What has the potential to hit harder, punches or kicks?

“	Same principles and physics but totally different components and linkage in usage. Kicks do not have the added energy generated via upper back, shoulders and arms, whereas punches utilise the whole leg/hip unit.	”

You aren't kicking correctly... well you may be kicking correctly as far as the way in which your style teaches you to kick, but there is a much more principally based method that will produce more power.

“	Been thinking about this one. Surely whether a punch or kick can generate more power would depend a lot on the target and position of your opponent while striking.	”

Dough, while I agree with you 100% I think you are adding variables that were not supposed to be included in the initial assessment. I think the initial question was concerned with all variables being equal, which one has the potential to deliver more power?

“	but if I stomp kick his knee, then it will break quite easily.	”

Hhhmmmm.... It may very well break, but I don't know about the "quite easily" part...

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Rock On!
Cam
"Raise up your mind....."

True, knees, noses, jaws, arms...they arent as easy to break as portrayed in the movies. I've been kicked alot in the knee area, both in sparring, and sloppy attempts in the few "real" fights I have been in...and--knock on wood--no break yet! However, that aside...a kick IS probably more powerful than punch, IF the person kicking is trained to throw a good kick. I actually think someone like, say, Butterbean could punch harder than he could kick. Same goes with Tank Abbot. Across the board, though, yeah, a kick is more powerful.

-Wu to the Sung

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Man for Sale: House-broken, current vaccinations, almost never humps your leg.

Hmmm. But which hurts more?

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If the problem has a solution, worrying is pointless, in the end the problem will be solved. If the problem has no solution, there is no reason to worry, because it can't be solved.

The one that has the most power will hurt the less... depending on target area.
You don't feel the ones that KO you...

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Rock On!
Cam
"Raise up your mind....."

True...

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If the problem has a solution, worrying is pointless, in the end the problem will be solved. If the problem has no solution, there is no reason to worry, because it can't be solved.

“	Hhhmmmm.... It may very well break, but I don't know about the "quite easily" part...	”

easy when compared to punching it in the same scenario.

“	both in sparring, and sloppy attempts in the few "real" fights I have been in...and--knock on wood--no break yet!	”

I mean a stomp kick, not a regular kick ( which the knee can be quite tough against ) . There's a reason you are not allowed to stomp kick the knee in most ( or all ? ) mma events. Crippled for life anyone ? I do agree though they make it look way too easy in the movies. But if you are in a moment where you leg is straight and someone lands a good stomp through the front of your knee, I really don't see it holding out.

“	You don't feel the ones that KO you...	”

You feel 'em later though. hehehehe.

Also, to clarify. I am not trying to say that to approach someone in a fight and stomp kick their knee is easily done. Breaking a finger is very easy, but getting someone into a fingerlock when they are resisting is not easy. I mean it is easily done when compared to trying to do the same thing with your punch, which is really a point about the relevance of the target area, to define which is more powerful at the time. Like Cam said though, not really the question at hand. All things being equal though we still haven't defined what kind of kick have we ? What part of the foot would contact the target ? The instep, shin, heel, toes ? Is the leg thrusting like in a stomp or side kick, or is it making a circular motion like a Whirlwind kick. They all have different surface areas and angulation which will effect the power of the kick. Or is it not really the impact damage we are talking about, but simply scientifically which generates more Power on the way to the target ? If that is the case, I would say a kick can technically bring more power, but a punch will more often do more damage.

I would also say that since we do more precise/intimate activities ( not even including MA training ) with our hands. We therefore feel more "connected" to our hands. So, at the end of the day, your hands would be more accurate, and as most of us know, the power of a strike has more to do with striking the right place at the right time, than how much vigor you put into it.

“	easy when compared to punching it in the same scenario.	”

Understood.

“	There's a reason you are not allowed to stomp kick the knee in most ( or all ? ) mma events.	”

I don't know of a single MMA event that does not allow that...

“	I would also say that since we do more precise/intimate activities ( not even including MA training ) with our hands. We therefore feel more "connected" to our hands.	”

We also do a lot with our legs, we just don't think about it... We walk, we jog, run, we drive, climb stairs, ride bikes... And because we walk around on our legs all day they are pretty conditioned muscles and are very strong... they are also larger muscles than in the arms. Also, most kicks travel a farther distance than punches which means more velocity.

“	the power of a strike has more to do with striking the right place at the right time,	”

Again, you are introducing variables.

Think of it this way. There is a stationary target in front of you that is wired to a PSI and force measuring meter. You are allowed to throw any strike into it you want to but you have to deliver the most force and PSI. What strike would you throw?

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Rock On!
Cam
"Raise up your mind....."

“	I don't know of a single MMA event that does not allow that...	”

I am mistaken. Sorry.

“	We also do a lot with our legs, we just don't think about it...	”

I am not implying that we do less with our legs. The fact that we don't think about it, is part of why we are mentally more "connected" with our hands. More "connection" means more potential for accuracy to me.

“	Also, most kicks travel a farther distance than punches which means more velocity.	”

This is true. I would say the potential power in a kick is greater, but in most cases the punch, due to it's accuracy and ability to rapid-fire will do more damage more often.

“	Think of it this way. There is a stationary target in front of you that is wired to a PSI and force measuring meter. You are allowed to throw any strike into it you want to but you have to deliver the most force and PSI. What strike would you throw?	”

Based on my preference and abilities, it would most likely be a kick ( perhaps a knee strike or a whirlwind kick ). If I had to bring a punch to compare, it would be my right straight.

“	More "connection" means more potential for accuracy to me.	”

Maybe so... but we aren't talking about accuracy...

“	but in most cases the punch, due to it's accuracy and ability to rapid-fire will do more damage more often.	”

Again, variables that are outside the realm of the equation. The idea of "rapid fire" suggests more than one... which would negate the premise.

“	Based on my preference and abilities, it would most likely be a kick	”

There you go.
As was mentioned earlier, there is a reason cops kick in doors instead of punching them.

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Rock On!
Cam
"Raise up your mind....."

fo sho

“	As was mentioned earlier, there is a reason cops kick in doors instead of punching them.	”

I would love to see a cop punch in a door, though .

simply put

the muscles and the bones in the legs are bigger

end of story

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Aleister Crowley

wierdness

looked at my who posted last on the threads i am involved with

and it said i posted here earlier today

but i didnt

strangeness

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"...any theory that satisfies the facts demands assumptions which are completely absurd."

Aleister Crowley