Snap Decisions
Page 6 of 9
Pushing
A pushing technique continues after contact with the target and continues until it is stopped by the target. If the target is missed, the technique continues until the limit of its motion. Using the drywall illustration, a pushing kick will go through both sides of the wall and into the next room.
- In boxing, the hook is a pushing motion.
- Pushing techniques may be linear or circular. Linear pushes may be easily slipped, which exposes the user to counter attacks. Circular pushes are easier to block but more difficult to avoid; if avoided, the extended motion of the technique leaves the attacker vulnerable to counterattack.
- A pushing technique moves at about the same speed as a thrusting technique but its duration is much longer due to the increased distance moved. The speed of a thrusting technique may be illustrated using by the motion of a whip. If the whip is slung forward for a full range of movement of the arm, it will stay in contact with back of a person for a long period. A slight pain will be felt over a larger area than with snapping motion, and for a longer time than with the snapping or thrusting motion. This is the technique used by stunt personnel when using a whip on another person when making a movie since it looks impressive but does not hurt the other person.
- A pushing technique has more contact time with the target than does a snapping or thrusting technique. Therefore, it absorbs more of the reactionary force than does a snapping or thrusting technique. However, it applies its force over a much longer period.
- Pushing techniques, if applied with the speed necessary to insure getting a point when sparring, are difficult to control, which leads to the increased possibility of injury. For example, when sparring, if a hook punch or a spin heel kick is not blocked, it may injure the opponent upon contact (even when using head protections). However, if a controlled snap or thrust punch is not blocked, since they have a planned ending point, they will not strike the opponent or, if they do, they will not strike with enough force to cause injury.
- In a pushing technique, the body either never tenses at contact or, if it does tense, it must maintain its tension for the duration of the contact. With a pushing technique, it is difficult to know when to tense the body to apply full power into the technique; therefore, the power level is constant throughout the movement. Body tension is important when imparting the force of a technique into the target. Think of a rope with a weight attached to its outer end and the inner end attached to a spinning shaft. If a target is moved in front of the spinning weight, the weight strikes the target with the force of its own mass and bounces off. If, instead of a rope, a solid bar is used, the weight will strike the target with its own mass and the mass of the bar, shaft, and motor, and may possibly smash through the target.