Whipping Drill

The Whipping Drill is the third basic Kuta drill. This drill is of fundamental importance yet it is not easy to understand.

Fig. 1 Basic Triangle		Fig. 2 Start Strike		Fig. 3 End Strike

Fig. 4 Applied Start

1. Fig. 1 shows the striker's torso and shoulders facing the round black target. Lines from the shoulders to the target form a triangle with the striker as the base.
2. Fig. 2 shows the 1st step of the Whipping Drill. The striker's right hand grabs the striker's shirt in front of the striker's left shoulder as shown. The black rectangle represents the hand. From this position the hand whips forward along the left side of the triangle as shown by the arrow.
3. Fig. 3 shows the hand at the end of the movement along the left side of the triangle. The hand has hit straight into the front of the target but the path is from the striker's left shoulder rather than from the striker's right shoulder.

This has two advantages. In terms of the strike, the whipping motion adds speed and power. This is particularly true when the whip is used with the relaxed Kuta Hand. The movement starts from the legs and hips and snaps the arm out like popping a whip. By the time the hand reaches the target it is going very fast.

The second advantage is that this movement builds a parry into the strike. This aspect is not normally discussed but it is of extreme importance. The line in Fig. 2 from the right shoulder to the right hand represents the right arm. As the right hand goes from the left shoulder to the target the right arm sweeps from across the striker's body to the line from the right shoulder to the target as shown in Fig. 3. Any strikes coming in along that line will be reflected by the striking arm keeping the striker safe.

Normally in the whipping drill, one thinks of the strike starting from holding the fabric in front of the left shoulder in Fig. 2. For the purposes of a parry the strike starts in Fig. 1 with the right hand at the striker's right side. As the right hand comes up to the left shoulder it can reflect in coming strikes to the left. That makes the whip a very useful movement that can reflect strikes to either side as needed without adding an extra step to the punch.

Fig. 4 shows a more realistic applied start. As the right hand whips up it does not come back to the shoulder but meets the left side of the triangle somewhere near the middle of the strike. Even though this is not a straight strike it is very fast and powerful because of the whipping action. The strike has a slight circular path as it spirals in. This allows it to reflect incoming strikes to either side as needed without stopping the strike or greatly diminishing its power.

This view is simplified because it does not take into account the movement of the striker's body. When all of that is included the fundamental defensive principle of the whip is obscured. For that reason examining the arm movement alone is important because without understanding what the arms are doing the striker may not have the correct motion.

Movie of Whipping Drill.

Normally the Whipping Drill is done with a wave style punching bag. The bag is not used here for clarity in the pictures.

Basic Triangle

Fig. 5 Triangle		Fig. 6 Grab Shoulder		Fig. 7 Strike

1. Fig. 5 shows the starting triangle.
2. In Fig. 6 the right hand has grabbed the left shoulder.
3. In Fig. 7 the right hand has followed the left arm to the target.

Start At Center

Fig. 8 Start		Fig. 9 Half Way		Fig. 10 Strike

1. Fig. 8 shows the start with the right hand on the chest as if just finishing a left strike.
2. In Fig. 9 the right hand has moved to where the left elbow would be rather than the left shoulder.
3. In Fig. 10 the right hand has hit the target.

Full Body Twist

Fig. 11 Start		Fig. 12 Half Way		Fig. 13 Strike

1. Fig. 11 shows the start with hands at sides.
2. In Fig. 12 the right hand has moved half way forming a wedge protecting the striker. This can be done with or without a forward step.
3. In Fig. 13 the right hand has hit the target.