*SMASH!* – This is where a punch ends, but where does it actually start? From the shoulders? The hips? The legs? Or none of them? In today's video, I'm speaking
to Doctor Lucio Maurino, biomechanics expert and
World Karate Champion. "KIAI!" And he's going to reveal exactly
where a punch has to come from and how to do it well. Check it out. – We can say that everything
starts from our T spine. Because this movement allows you to connect all the joints, pushing down the force.
The ground force reacts to your body and you can perform. Always maintaining this
joint-by-joint approach. Because we have some parts that are movers and some parts that are stabilizer. – [Jesse] Yes. – [Maurino] …of the movement. – [Jesse] Hmm… – Our T spine is important
because it's correlated to the activation of the scapula. So imagine, scapula. – Yeah. – Lumbar spine and the base of the neck make like the activation, so they are designed to be stable. – Yeah. – To let the T spine move and gives energy on the ground. – So, let's say somebody
has a really stiff and constricted T spine. – [Maurino] Yeah. – That would limit their
ability to generate and deliver power. – Yes. – How can we somehow open
up and mobilize the T spine? Do you have any quick, simply exercise that people could learn? – Of course. – Yeah. – Two simple exercises. You go down
– Yes. – this way. – Okay. – And from here, you try
to feel, for example, the expansion during the inhalation, expansion of belly, and then the expansion of the chest. Then, you breathe out, you exhale, and you go down first with the belly. (loud inhale) And then, down with the chest.
(loud exhale) So, looking at you, through your belly, towards your belly.
(laughs) What do you feel when you go down? – I almost have little cramp. – Yeah. – In my T spine, actually. – Yeah. It means that maybe your
diaphragm needs more of this work to make your
tissues of the diaphragm more flexible. Next, the other one, very simple, is to go laterally this way. – Okay. – And maintaining this hand on the ribs and this one locking
the knees in this way. Then, from here, you breathing and you turn outside. Okay.
– Oh! Did you hear that?
– Okay. – My spine is cracking. – Yes, yes, it means that you
are decompressing the joints. Then, you exhale and you
relax in this position. (loud exhale) We gotta learn to move from tension to extension.
– Mm. Okay.
– So, that's why when you have some issues, don't think about to stretch, especially if you are stiff.
– [Jesse] Mhm. – But think about to tense and extend. – Does this concept also apply to somebody who wants to do a punch? – Yes, same concept. Don't think about to
contract to push something. – No. – But think about simply
to extend completely. – Mm. – Your arm and activating your scapula. Thinking that your punch
goes 10 meters more than the limit you arrive, so extension.
– Mm. – Not contraction. But to extend well, you gotta have control of the stabilizer. – [Jesse] Yes. – [Maurino] That gives
the possibility to you to activate the mobilizer of the movement. – That was an amazing explanation. – And always congratulations
for your work, it is always amazing. – Thank you so much, you're too kind. Hope you guys enjoyed that..
