[randyng]

The feel of a release depends on the pattern/hinge.


hold your left arm out in front of you, thumb up/back of the left hand to your target, at shoulder high.

A horizontal hinge motion feels like a 90 turn back, 180 degree roll through.

Lots of turn/roll feel. Sequenced release. Let the palm turn down and then make a karate chop on plane and then let it roll.

An angled hinge motion feels like no roll at all. On this plane, think frisbee throw.


Now take those same feels to the angled plane.

that horizontal hinge turn/roll 'feel' - is actually keeping the left wrist vertical to the ground (relative to the left shoulder and the ground).

the left shoulder is the hinge on the door. The straightening right arm controls how it shuts.

so on the 'tilted roof' plane, by turning and rolling, your left wrist is staying vertical - like it was in the frisbee toss feel on the horizontal plane -

That might be confusing to some, but remember, the left wrist is either vertical to the ground, or vertical to the angled plane

In a nutshell - if you are swinging, feel that 'door' open and slam it shut.

if you are hitting - feel that frisbee throw on the tilted roof

That's exactly what my instructor was telling me this weekend. What I felt was my "release" was actually swinging with an angled hinge aka trying to steer it a bit. After working on horizontal hinging (especially the rolling of the forearms), that lack of feeling I thought was good release was actually me performing a horizontal hinge correctly!