How do we strike with force and power?

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The teachings of modern karate and martial arts often answer this question with statements like, “Use the anal lock, grip the floor and tilt the pelvis, etc.” Where this fails is when no additional instruction is provided to explain all this and in this instance I find none of these are appropriate to the question asked. 

Other aspects are, “Do we do anything in particular with our stomach muscles, do we tense, draw the navel in, reverse breath, etc.?” All these questions and responses are about striking with force and power in a self-defense situation. So, lets take a look at these while we present a more appropriate answer to the original question.

First, all the described processes are not what create force and power in striking or in any other method of applying said power and force. They do provide training tools to achieve the ability to “Enhance” those principles that generate power and force when using all the appropriate methodologies, i.e., “actual tactics and attack methodologies of impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression, etc. are best for stopping a threat, etc.”

I would suggest that when a student starts to ask these more atomistic oriented questions that they have not been exposed to the fundamental principles of martial disciplines for self-defense. They would know if they received the instruction that power and force come from mass and movement while other principles/sub-principles when applied efficiently help deliver the most bang for the buck with some of these aspects described provide more of an force and power enhancement, i.e., each incrementally increase the generation of force and power above the limits set in physics involving mass and movement and speed, etc. 

Take a look at the principle of physiokinetics, i.e., “Breathing, posture, triangle guard, centerline, primary gate, spinal alignment, axis, minor axis, structure, heaviness, relaxation, wave energy, convergence, centeredness, triangulation point, the dynamic sphere, body-mind, void, centripetal force, centrifugal force, sequential locking and sequential relaxation, peripheral vision, tactile sensitivity, rooting, attack hubs, attack posture, possibly the chemical cocktail, Multiple Methodologies [actual tactics and attack methodologies of impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression, etc. are best for stopping a threat]”

These sub-principles of physiokinetics can either create and/or add force and power or they can bleed off power and force. This is what makes this most difficult and at the same time critically important, to teach and train and practice and apply principles holistically to the situation in order to achieve maximum power and force in accordance with appropriate levels of force, etc., for self-defense. 

The other principles of “Theory, Technique(s), and Philosophy” still hold great value toward a balance in martial arts and karate but for this question physiokinetics builds the answer. 

In lieu of a focus on such specifics as the anal lock or the pelvis tile, focus on the principles and their sub-principles as those transcend styles and systems to a common and foundational basic fundamental of all combative models. 

p.s. The most excellent book on the subject of hitting and getting hit with power and force is the eBook by Marc MacYoung titled, “Writing Violence III: Getting Hit and Hitting.” http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Violence-III-Getting-Hitting-ebook/dp/B00WG5XXO2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451946707&sr=8-1&keywords=hitting+and+getting+hit

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