The one-inch punch developed by Bruce Lee is undoubtedly the martial arts legend’s most famous move. As the name suggests, One Inch Fist is a move that allows warriors to attack within a very short distance. What makes it so appealing is that if done right, the attacker can generate enough force to knock the opponent down.
The popularity of Bruce’s one-inch punch dates back to the 1960s, nearly a decade before Bruce became an international martial arts star. Lee famously performed this move during a demonstration at the Long Beach Karate National Championships in 1964, an event that attracted a lot of attention from those in the martial arts community at the time. that point. As Lee’s fame grew, the one-inch fist attracted more interest. Lee popularized it to the point where it is used today by famous martial artists of various kung fu styles, but Lee remains the most famous practitioner of the move.
Where did Bruce Lee’s one-inch punch come from?
Of course, Nhat Chi Quyen was not invented overnight by Li in 1964. It stems not only from his childhood learning but also from the entire Chinese martial arts. Before developing his own kung fu system, Jeet Kune Do, Lee trained with Wing Chun master Wing Chun in the 1950s, using Wing Chun as the foundation of his martial arts experience. The principles behind the Inch Punch are directly rooted in Wing Chun doctrine, as it is a style designed for close combat. By practicing Wing Chun, Li became familiar with short-range combat movements.
James DeMile, a pupil of Bruce Lee in the 1960s, sheds light on the process Bruce used to develop the one-inch punch before his public debut [via City on Fire]According to him, Lee took existing Wing Chun techniques and improved them. Lee thought it would be better if the original motion was used over a shorter distance, so tried to reduce it by experimenting with different poses and angles until they finally found a match. effective combination. DeMile said they secretly trained to perfect the one-inch punch because the actor thought it was “his”.A trump card. “
How strong is Bruce Lee’s one-inch punch?
The effect of the one-inch punch that Lee devised is shown in his martial arts demonstration videos. In one case, Lee was able to demonstrate its power by knocking a person 16 feet back, directly into a chair. The reason Lee achieves these results is because of his perfect stance, the precise angles at which he executes his movements and his speed, important qualities that the actor currently possesses. now famous. Bruce Lee’s speed is a big part of what makes his one-inch punch so powerful, so it’s one of the reasons why so few boxers can effectively replicate it. .