How difficult to catch a fist?

I've have this book called the "Comprehensive Applications of Chin Na" by Dr. Yang. I'm sure many have heard of it and a few havn't. This is one of the best books I have read for techniuqes against grabs and grapplers. Against strikers that are fairly skilled it seems unrealistic as self defense. Now Chin Na against a grappler, grabber or thrower is another story.

My opinion is that I could spend my time training something more useful or easier to retain and use efficiently such as deflections and parries while striking at the sametime. It seems to me that it takes a great deal of skill and technique to pull a move off on a fist that is leaving just as fast, if not faster, than it came in. Timing is everything, but isn't there a point where you can rely too much on timing and the risk of error isn't worth the pay off of landing a move. Something like kicking above the waist?

I don't know what do you guys think?

 

Id say impossible.

Your never gonna catch a full spped fist, If your good/lucky enough, you CAN however catch the bicep area, and use that as a guide to where the fist is, allowing you to traverse your grip to the wrist. A useful tool for takedowns.... However, you gotta make your you've moved either the fist or your face from their original path, or you wont be grasping anything....

 

I find it much more effective to "catch" a fist using your whole body. It's not hard at all really - but to do it the way you are probably picturing it (i.e. with your hand) it's not that easy or effective.

 

well the way they show it is not like catching a baseball. But from a block or if someone blocks your attack.

better yet say I block a punch with my right arm and at that exact moment I reach over with my left habd to grab the attacker's fist. Is that realistic. If you need help visualizing go to a book store and this book should be there. Looking at the defense against fist strikes part. Starts on page 91.

 

That way makes perfect since to me but this book shows otherwise just trying to verify what I was reading and get opinions before I completely disregard this section of techniques. Some say all techs are good techs, but to me good techs are simple, fast and easy to apply, not to mention get me out of harms way.

 

Yeah, arms are easy to get, safer to use, more control, and you have a better distance between you and your opponent. IMO.

 

those answers way back,...

Actually, I disagree with both of these answers. To an extent.

In a real fight, there isn't time to pick or choose a technique.
This is why we train to develope spilt second decision making.
There are several tests you can do. Here are a few of the
conventional methods I can think of....


Baseballs develope speed
--------------------------
Have someone who knows how to throw a baseball at you, come
and train with you. Have them throw it at you (mind u not hard)
at a reasonable speed. Once you learn how to catch a baseball
that is flying at your head, or chest, you can also say you have the
reactive speed necessary to catch a punch.

Weights develope strength
---------------------------
Take a dumbell, of the weight or lbs of the punch most likely being
devlivered to you. And throw it up in the air up to about chest level.
Now try to grab it before it passes beneath your chest. This will tell
you whether or not you are strong enough to catch a punch.
That is called developing kung fu grappling ability.

Martial arts training & sparring
------------------------------
Welcome to class. Now you get to see if your methods really
work. When you spar, you get to practice catching punches.

Just kidding....well, sort of.

I first learned how to catch punches, by getting punched alot.
After you get hit, you start to hate pain, which causes adrenaline,
which in turn causes an extra kick of energy.

In most probable cases, I'm more likely to catch a fist, after
the fight has begun, rather than after I get hit. Then again, getting
hit, also gives me the adrenaline necessary to react, adequately..

 

Wow, how different people are! The more I get hit, the more I view pain differently - and I don't begin to hate - I begin to like it! It no longer is something that comes as a surprise, but you use it as a piece of information.
Enough on pain for now - I don't want to completely hi-jack this thread...but I've spent literally hundreds to thousands of hours in trying to effectively "catch" a punch - and out of the many many ways to do this, I find that the LEAST effective way to do so is to try to catch it like a baseball.
I'd like to work out with you sometime and show you...it's really the only way.

 

I don't mean to catch an actual fist but to intercept and apply a joint lock. Is the more specific. B/c that is what Chin Na is standing joint manipulation.

 

Or even better stand 2 feet in front of a tennis ball launcher, with it aimed at your head and try and catch the balls.

HEALTH WARNING:
This Should Only Be Performed By Certified Idiots So Do Not Attempt This At Home.

 

I studied Chin Na for a couple years...you will find that it is easier to apply these techinques if you catch the fist using your body, or by guiding the punch past its intended target first.

 

I have to agree with this post.

 

Better with a baseball launcher.

 

Stuff about stuff

Ok guys, I agree the baseball theory sounds shaky, it might be!
After all, I never actually tried it.

However, I have done the weight thing and it has worked so far.

You can catch a punch, all you have to do is lift your hand and grab.

Your question is (should be) is it possible to lift your hand, in time
to stop a powerfull punch?

My Answer is, Yes. And "Yes" it has been done many times.

Back to developement of split second decision making.
Of course even that must be trainied into a skilled attribute.

 

reality and pain

pain is a good teacher to a martial artist, because you learn to hate the way it feels when your eye is crushed into the back of your head, or the way it feels to have your arm in a lock, or any other joint manipulation.

Thus, you hate the pain, you avoid it.

Then we've got those real he-mans, who stand there and go
"Nope thats not my arm lying on the ground, No it doesn't
hurt really, no blood at all."......just before they pass out

 

Chin Na is part of my school's curriculum. What you're describing is actually a hooking motion, not really a grab per se. The idea is you can catch it, as has been suggested, or sweep it away, which hasn't. But don't expect a full-fledged catch, because you'll be lucky to catch one in one hundred punches...

 

Shaolin kung fu training

i agree

I got a mixture of shaolin and Wing chun training, which as
I understand are very similiar types of kung fu.

One distinctive difference that we use in Wing Chun is
the non-use of the thumb. This enables us, to easilly
escape a pull punch, lock, or grab before it occurs.

On the other hand Shaolin teaches full extensive use of the
thumb, and is incorporated into alot of the techniques used.

Catching a punch is a very relative thing as much to
hooking, blocking or redirecting. You must first learn to
put your hand where the attack is.

This is definitely a 50/50 thing. Unless you train.

 

Catching a baseball and a fist are two very different things. While catching a baseball increases you eye/hand coordination and may give you the "speed" to catch a fist, its generally not a good idea to stare at your opponents fists during a fight. My opinion, stop thinking about catching fists because what the heck are you going to do with it anyway? Block/parry then catch their wrist/arm.

 

Ok it seems that some have misunderstood what I meant by "catch a fist". What I meant was redirecting it with a block, parry or deflection. Using your forearm for the block and using your forearm/wrist area to make the contact and "stick" to the attacking arm. From there you would employ your other hand to apply the control and from there use both hands/arms for the joint lock (or dislocation/break). I never meant to actually catch a fist like a baseball that seems very unrealistic to try in a street fight or even sparring. Do any of the people that study Chin Na know what book I am talking about?