--- In classicpugilism@yahoogroups.com, Andrew Flach
<andrew_flach@...> wrote:

Hi Andrew, It's been a while since I read this book but I think the
powerline he talks about is as follows.

1. Punch with a vertical fist - thumb up, pinky down.

2. Use the bottom 3 knuckles for striking as opposed to the top 2 as
taught in martial arts. Aim to connect with your ring finger knuckle.

3. The reason for that is the powerline runs in a straight line down
your arm, through your wrist and out your ring finger. This is the
position all the bones and muscles are in a straight, locked position.

He illustrates this point by telling you to put your arm out vertical
fist against a wall. You can't keep it straight using any knuckles
except the bottom 3. Bruce Lee taught the same concept years later.

Hope this helps, Stewart.

> If anyone, who is familiar with the text, could provide some
concrete answers to the following questions, I would be most
grateful.
>
> 1. Dempsey directs the reader to punch "along the power line;" is
that simply his way of saying to shoot from your shoulder?
>
> It seems to me, the location of the power line will vary, depending
upon the target and angle of the punch. And what if you fire a shot,
wherein your fist begins at your side? Are you then to lift that fist
to shoulder level, before firing it?
>
> 2. Likewise, Dempsey says, of "powder-puff" punchers, that
their "punches lack body-weight, explosion, and follow-through," and
that "such failure can be prevented by power-line punching." But I
don't quite follow; this power line seems only the path for the fist
to follow, and I don't fully grasp the role it plays in power
generation. It seems to me, without mass in motion and explosion, the
power line would have no power at all.
>
> If you land with the appropriate three knuckles, do you
automatically adhere to the principles of power-line punching?
>
> 3. Dempsey says, when shuffling either forwards or backwards, to
keep the weight on the front leg, but is that action actually
possible when reversing?
>
> It seems there would at least have to be a momentary shift to the
rear foot.
>
> 3. Dempsey says not to move the feet in the shovel hook, but I
would think the leg spring that drives the hip into the shoveling
motion would require the foot to move in some manner.
>
> I presently have difficulty achieving the "hip hunch" without going
onto the ball of my foot, which would seem to conflict with the
author's instruction.
>
> 4. Likewise, of firing punches from the whirl, with the feet
parallel, he says not to move the feet during that movement. Yet,
others claim one should allow the feet to pivot on their balls and so
derive more power.
>
> I suppose the real question is: what did Dempsey mean by "don't
move the feet." Is that to say, simply, no stepping, or literally, no
movement whatsoever?
>
> I'll be curious to see what you lot have to say on the above.
>
> Cheers,
> Andrew
>