to adapt western boxing so that he could develop his hand techniques and improve his foot skills. Today, many martial artists bend to western boxing to increase their hand techniques and a good foot manoeuvre.

It has been said that everything in this universe as its pros and cons. If you think a boxer’s punching style is perfect, then think again? A boxer might have the right techniques with his footwork and a good manoeuvre with his hand skill but he holds a major set-back. The biggest flaw with a boxer is he is simply left alone when it comes in making a good use of his waist.

Thus, a boxer nevertheless is quick, with greasy fast moves, but he lacks power while delivering his punch. Similarly, a martial artist is able to generate enough power by making good use of his waist, but he is stagnated when it comes in quick moves and great footwork.

It is therefore we should make use of these a boxer’s and a martial artist punch, to get enough power, speed, accuracy and good foot skills, this is known as “Jeet Kune Do, The Way of the Intercepting Fist”

Remember, a “hook” can become a “straight lead” but a “straight lead” should not circulate like a “hook” or a “swing”.

Martial Arts

People for years tried out various styles to increase their strength, accuracy, speed and power. It is for this reason they tried out for something new, and because of this, different martial artist profited by bringing out their new moves and magnificent styles in order to get good amount of trafficking.

After the demise of the legendry martial artist Bruce Lee people started to think of different martial arts and their techniques which really made impressive acts in people’s mind. At the genesis most of the people opted for Karate and many names originated in this field, one such name was Chuck Norris.

 

A professional and won many martial arts tournament until became a famous superstar after the release of “The Way of the Dragon”. It was by the 60s when Bruce bought with him a unique style known as Kung Fu which made it popular in United States.

By now people started to acknowledge various styles and started to switch on according to their convenience. But we are absolutely wrong and it’s our myth that, this form of martial arts is better than that.

 

Martial Arts is just like the oak tree standing tall and erect, whereas the various branches are the different forms of martial arts, modified and re-refined by different martial artist. Now, these branches are further sub-divided into twigs given different names of the group.

Karate is a form of martial art but it is not a martial art, it is sub-divided such as Shoto-Ryu, Buro-Ryu, Shotokan, Burokan, Juju-Ryu, Jujukan. Similarly, Kung Fu was divided as Wing Chun, Wu-Shu not only this two martial arts where mixed to get a new form such as Kick-Boxing.

 

A combination of western boxing and karate were mingled to give new face which was termed as Kick-Boxing. This form of martial arts is widely popularised in United States, and even schools are promoting the sport at a wider range. Just like, Kick-boxing, Savate and Krav Maga are more popular in Soviet Union and Israel.

 

But there are certain alien sports that were invited by martial arts. The sport that is preferred by every martial artist is the “Western Boxing”. Bruce Lee who was a Wing Chun artist highly acknowledged the sport and gave it great preference to it. He was highly impressed by the footwork, the way a boxer trained and moreover the punching style. It was short, had speed and reduced unnecessary distance compared to any other punching style.

 

On the side, ju-jitsu and the Indian wrestling shared similar techniques when compared to each other. But as the world is changing the sports and their methods are modified and changed by different martial artist.

 

One such modification is done and is termed as “Mixed Martial Arts” or MMA. It is where; different forms of martial arts are bought in the same arena and are made to fight with each other. With the clash of different styles we are made to guess that which form of martial arts stands alone.

But at the end of the day we shouldn’t forget that there is only martial art and different forms are generated by different martial artist. So, if you can make your style you can place it, but do not call it “Martial Arts”.

Bruce Lee The Invincible Target

Bruce was crazy and a manic to learn and know more about martial arts. He was a one step ahead from his rivalries of his time and used to dedicate his self more in improvements and tactics. It’s been said that during Bruce’s learning periods he used to spread false bulletin about the absent of his master to his class mates, so that he could enjoy full privacy while learning the art.

Bruce was adamant and was a sturdy person during his juvenile stage. He used to bully his friends and usually took up a scuffle on the road side. At the age of 13 he was introduced to Yip Man a notable Wing Chun martial artist. During the 40s Hong Kong was mostly noted as an illicit place where black market and thugs thrived the nation. It was because of this Bruce wanted to learn Kung Fu so that he could get out of the problems that he used to confront them on daily bases.

Bruce was excellent and picked up every lesson off his master with ease; he threw his self to learn new techniques, and expanded his knowledge during different situations. By the age of 18 Bruce transferred his knowledge to the extreme limits. By now he started to manufacture his own way of fighting, but as the improvements worked for him so did he gained confidents and will-fully had street brawls.

The changes in Bruce, made his father to worry a lot for his son. So, it was a fine day when Bruce’s father encouraged him to sail to Seattle where he could pursue his higher education and could lead a normal life.

But as habits and nature die hard, though Bruce migrated to United States he was still the same. By now he was working in a family restaurant and on the other side he was enthusiastic to show his feats and spread his knowledge to the world. Bruce used to attend martial arts tournaments and gave his life’s best demo by showing the world the strength of his 1 inch punch.

The demonstration was performed in Long Beach International Karate Championships in 1964; Bruce also performed the two finger push up which was an amazing art for the Americans to witness. America flooded in the sport of baseball and boxing where images of great boxers such as Jack Johnson, Jack Dumsey, Joe Lewis, Rocky Marciano and Casius Clay, reigned the American’s hearts. But no-one ever imagined that an Asian man will soon become the notable among the best.

By now the Americans started to whisper about the incredible strength and the new art form, that Bruce had bought it from Asia. Some were enthusiastic to know about it while others wanted to learn about the sport. People from all over the place started to swell at Bruce’s courtyard and he was ready to build his class and status.

With the raising name and recognition on the ground of Uncle Sam, Bruce was already a well recognised celeb in the field of martial arts. But it is said “with the rise of the ladder, there is always someone to chop the wood”. Bruce started to get death threats and he was challenged by his own client, to stop teaching martial arts to the outside world.

But as he was thin steel that is hard to break, Bruce was determined and adamant to teach the sport. The group challenged Bruce for a fight with their finest fighter and kept a clause, if Bruce was able to defeat this guy then he would be let free. But if he fails then he needs to stop teaching to the outside world and should leave to his hometown.

Bruce was up and he accepted the challenge, he along with his student entered the auditorium where the fight was supposed to be held. The fight began with a bow and lasted for 10 minutes, the fighter showed no match in front of Bruce’s whiplash. At last Bruce knocked him down and pulling his clinched fist at the fighter’s face he cried loud “do you give up”, the opponent with bleeding face told “Matte" in Chinese means "uncle".

But this was not the end for Bruce, he was succumbed to the trauma, though he won the fight but he didn’t enjoy it. This was from here where he needed a change; Bruce thought that he was not ready for any fight and he needed to develop his skills. It was from here when Bruce started to take up for western boxing, he liked the hand techniques a lot.

Bruce started to refer some of the old footage of the great boxers, he started to learn western boxing, and improved his footwork. He moved as a boxer and punched like a whip, it was not over he introduced many exercise that developed his methods and improved his techniques.

Bruce slowly started to develop his skills and introduced his unique style of fight, which he termed it as “Jeet Kune Do, The Way of the Intercepting Fist”. When Bruce started to sprout out with this technique, people considered it much of the boxing tricks with addition of leg techniques. But this art was much more than western boxing.

It is said that Bruce was able to defeat his opponent in just 10 seconds with his unique technique that he introduced and named it as “Jeet Kune do”.