Testing and Measuring Your Fajin or Short Power

[Stigweard]

Fajin is about creating an explosive impact. With this mechanism you can use 3 measurements to improve your fajin strikes:

 

~ the total distance the weight travels (further the better)
~ the distance hand withdraws before strike (shorter the better)
~ the distance past the starting mark the fist moves after the initial impact (shorter the better)

 

Explosive force is dependent on the time the fist stays in contact with the target. The shorter the time of contact the greater the explosive force.

 

 

My take on Fa Jin is what's called Impulse Force. The basics is that the shorter the time the fist is in contact with the target the greater the Impulse Force. The purpose of this apparatus is to remove the human factor (i.e. the partner faking or exaggerating the effect)

 

 

I have had some folks commenting that fajin is best demonstrated on a live subject.

Testing on humans is problematic because of the proven capacity folks have to "ham it up" ... exaggerating or even faking the effect to create a marketable "wow factor". So rather than "enhancing" the demonstration in most cases it robs the ability of any and all credibility.

With this mechanism we can be more objective about it and have a fairly common means of communication. In a very real way I am challenging folks to recreate the model themselves and post up a video showing how they would create this "short power".

 

 

 

[Michael Sternbach]

Hi Stig,

 

That's an interesting demonstration. Thanks.

 

I learned Fa Jin techniques from Erle Montaigue. However, I realized that there are different methods taught in various internal martial arts - in fact even within the same art by different teachers, Some initiate a punch by pushing off the back foot, others by a movement of the arm, for just one example.

 

I attempted a comparative study of power generation methods in different martial styles. Frequently, I ran into the problem that many teachers are not willing or able to describe their particular method in sufficient detail in their books and videos. Of course, personal instruction would be preferable, but my circumstances don't allow me to regularly meet a teacher knowledgeable in this area.

 

May I ask you to describe the precise body mechanics you are using in the reverse punch you are demonstrating? I would really appreciate it.

 

Best,

Michael