Legendary "one inch punch"?

Chen Tai Chi as well as any other style of Tai Chi develops and internal "1 inch punch." There are styles of external arts that develop the 1 inch punch too but I prefere the internal systems for efficiency.

There are several styles of energy used in tai chi but all of them can be trained to be "released" in Fa Ching or explosive power. This type of release is an extremely short distance burst, explosion of force. This skill is developed in any style of tai chi, or any internal martial art for that matter, but Chen Tai Chi really focuses on it.

With Fa Ching explosive force it is easy to break a board with out swinging at it with a conventional punch. Several of the students including myself can break two pine boards with no spacers from only a 1 inch start.

It is a fun skill. Ask your instructor about it.
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Yea, All Chinese Internal styles are for that, and they are harder to learn than from External. Internal is also more for the mature/grown people that have patience (time). It takes a few months to get good at external, it takes years to get good at Internal. Meaning internal is more better in the long run if you know what I'm talking about, check my quote that's what I'm talking about.

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Yes, I have broken boards utilizing the one inch strike but I believe it was 90% physical force plus the remaing 10% of me just "believing" that it could be done.

A one inch punch is 100% physical power. With not much swinging.

As I was instructed the inch strike was exectued using only the arm and shoulders as the physical manifestation of force with no swinging at all just forward motion and focus.