The Physics Behind Bruce Lee's One-Inch Punch! (Because Science w/ Kyle Hill)
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Thanks to Birth of the Dragon for sponsoring todays episode of Because Science. Check out the trailer here • BIRTH OF THE DRAGON - ...
One of the most famous martial arts moves is Bruce Lee's One Inch Punch, but how is it even possible? Kyle gets physical on this week's Because Science!
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Artist: Andrew Bowser
Learn more:
• ONE-INCH PUNCH PHYSICS: bit.ly/2x5jLek
• KINEMATIC CHAIN: bit.ly/2wgJiEf
• DERIVE KINETIC ENERGY: bit.ly/2i70AOJ
• WORK: bit.ly/2w2UHYT
*The "Kyle is wrong!" FAQ*
1. The episode is sponsored by Birth of the Dragon, and is not a commentary or evaluation. I'm only concerned about the physics here.
2. I used footage of Bruce Lee's actual demonstrations when making the video, but did not feature those in the episode because of the sponsorship. Just a weird business thing.
3. When talking about reputation, I'm not saying people are consciously "selling it." That's exactly my point. When you believe something is going to happen, that can be sold subconsciously. That's why these students think their master is magic: th-cam.com/video/nu99GRUUN6Y/w-d-xo.htmlm23s
(UPDATING) -- KH
This whole video is pointless.
Easy explanation
1: Force = mass * acceleration . SInce the mass is constant, he just accelerate the fist movements
2. He hits the chest, center of gravity (not really) of the huaman being, so there is max effectiveness.
Thank you.
Another factor to the success of the 1 inch punch is how the people are standing. Because the punch is being delivered perpendicular to how the opponent is standing, the person being struck is inherently less stable. When the legs are approximately shoulder-width apart, Its easier to push someone from the front rather than the side.
To be fair... there IS a huge issue when talking about the concept of the 1" Punch in martial arts stuff... as most of the stuff used to teach it doesn't really translate that well into English...
And as a side effect... the physics of it get harder to look into, and it ends up sounding like somebody is describing magic. It isn't magic... it is just something that takes years of training to do.
And the training... uh... makes it harder to explain... I know, this sounds like a bullshit answer... and we all know, if something sounds stupid but works, it still sounds fucking stupid.
might be only me, but I feel you should use the real footage of Bruce lee. and the interview of the person who used to be the sparring of Lee's one inch punch who stopped being because he broke his ribs on impact. so it might not be all 'over selling'
Kyle, the 1-inch punch and 3-inch punch were different things.
3-inch punch was at finger-length. It connected like a traditional punch, with the knuckles.
1-inch was actually palm resting right on the chest - there's substantial contact before the "punch" begins. The punch connects through the heel of the palm.
(I've done way too much Bruce Lee research, and the man is my idol).
You should do a video on how much electricity it takes for a Chidori.
GOD YES!
yes yes yes or better kirin !!
I think kirin might be a bit much. However, if he just calculated how fast kirin is, that would be a very interesting video.
The Angry Poet same speed as regular lightning.
The Angry Poet zetsu said it was 1/1000 of a second for kirin to strike
Guys don't try this at home.
It doesn't work on your brother and you just get sent to your room.
Talking from personal experience I am guessing? xD
that's because you're doing it wrong.
It worked on my brother just fine. though we took some safety precautions.
It's just a principle to generate as much force in a strike without telegraphing, not a technique. Just saying.
@Count Roy Don't forget the idiot who calls others an idiot is usually compensating for something.
You guys should have used actual existing footage of the real Bruce Lee demonstrating this move. The real deal is more amazing than any dramatized movie can ever be.
I used real footage when making the episode. I didn't feature it because the episode was sponsored. Just a different legal situation -- KH
gutz1981 this video was made because of the new movie do of course he would use that instead lol
Not saying the whole thing had to be 100% Bruce, but even the Lee family do not endorse this film as it is too disrespectful (Especially the first trailer that came out which I saw portray Bruce as a type of bully) Its just easier to show at least one real clip to prove this move is not just some film exaggeration.
gutz1981 his family got to see it and they were completely offended.
Martial Arts Film Freak apparently the film they showed his family and what is in theaters are practically two different films. Dunno if they changed it after the family weighed in, but if not I don't see why they would have shown them a different version.
him: 1-inch
her: that is 3-inches
_never happened in the history of mankind_
bruh haahahha
Nice
If I cannot relate to this, what does that say about me?
Lmao I laughed too hard at this
Just like Miyagi sensei always say,"Not just arm. Hip,leg,whole body."
Haha i just saw karate kid
You mean Demon Sorcerer Miyagi
@@jagannathajaya2350 No the guy 1900's movie the karate kid
@@Champagnepapi-yi6mn You mean 1980's movie?
One inch punch can also be made with Everclear, vodka, and Hawaiian punch. If done correctly, whoever drinks it walks one inch before falling down.
Ha
win
Similar to five point punch from Kill Bill?
IronheadOfScroteus you gotta be a damn lightweight to make it one inch
I've only ever done just one shot of pure everclear but I was fine.
But how fast was Bruce Lee really? NEW mini-ep over on my Insta: instagram.com/sci_Phile/
Thanks for watching! -- KH
Nerdist I liked the video, and subscribed, my favorite videos were on the flash and physics "defying" ones.
Plz make an video on super man's x-ray vision!!!!!can it be possible????
you trying the one inch punch was funny as shit
Be like water my Nerdist friend.
Thanks so much Viewer! -- KH
When Bruce Lee played the Green Hornet in TV, the director actually had to slow him down in some of his routines because the camera couldn't see his movements at full speed using the frame rates of the time.
There is a small story that not many people heard , there was a scene where Bruce is breaking into a house , and Bruce Lee suggest "instead of knocking , why not I just break the door instead" , and he punch through the door to open it.
'and other myths about Bruce Lee'
What is true is that he used to have frames removed from footage to make it look faster.
Did you know that 10 gunmen attacked Bruce, but he took them all down with a hadouken?
@@illmitchjax Imagine that !
“That is… 3 inches. Should we tell someone?” You sir made my day😂
it's not 3 inches lol, you don't measure your finger length duh.. it's the distance from impact and if you ever watched the one punch in motion the impact starts about an inch from the chest.
How fast is Shaggy's metabolism?
Jughead too
Not faster than mine.
Abhishek Sharma i take a shit evry hour
+Greyzilla _
I shit after every 4-5 days but I eat enough everyday to feed an elephant baby.
I'm hungry all the fucking time. It's like I'm the fucking Flash but just without his speed and only his insane metabolism.
If that wasn't enough, I'm 174 cm, 18 y/o and guess what...I weigh only 45 kg.
Now, you know why I said *Not faster than mine.*
Aditya Brahmbhatt its over 9000!!!!
I'm a martial arts instructor and I always tell my students and anyone interested that all fighting is, is physics. Thank you Kyle for reiterating that point. :)
EVERYTHING IS PHYSICS -- KH
Nerdist:
Physics is love.
Physics is life.
About the naming: back in the halcyon days of my martial arts training, I was always told there was a difference between the One-Inch Punch and the _Three_ -Inch Punch, as depicted here.
The Three Inch punch is, well, three inches from the target, being three _knuckles_ (or really, finger segments) from the target i.e., fingers fully extended. The _One_ Inch punch is, well, _one_ inch from the target, and therefore one knuckle extended outward.
Meaning the One-Inch punch "proper" is basically a half-closed fist, pressed against the target, that is rapidly closed as energy is forced forward through the knuckle, making the hit.
The three inch punch is supposed to be much easier to do, and serves as a way to train yourself for the proper one-inch hit. Also, the whole damn thing is just a demonstration that the real power of a strike is generated _at the end of the movement,_ similar to the crack of a whip, and that the kinetic chaining that properly powers a hit _should_ be a straight and efficient movement pattern, and not a wild hay-maker that swings hard trying to increase the force at the moment of impact through, basically, brute strength.
Personally, I can do a three-inch punch, but it's not as effective as Lee's was, for all the reasons stated here in the video.
I guess it's just a common misconception about what the technique looks like and what it's called. Thanks for clarifying LD! -- KH
I wish you are my physics teacher during my high school. I never know how equations apply to our real world. If my teacher able to teach like you , relate what we learn to real world , I believe I would have choose other professions.
Teachers always had immence difficulty coming up for real world parallels to the math. Some people almost need that to learn properly.
Partition to get Kyle to change his job to a teacher.please sign it
What! This dude is cringy af in some moments
I totally concur!! I LOVE his videos and the fact that he brings comics and etc into real life. I would have totally chose a different career path if he taught in high school in the early 2000s.
Einstein: ‘ if you can’t explain it to a 6 year old, you yourself don’t understand it” . Science is so easy , teachers/lecturers mess it up
Using dynamic tension to strengthen fast twitch muscles to a level that Bruce Lee achieved is awesome.
when Thor explains physics, I can understand... great video!
Thanks Jonathan! -- KH
@@Nerdist why dont you like this comment?!?!😁
where he comes from, magic and science are one and the same thing.
Thor is gay. A message from Anonymous.
TL;DR
Bruce Lee uses his whole body to build up kinetic energy.
Kinda. It goes in order;
Toe-hip-vertical rotation (25° max)- shoulder then elbow and wrist at the same time.
😎
Chris Ponate That’s Chi...
You left out the back leg.
He made a connection straight from the ground to the opponent's chest in one swift move.
It's a thing of beauty.
@@jimpyre5038 no chi is an internal spiritual energy it is not what your body is capable of but your spirit or your soul. Not the same thing
@M T I think the chi thing was sarcasm haha
Science is a beautiful thing
Don't worry, Kyle... lots of girls have a problem with visualizing inches too.
Zefram0911 LOOOOL!
Best comment ^^^
Lel
I would say most guys have problem with inches, especially if it comes to some... sizes
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Author, boxer, and student of Lee, James Demille talks about this in his "One and Three Inch Punch". It is a difficult thing to learn. Expect to take three to five years to learn how to use this punch.
TO the extent mental imagery comes into play, one of those difficulties is putting aside self limitations because those self limitations will have a negative influence in body performance.
Hello, ...love the video!
I studied partial physics are the University of Texas in Brownsville and I've train in martial arts (mainly Taekwondo and Eagle Claw Kungfu) for over 25 years.
I confirm that your explanation of the One Inch Punch is all correct. However, there is one detail that you left out.
In all martial arts, perfect form is essential. Along with that, when throwing ANY punch, you must punch THROUGH your target, not stop at your target.
If an 18-wheeler was coming at you, but it came to a dead stop just as it was about to touch you, the air pressure would push you back some. But you would not be seriously hurt.
The truck would have to drive through you to hurt you.
This is the same concept when throwing a punch.
The same concept is emphasized in many sports like tennis and golf. You'll constantly hear coaches yelling, "Follow through!"
I've successfully performed the One Inch Punch many times. I obviously don't have the fame of Bruce Lee. So when I throw the punch at someone that is not expecting it, they either fall back on their butt or they stumble back about 1 foot. The target's mass plays an important roll. And by the way, I'm 5'9" and weight 210 pounds.
Again though, over all, great video.
Id say great comment on a great vid.
Thanks for correcting him on the importance of following through.
I do wish they brought in a guest to demonstrate the technique properly in slow mo. There was zero linking in their attempts.
From an execution standpoint, I try to think of one inch punch as using my whole body as a "whip" (kinetic linking) that becomes a rigid bat at the very last second point of contact to put "weight" into the punch during follow through.
In physics terms,
KE=1/2(effective mass)*velocity^2.
Maximize the effective mass (so called "weight" behind a punch) and maximize the velocity for maximum explosive power.
Everyone knows kungfu is the best barstool art... Oh... Wait...
My science teacher showed my class a bunch of your vids and I've just randomly looked up your channel and you post straight away tf 😂😂
That's so awesome! Tell your class I said hello and tell your teacher thanks for sharing! -- KH
He was also so fast that during the filming for the pilot of Green Hornet his moves were never caught on camera, causing the bad guys to appear as though they were just falling.
About the whole measurement thing. I’ve heard that that’s a very common misconception. It’s not suppose to be from the fingertips but from the knuckle... which makes it even more amazing.
Exactly, very subtle thing people dont notice.
The one-inch is from the first joint of the index finger past our line of knuckles; the three-inch is from the completely extended fingertips. It is possible to use the same energy with your hand from right on the body, too. And with the palm. In Lee's system, it was called the Floating Punch and the Floating Palm.
from my martial art experience, you have only inch of distance for your knuckles, but in fact you use a lot more space to get momentum with your whole body. your legs move your body upward and give a twist to the torso, your torso act like a spring in rotation, and you arm act like a whip. the key to have enormous power behind that kind of punch is not really speed (speed come naturally as you learn), but to have the whole kinetic chain formed by your body totally straight to have all you mass behind it (and a part of the mass of the earth through your footwork).
but that is only one way of striking, in different martial arts, you find different kind of strikes. you can strikes acting like a solid object falling on the opponent, those can be really effective counters using your opponents speed by stopping him violently. you can strike like a boxer, taking as much speed and weight as possible, probably the most transferred force, but that after math depends not solely of the force. there's strikes where you use your arm like a mace, you fling the whole length getting as much speed as possible. that kind of strike can also work like a whip or a spring to get more speed, but loose a bit of power. then depending of the target, and the way you hit, the results can be interesting or pointless. for example, you can knock down someone with a seemingly weak slap on the eye or temple, because you give momentum to your hand and let it bounce, this shake more the brain than a boxing punch because instead of accelerating the brain violently, you let it get the shockwave and bounce back and forth in the skull. but if you try to hit soft and fast to get a shockwave in the stomach, you will have no results, on this target, you're more efficient using the weight of your arm to go deep in the flesh.
Literal years of Tai Chi and you finally explain Fa Jing in a way I can understand. Thank you.
Sort of. There are factors he doesn't know about, such as that the force goes from the abdominal area (Dantien) to the ground and bounces back up to the hand. You should join the 6H group on Facebook for some better explanations.
@@IThinkSoBrain I have found explanations that make sense to me since then. But I am still interested in 6H. Thank you. I do love practicing.
Kyle, these videos alone got me subbed a while ago. So glad to see the content staying as awesome as always. Thanks for this awesome series
Always glad to make interesting stuff, thanks Ranch! -- KH
Plz do "Can you actually swim in Gold Coins?" from Duck Tales
THIS
IS
LaG SpIKe fucking. No. You. Can't.
aaahahahha, too funny!
Thinking about it now, you could probably swim over them quite effectively, since there would be relatively little friction between you and the coins you are lying upon (and between the coins themselves), and because the mass of the coins that you cup in your hands supplies a good amount of inertia, i.e. something you can push against to propel forwards.
The answer seems obvious but who knows...... BECAUSE SCIENCE
Your wikia page says you are 6' 6" and 640 lbs. I wouldn't call you a small guy either (4:50).
Citation: marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Thor_Odinson_(Earth-616)
The camera subtracts 490lbs, apparently. -- KH
Nerdist I lol'd way too freaking hard at this. He's right though. Where's your hammer brah?
150lbs is actually Donald Blake's(Thor's alter ego) weight according to the wikia. Quite fitting.
This was an intersting/fun video. I can't totally agree with the theory about part of the punch's effectiveness being credited to the person's reputation, because Bruce Lee didn't have a reputation in the martial arts world at the time. That tournament was his introduction.
100% agree, the actual demonstration was before he was the super famous guy. Not to mention the clip from the movie is dramatrized the real one knocked the guy down but it didn't sending him flying through the air
@@DrTXBooks it’s bullshit
@@omgitsjoetime that's your opinion
@@DrTXBooks tbh the one inch punch is more of a push lol. Although it is a good demonstration of the concept you want to understand so its still cool
@@bigmanbarry2299 fair point
Bruce Lee goes over all this in his book "the TAO of Jeet Kun Do" but I never knew why he said an effective punch should be stopped a few inches behind your target until now. . . Thanks Because Science!
I know this one is sponsored, but thank you for doing a non-sci-fi episodes!
Haha I took Tae Kwon Do for years as a kid but obviously my form has suffered in the interim -- KH
So is this the same principle behind that scene in Kill Bill when she punches her way out of the coffin after being buried alive? Also would it be possible to punch your way out of a coffin as shown in that film?
duddernator It might be possible, considering the burial was recent enough that she'd have enough strength (not to mention her character had a ton of willpower) and the dirt was loose enough that she could pry her way out. That said, how she made it out without all that loose dirt essentially falling in like an hourglass and choking her out is beyond me.
Jake Stoneking I can't remember if it was this channel or another, but there's a video that shows that you can escape from a coffin if you cover your mouth. it won't suffocate you if the opening isn't directly over your face.
Ronnie Lockett Considering Tarantino decided to cut just after she made an opening to where she emerged from the ground, I'd guess that anything was possible within the interim. That said, it does seem like an entirely possible solution to a rather improbable problem.
Myth busters did an episode on that way back, they buried a professional boxer I think, but it was not possible to punch out
If it was a really shitty coffin. The punch uses the whole body like any good punch should, and Uma didn't have the positioning to really do that. So she would have needed to be really strong or really really really fast.
Bruce lee was soo fast that the cameras couldn't catch his punches, so he had to slow down
Been practicing Wing Chun for 20 years. A couple of things. One, the one inch punch, when done with the fingers fully extended is called the 3 inch punch. With the one inch punch you hold your hand very much like a gorilla when it walks. With your second knuckles pointing at your opponant. Two, applied without experience, the one inch punch will not send people flying as Bruce Lee does in the film. However a huge requirement to use the one inch punch is a keen understanding of a persons center of gravity. Placed properly the one inch punch will knock them back so hard that the opponants feet come off the ground. If a big dude did this he might be able to send you back a foot or two. For regular sized people your opponant will stumble backwards quickly and comically or they'll fall to the ground very fast.
four, the one inch punch originates in the Wing Chun discipline. Wing Chun utilizes multiple vectors of force to multiply the impact. To properly do the one inch punch your arm must be slightly bent and your body dropped. Like a coiled spring. You "burst" your body towards your opponant and extend your arm to complete the punch slightly after you "burst" forward. This greatly effects the power of the 1 inch punch. I've never knocked someone like they do in hollywood but I've sent friends and sparring partners 6-10 feet back several times. They don't go flying but they sort of stumble backwards very quickly.
Finally, a lesser seen use of the one inch punch; If you do the one inch with a slight arc and apply downward force you will break their structure and drop them straight to their ass. With enough force to break their tailbone if they happen to be on a hard surface. (I use it to put my friends in their chair sometimes)
Extra note, in Wing Chun the one inch punch is a basic concept that is to be applied to all strikes. This isn't well known because few students gain the proficiency needed to go beyond using the one inch punch as a gimmick. Again it's multiple vectors of force at work here. Just imagine that you throw a relaxed punch but 3 quarters of the way through you flex and finish that punch like you mean it. I was told the multiple vectors double the impact force but I don't know if that's literally true. I can tell you it hurts your back when you get hit like that. Even if you're hit from the front. Literally had my back cracked from one of these punches. Which is startling to say the least.
Another fellow martial artist.
These comments are great!!
@@samueleuresti3 Thank you. I'm obsessed and I got my son obsessed. In fact he's doing better than I was at his age! What do you practice?
@@Silhouex My roots are in Tae Kwon Do, self defense, not the light competitive stuff.
...over 25 years. After 8 years, I added Long Fist, Eagle Claw Fungfu, for fluidity.
My TKD Master incorporates Up Kiro for ground technique. Most people train in BJJ, but I prefer Up Kiro because it encourages you to get back on your feet, and look out for multiple attackers.
I was a bouncer at a local bar, while going to college. Later, I became an officer for 4 years.
So, I know, first hand that these techniques can save one's life.
My TKD teacher is Johnny Gonzales, 9th Degree Don and Master. He is also the successor to the Grand Master of the Tanaka Clan, from Japan.
Sorry, if that got long winded; I am very proud of my teacher.
What is your story?
@@samueleuresti3 Fantastic, My roots are in Wing Chun, 21 years, no competitions to speak of but I added Aikido about 10 years ago. I'm not overly competitive but I'm developing some forms so you can take down an assailant without going to jail. Basically, Wing chun into Aikido throw and lock.
@@samueleuresti3 I didn't see all this while I was typing. My story feels rather short. One moment while I read this. ^^^
I hope they recut that movie.
Shannon Lee (Bruce's daughter) wasn't too happy when it first came out during film festivals. Not to mention it was made without the permission of the Lee family :P
You don't need a family's permission to make a film about someone who is not alive. They can be upset all they want, but they can't do a thing about it other than feel upset.
permission from the family before start making the film? no, they dont need it.
mention the family before release the film? absolutely.
They don't need permission, but it really would have been nice to give them a heads up. In addition, according to the people who knew Bruce (like Shannon) have called it a travesty to Bruce's legacy.
"That is three inches... should we tell someone?" 1:27 LOL Awesome video!
Even at three inches, the effect should be the same! The person SHOULD NOT MOVE, but double over from the concentrated energy released inside the body!
Isn't that what SHE said?
Gary Ma that’s what she said
Imagine if the flash knew how to do this
He does
@@ohdangerbro is that how his infinite mass Punch
Flash has something better
He should have but the comic need to nerf his power or else his attack will punch pierce through all of his opponent body.
You're welcome! You finally got my name right at the end of a show 😂
The punch in the movie clips is the 3 inch punch. Bruce Lee's 1 inch power punch starts with the hand in a very loose fist, tilted down. Index finger extends slightly to just touch the target.
It starts at your back foot and travels through your body.
^^This
Bruce Lee is:
One-Inch Punch Man!
ONE PUN
ch
you also use the floor. A proper punch drives off the back foot from the ground, creating less "crumple"
Yes but in this case the way the punch is thrown the floor does not apply as much its more torso and using the links as Kyle states.
I just watched Shane at FightTips explain the concept of kinematic chains when throwing different punches. Even though Kyle's not an MMA fighter like Shane, I thought he explained everything pretty well. Good video!
Yep, i was wondering just about this! Thank you Kyle for a clear and concise explanation!
Short power (where the one inch punch comes from) is really for close-distance fighting. For instance, if you have to fight in an enclosed area, or if your opponent tries to lock you up. Short power is the foundation of Wing-Chun.
Great analysis and I really enjoy these videos. I learn, I laugh and I leave with a greater understanding of the intersection of physics and fantasy.
I wanted to add a few important aspects of Bruce's technique.
1. He would angle his fist to depress the solar plexus, often shocking and knocking the wind out of his volunteer.
2. The volunteer would often not be in a braced stance. Where Bruce would use a stronger more braced line to align his kinematic chain he could use ground leverage to generate force from his legs through his torso and out his arm. This is an opposing force as a direct result of his connection to the ground and alignment of this equal and opposite reaction of his leg pushin off the ground to accelerate the punch. HIs opponent being in an open or unbraced position combined with the strike to the nerve plexus is taken off his feet and pushed back. No need to sell it. A center line strike above your center of balance sends you tumbling back and the solar plexus shot leaves you gasping for air.
3. The relaxation of antagonistic muscles. A well practiced martial artist can train the muscles that resist the action to relax. The muscles used for the opposing direction of movement can slow and bind the kinematic chain, where as an expert can release this tension and allow for a more efficient acceleration. This is often referred to as chi.
I agree chi isn't mystical, however, when one considers that the mind generates thought and thought creates electric nerve stimulation of the muscles and kinetic energy results from chemical energy derived from food that stored the suns energy in starches, and proteins, you then realize that thought brings about force, the fire of your will directs mass into motion. This rather everyday and mundane occurrence is actually rather amazing. Inner chi is energy directed by thought.
"Kinetic Linking is what scientist calls Kinematic Chains"
*Yeah sounds like the same to me*
I learned more about kinematics in this vid than i did in one semester
I think the punch is over way faster than my internet buffering on youtube video
There are two other physics points and one "mystical" that you didn't covered.
The one inch punch specialists get more velocity by keeping his arm and hand relaxed until the last moment before hitting the target. A relaxed arm get more velocity then a tensioned one, and also the effect of tensioning the muscles just before the impact increases the damage. For those who had been hitted by this movement knows that it looks like an inflated ball turning to a steel ball inside your chest.
The mystical point is the training of the Chi, where these guys learn how to do amazing things with their muscles and breath, including really quick muscles tensioning, which improves much more the effect over the target. I'm sure a well trained person could cause heart attack, broke the bones and cause really dangerous internal damage.
You were going so well until you mentioned chi
Learnt this through doing forms.
@@adami2140 what I did wrong?
@@adami2140 Answer him canner!
@@Hellgazer The chi component does not exist. Well at least not in the one inch punch which comes from Yip man's Hong Kong wing chun where Bruce learnt it.
4:18 I'd argue that every ideally thrown punch would have the same shortest time of impact. Lead up time has nothing to do with the time of impact, thus a one-inch punch shouldn't be anymore powerful in this respect than any other punch, properly thrown.
Sangtrone thank you, that part of the explanation was bugging me. Ideally 100% of the punch energy would transfer to the target and any effort by the attacker to stop the punch quickly just takes force away from the hit.
Well ideally the point of impact would be near the limit of your arm's range of motion. You don't hold back, you just run out of "rope" so to speak. This is why boxers can just lean back to avoid a punch, because most punches are coming from the extremity of their opponent's reach. The energy transfer needs to be a quick shock, not a long push.
Your are right that the "one inch punch" is no more powerful than any other punch, it is the least powerful. In fact it is just means of demonstrating that you don't need to wind up a punch in order for it to hit hard. But the time of impact concept he talks about is wrong. Bruce Lee, like most other trained fighters was trained to "punch through the opponent" which maximizes time of impact. Watch any video of him doing the one inch punch, and you will notice the fist travels an inch to reach the target, but his body and continues traveling forward after landing the punch. His fist sometimes traveling the length of is forearm.
Jeffrey Hayes - That is why his opponent gets thrown back so far. His fist starts a inch away from his oppenent but once it touches his opponent he is then effectively pushing his opponent very hard until his arm is stretched out. Push someone hard enough and they get thrown back, Bruce Lee just does it with one hand is all.
Exactly, perfect way to sum it up.
Great video. Love the science. However, don’t rule out the Mass so easily. If the only part of my body moving is my arm then I only hit with the mass of my arm. However if my entire body is moving with the punch I hit with the entire mass if my body which is 10 times that of my arm. To do this effectively requires the proper alignment of the bones from knuckles to shoulder to maximize force from the mass without absorption of some of the force in the arm. Think of it as alignment of force vectors. Agreed velocity is critical but, 10x you multiplying mass and presto. Massive force in a short time over one inch.
Weak
Tai chi and many other arts are predicated on moving that way.
Thanks for the videos! Keep them coming!
I just watched this and wish I had been watching the channel when it came out. Oh well, here I go (winging it). Hurrah!
I trained in Kung-Fu for 5 years, specifically Hung-Gar (or Hungga, depending who you talk to), and got some rundowns on our outlook of the "one inch" punch. For us, it was not really about practical application, but an exercise and demonstration of technique, because this punch is all technique.
Here are some physics elements I don' think were covered.
Counter-Forces:
-One of the biggest missing elements is from Newton's third law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When you strike an object, some of that energy gets returned down the arm. This is not always the same. Consider the trick for crushing a can on your forehead. If you crush it beforehand, the can absorbs more of the energy of the collision and crumples. Whereas if you leave it intact the can may not crush and you can find yourself with a ring of hurt on your forehead.
When my sifu (teacher) would talk about this, he usually talked about "rooting". The analogy was to try to solid like a tree at critical moments.
-One way you can do this by subtly sinking your body weight, redirecting the counter-force downward into the ground (with carefully considered positioning to maximize this).
-You can also introduce counter-forces, specifically you can turn your body slightly and quickly do a quick and well timed counter-thrust with your other arm (like a small elbow strike in the opposite direction). You could potentially also move one of your legs in the opposite direction, but this would probably be a contrary movement to sinking your center of mass.
Stealing Torque:
- You can engage your shoulders to add their speed to the fist, but also to get some of your should-related muscles adding to the strike.
- Sinking your body can also allow you to hijack some of that downward force (gravity) into the strike. This is primarily relevant because the strike occurs below the shoulder. This can be applied more directly if the strike is angled more downwards, closer to the body (steeper angle from the shoulder), etc. However, too much of those would give you some unwanted tradeoffs.
Energy Transference:
- Most of these things involve energy being transferred about via those kinematic chains you were referring to. But in practical applications this is complicated by biology, such as the particulars of bone, muscle, fat, tendon (etc) position, composition, mass, etc. These are the sort of things that aren't well suited for my post here, but would be relevant.
Other Things:
- You notice that you start out with your fingers extended, and then punch from there. This is good for consistency when practicing. It's also good for show, because if you measure from knuckles to target, these are really more like 4-5 inch punch (as you mentioned), which sounds less impressive and is less catchy.
More relevant, the shrinking of the overall size from open to closed takes the energy and puts it into a smaller area, increasing velocity.
- You can also get some snappiness by keeping all your relevant muscles in a relaxed state, then triggering their contraction only when they are needed. So, during the milliseconds of travel in this case, you start in a state of relaxation, then the relevant muscles to begin your movement engage as appropriate, coming into maximum tension at the moment of impact. This grants you additional speed because your muscle system is a bunch os muscles and counter-muscles stretching and contracting, and tense muscles are more resistant to stretching. And ultimately what this is doing is trying to minimize the resistance to stretching of any counter-muscles to the ones you are looking to activate.
In an actual fight, this is a way to minimize effort, energy, and strain to grant greater overall longevity. Relaxed muscles are also less prone to injury.
- I am pretty sure there are a ton of subtle things I am forgetting. Sorry.
Wrap up:
The "one inch" punch is a great demonstration of techniques. Each contributing element does little on its own to a solid one inch punch, but when all minor elements are stacked on top of each other they can suddenly be quite relevant.
Probably the most import use of a one inch punch is to teach you how to throw regular punches, or to improve your other techniques in general.
Thanks again for the videos!
PS: You, Randall Monroe, and Andy Weir should hang out.
PSPS: I would love to be there too... please. :-)
Yeah, he really didn't cover rooting at all. It's not just about speed, but essentially leverage. The relaxed person has a resistance compared to someone who is standing their ground as well. When I used to walk in a relaxed state my friends could easily push me off course with a nudge. If that nudge had come from a rooted Bruce Lee I don't doubt I'd have gone flying even if I didn't know he was there. Because there would be no resistance.
Further, if his students had resisted that punch could have hurt quite a bit. Replicating it in my room with my brother taught me that. It's not a matter of selling it, just not fighting it. Which is oddly, safer.
I think I might be a martial arts master, because I just one inch punched my wrist and accidentally sent my phone spiraling into the floor
The other thing we often used when I was taking martial arts classes was "small circle energy". The idea that you can increase the amount of force you generate in a shorter distance by making a sort of corkscrew with your strike. i.e. Having your palm up at your hip, and then turning it over into a punch as it shoots out. Of doen with proper speed, you can snap it out and get an above average punch in a below average amount of space. Combine that with the kinetic links bit, and you can do an okay version of the OIP.
I can tell by the way you punched that Styrofoam you've never studied martial arts
Michael Hansen nerd 🤓
@@redknockz454 okay
Is your comment supposed to mean something to me?
@@michaelhansen2818 no
I have a question that might make a good "because science" video. How cold does mr. Freezes gun have to be to be able to freeze people in a matter of seconds
Watch the mei video by shoddycast, just search mei shoddycast.
MONDO GECKO already done
MONDO GECKO considering liquid hydrogen already does that you really don't need an entire video to find the answer
How fast did Superman needed to go to change Earth's rotation and travel to past?
superman did jot change the earth's roatation. He travelled so fast that you see him travel back through time thus you see the earth rotate backwards.
Infinitely fast!!! ...and then +1.
What Von Audije said. Theoretically according to relativity and time dilation if it were possible to travel faster than the speed of light you would indeed travel backwards in time. That's what Superman did, and how Flash did it in 'Flashpoint Paradox". Even if he were to fly with the earths rotation it still would have worked and you would see the earth spin the other direction. So the real question is if superman can fly faster than the speed of light and turn back time, than why couldn't he catch the missile before it hit?
How fast did superman need to go to change the Earth's rotation and travel to the past*
Any speed faster than the speed of light basically. So anything faster than 186000 miles per second. (Or 299338 km/sec.)
Not only bruce was an amazing fighter but he was also a physics nerd.
What a legend!
Fighter?
@@gangstaman2069he was a fighter. What do you think he was?
@@adamridhatullah6381 who he fought? He is known for movies since he was a child.Can you provide some details about his fighting?
Basically it's what I said as a kid when my friends and I talked about this. He's putting his weight behind the punch instead of using arm strength alone. You see it all the time in recreations of the famous move, and to the same degree when martial artists are displaying technique. By throwing your weight behind the punch you can hit harder than you normally could. It takes discipline and training to do it effectively though. Throw yourself into too much and you lose your balance. Or you leave yourself open to a counter attack. What I'd like to see is the factor by which an asteroid's impact increases depending on whether it's broadside shot, hitting the earth on either side or from the rear, compared to a head on collision. Both objects racing towards each other.
Kyle: "that was more then one inch" That's what she said. Also, great video!
6:35
no problem
how did Kyle not get casted for Bruce in Birth of the Dragon? solid impression
Reverse white-washing
It isn't "Bruce Lee's" One-Inch Punch. It's Wing Chun"s One-Inch Punch.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
foot position, hip rotation, core engagement, shoulder twist, body harmony are all more consequential to the effectiveness of a punch (especially the 1-inch punch) than what your arms are doing.
"That iss three inches, should we tell someone
This episode was freaking awesome!!! Love watching this
Most iconic martial arts move. ..
Skorpion "get over here"
Bruce Lee's 1 inch punch wasn't only physical, he used his chi, so good luck trying to explain it succesfully using "science"
Also can be explained, this kind of "mindset" can create great muscular connection, in fact of you're getting pushed away by 2 dudes you get push to the floor, but if you concentrate in your chi or your balance center, now you don't get so easily pushed out to the floor.
The force comes from the movement of the elbow, when you shrink it and then expand it as a Whip without moving the shoulders Forward , thats why you could not make the movement = ) ,but acquiring that strength requires thousands and thousands of chain fist bump . Amazing Explanation thank you bro
Its not only from his elbow, its from his entire body.
I was just studying up on DK Yoo, perfect timing. It's in the hips baby
Hi Kyle, I love your videos and how you break down fantasy scifi topics (the same ones I grew up with) and map them back to real science. In this case however, I have to say that as a martial artist with some experience practicing Bruce Lee's mother art (Wing Chun), I don't think you've captured the essence of what makes the one inch punch work. For instance, I agree speed is a component, but I wouldn't consider it a primary component.
IME, the primary components of what makes the one inch punch work are
1) mass - you're not really punching with the mass of the fist, but rather the mass of the body. It's not just the fist moving one inch, it's the entire body, moving as one unit. Obviously mass(body) >> mass(fist), and the more of the body you can link together in the kinetic chain, the greater the momemtum
2) structural support - it's important that the reaction force of the punch doesn't "bleed" out through the joints but is instead channeled to the ground and that kinetic chain is rigid at the time of impact. This is the difference between walking into punching dummy that will have some give and walking into a metal support pole, which will not.
3) non-telegraphic - because of the relatively small amount of movement (1 inch) and small amount of time, the opponent doesn't see it coming doesn't have time to brace for the impact. Therefore it tends to catch people off guard and increases the effectiveness of the punch
4) attacking the balance - when you see people falling away as a result of the one inch punch, it isn't because the momentum is so great that it launches a 160 lb man 20 feet away. Rather it's a result of attacking the center of balance quickly and unexpectedly (see point 3) such that the COG is pushed pass the base of support and the opponent's brain has not had time to adjust. That's why so people stumble a few steps back and "fall" onto a chair. (the chair, in fact is a trick that gets in the way of the person catching his balance, like being tripped from behind)
All that said, there are variations of the "one inch punch" that more more complex and more subtle than Bruce Lee's technique that I've described. There is a more general concept in multiple martial arts styles called "inch power," which is the ability to express a very large amount of force in a very small amount of space, of which the one inch punch that Bruce Lee demonstrated is just an application of. And it's not even the most effective application of it.
Hope that was interesting. I continue to be a fan of yours regardless!
Alan Ngai nicely said!!!!!
mass + grounding(rooting) + linkage + speed = once inch punch
I’ve done the one inch punch on someone and I’ve had it done to me and it felt like are heart skipped a beat
My Sifu demonstrates it every open house to the new students and it always blows their mind (and hurts my chest, I'm the demo dummy). Gotta love it.
Today i will demonstrate how to kill a man in three easy moves,@@ISZAudio , please step forward.
Me: confused how an inch punch works so i search up how it work.
Answer: “math”
At about 3:19, the first equation looks like it says “Wake”; as in for the fighter using the technique WAKES an energy burst of sorts.
I've been a recipient of the One Inch Punch, I assure you all, that it is real.
It's crazy when you finally get it right, it feels like you're punching with your feet.
@@yojishinkawa378 yup!
Me too.
I practiced this with my bro and it did send us flying back quite a bit. We practiced with a bed behind us, but neither expected it to work. the other person has to be relaxed though. We expected to fall, just not to almost hit the wall. It felt less like a punch and more like a massive shove.
@hiro2protagonist
Sounds like you haven’t mastered it yet because a shove is still at a girl level.
@@allowedme It was a one off, something we tried once just for fun. We weren’t looking to master anything. Just play around and have fun like any other irresponsible teenagers.
Birth of the Dragon is a dishonor to the legend that is Bruce Lee.
I'm only concerned with the physics here. The video is not an endorsement or validation. It's merely sponsored. -- KH
care to say why more specifically? i know nothing about the film so explain away
It's not about the physics it's about the travestic portraying of Bruce Lee and the twisting of the events in his life.
RedRacerX The film already debuted last year at the Toronto film festival, not sure why they're re-releasing it again. Just search up Birth of the Dragon 2016 and read up on why people were pissed about it, even Bruce Lee's daughter was pissed.
Actually, I just watched the new trailer for the movie and compared it to the 2016 one. They cut out almost all the white guy's scenes from the trailer (who is supposed to be the main character by the way) to make it more "appealing". It's fucking pathetic.
To sum this all up, the late great martial artist said " PUT YOUR HIP INTO IT!"
I'm so sleep deprived, you can't just first name me suddenly bro
There's a one inch Asian joke in there somewhere
You're welcome. Thanks for the awesome content
This series 🔥
The last Goon +
It's very interesting that this applies in electronics also. For example, in a car's ignition system. The quicker that you shut off the power to the primary coil, the more powerful spark you get in the secondary coil.
You forgot the point where the target received the hit is center of the mass. If he hit the shoulder, the target wouldn't be pushed away.
Also, the force came from spinning your waist using leg as pivot, into your shoulder and then fist. So i don't know how that works with the physic though.
Thats what the "Kiniematic Chains" he refered to are. Linking kinematic energy from the ground, leg, torso, shoulder, arm.
I just realized you have to write backwards in every video i feel bad for you
MegaMasher5058 what? Implying he has to write anything or that you can't mirror a video
There's actual footage of various one inch punches and people don't fly across the room.
i was wondering if you were going to address that one inch measurement
Gary Hall I'm just glad my GF doesn't watch this. I'd have some explaining to do.
CNN Blackmail Support ooooh savage?!?
Gary Hall lol when he was like " that's three inches...should we tell somebody?"😂
What was being demonstrated is actually a "Three-Inch Punch", starting from the fingertips to the collision of the fist. The "One-Inch Punch" starts from the first knuckle (index finger) before the actual fist (the other three fingers) collides.
So. We learned that punch from a Master and I'd say i was decent, but when the master came around and i should hold the punch thing (Bratze in german), I am a pretty big guy with 120kg, and he hit me with "his best shot" he got me to tumble 3 steps backward. That was MADNESS.
He forgot about impact zones. Initial impact happens specifically on the first two knuckles and spreads from there. Also Bruce Lee had insanely large Lattisimus Dorci muscles which lent to his explosive power. Furthermore a common practice in martial arts is to punch through the opponent which Lee was extremely effective at. These aspects lend heavily to the iconic punch! Super great video though!
Much of what you said is correct; but its not reputation. I make people fly as much as 20 feet regularly with the 1 inch punch. Where the movie exaggerates is them just flying off their feet. In reality they stumble back a few steps before falling because there forced past their point of balance. Observers don't always notice the steps the first time because their not watching for it.
Then you don't know how to do the punch properly, Eric! The idea is NOT to push the person but to concentrate the energy into a small area in the body where the three knuckles, then two knuckles, make contact with the opponent. He should drop right there from the energy, which is released into the body of the opponent. When you hit the bag, it should not move, but fold in half like you are folding a piece of paper. Anything else is just a push and loses power through the arc.
Again, you're both somewhat off. I've had an original Bruce Lee student (admittedly, showing off) hit me into the air with a one inch punch. By which I mean, my feet literally left the ground, by about a foot. Observers say it was kind of a Wile E Coyote moment-- I hovered in the air for a second or so, then "Oh, yeah, gravity" as I toppled. And for the record, at the time I weighed slightly under 250lbs.
So I have a question. the Eye of a Hurricane is about 20-40 miles in diameter and the Tsar Nuclear bomb had a blast radius of about 40 miles. I'm wondering what would theoretically happen if a 50 megaton bomb or larger was detonated midair about as close to the center of the Eye as possible. would it disrupt the vortex function at all? would it intensify it?
this one kind of calls for an experiment. even though I'm pretty sure the vortex will easily get interrupted by the initial blastdome
But radiation
Bregenor Anthoran this sounds like an absolutely terrible idea. What happens if it doesn't disrupt the Vortex, and instead intensifies it, plus throws all that radiation around through the hurricane and outwards...
Not really anything
I agree. It would probably blast the storm apart. But what about the radiation? If you had a regular bomb that powerful it might work.
The woman did it wrong she pitted her fist back and then punched you’re supposed to punch from one inch not take your arm back insert force and punch it🤦🏽♂️
The Avenging Darkness ikr
6:28 that's what she said. Too good couldn't help it
It's really important to know how to manipulate or control your tension in the body when doing sports etc
Who else tried to one inch puch stuff after you watched the episode?
Nah, Buddha's palm shockwave more effective
@@FrarmerFrank anything is more effective than play moves
"That was more than 1 inch"
theres a channel on youtube at the moment thats uploading all the old bruce lee lost footage from movies and him practicing and showing off and stuff. in that you can see its even faster than what movies can fake these days. insane
*"in that you can see its even faster than what movies can fake these days. insane"*
The insane thing is how stupid that statement is.
Yes he is fast, but you can 'fake' any speed you want. The thing is that he was just too fast for the slow cameras sued to film him (either 25 or 30 frames a second).
bob ert I remember that at his peak, it's said that directors actually had to slow down film so the audience could actually see the moves he was using; otherwise it was just a big blur. Pretty epic stuff, huh? 😆
He is actually really fast, but cameras at that time were really slow as well, further multiplying his apparent speed.
bob ert Mindsmash?
Nothing special. Anyone who knows anything about fight choreography & film know that actors are ALWAYS asked to slow down their moves. It's common practice, and has nothing to due with hallucinated super-speed
i allways thought that the one inch punch was more of a push than an actual punch because i thought he was merely pushing the opponent back with a good amount of force to knock an opponent down
Reminds me of the trebuchet. It doesn't use elastic deformation but manages to turn potential energy into kinetic energy with surprising efficiency.