What is the purpose of learning to punch from the hip like in Karate?

Do martial art styles that use this method actually intend to fight this way?





Or do they modify it the deeper you go in the style? Like raising your fist and punching more from shoulder position (to protect the face and punch faster like a boxer).





I have never quite understood the purpose.|||To follow up on an excellent answer by Shihan J,...... Punching from the hip was never intended as the way you are supposed to do your punches. It is to teach the proper body mechanics. unfortunately many instructors never understand that themselves. Punching from the hip teaches the body how to use the hip in the punch. It also teaches you how to grab and pull. that is the real purpose of the other fist returning to the hip as one hand punches. In the real application of karate punches, one hand is almost always grabbing and pulling the attacker while punching him. When really using karate you are not supposed to always punch from the hip, or always bring the other fist back to the hip. Real fighting should be doen by being able to punch from where ever your hands happen to be at that instant. you don;t stand in some static stance and hold your fist at the hip. That is for beginners only. What is sad is many so called masters will do that when they fight. it is not wonder that they can't fight anyone that really knows karate, or any fighting method for that matter.








...|||No! LoL. Practicing punching from the hip is merely a training exercise or training drill to teach a karateka how to do a basic straight punch correctly and what muscles to use and not use, when to lock his wrist into place and close his hand completely, compacting it so that it is not so easily broken, and also use what they call synergy in athletics to enhance the power of the punch.





Note their hip action and rotation so that the power of the punch is magnified by not just punching with the fast twitch muscles of the triceps and forearm but also the with the strength of the hip and lower back incorporated into it as well making it a much stronger punch.





In actual application they will not hold the hand down in that position on the hip but instead in a place better suited for the situation but will at the same time employ the same aspects of that punch from off the hip when punching. This is why a good karateka can punch so hard and there are some other aspects like Ki or Chi that also enter into this and that training method of practicing punching from the hip and it is thought that by practicing your punches this way it is also more easy to draw and harness your inner strength or Ki and Chi into the technique.





No matter what your thoughts are about Ki or Chi one thing is for certain. A punch using only your arm will not be as strong as a punch using your arm, hip and lower back in a fast, coordinated action. The power and force of all those body parts are placed on what you are hitting at the same time making your punch much stronger than just punching with your arm.|||As my favorite contributors already answered it is for practice and to build muscle memory for cambering properly. Of course if you have the opportunity to set up a punch from this position and use your body properly it will be a most powerful punch. Of course it takes too long and is not used in a fight unless it is a finishing blow or after a set up.


Regarding your comment:


Remember boxers have boxing gloves so covering the same way a boxer does in the ring will get you pounded up pretty bad. You must actively block punches to the face when bare handed. You can get a real stilted impression of martial arts by just watching a few drills. It takes some time to understand applications and how the various drills are Incorporated into a self defense.|||Basically, punching "from the hip" is done to generate power. It's a bit like pitching in baseball: your whole body - instead of only your arm - is used to generate power and momentum which is then transferred into throwing the ball, or in the case of martial arts: a strike.





And I don't think that you modify it per se (as you go deeper), but the motion as a whole becomes more subtle and efficient, and the twisting of the hips becomes less pronounced.|||are you talking about chambering from the hip or using the hip during the punch





chambering from the hip is to teach basic mechanics, and motion when you fight you dont chamber that far back, and also as you get more advance you no longer chamber from that position.








using the hip generates power


power is not generated by the muscles in your arms or solo in the arm, it is generated by the motion of your hips. its not that your arm moves and your hip follows, its your hip moves and your arm or leg wipes out after the motion.|||in karate your taught to punch from the Hip not so much as a standard punch but as a rotation of the body, in boxing the reason for your hands held high is to guard the face however if you look at the stance and when a punch is thrown the body twists in much the same way as a punch is thrown during drills in karate.








If you look at karate sparring you will see that they no longer punch from the hip, this is once again not down to the punch itself but the body movement, in drills your taught correct technique and its drummed into you so that when you throw a punch or a kick your body movement is automatic and giving the most power available.|||Twisting your hips gives you speed and power, and no you don't not go deeper in to it, it's just twist your hips and punch from your chin|||Power comes from punching with the body. Even a boxer puts their body into a punch. Hip twisting is used to put the force of the body with the punch. I'm certain you'd find this in boxing...|||It's easier to teach someone to punch strait from the hip. The type of punches in karate, they have to be strait.|||Sorry have no idea,can not help