Fencing . ll be seen that his whole body from the right foot to theleft fist forms a long low arch, or rather the half of an arch inwhich there is no weak point. Take a heavy weight, a sack ora human body, and precipitate it or lean it against the front endof this semi-arch. It will be found to have absolutely no effectin destroying its strength of resistance. Nay, the very force withwhich you press against it makes its resistance more the arch itself, consisting as it does of a bow-shapedcurve, may be made stronger and stronger against any attack bylowering the central and stro
Fencing . ll be seen that his whole body from the right foot to theleft fist forms a long low arch, or rather the half of an arch inwhich there is no weak point. Take a heavy weight, a sack ora human body, and precipitate it or lean it against the front endof this semi-arch. It will be found to have absolutely no effectin destroying its strength of resistance. Nay, the very force withwhich you press against it makes its resistance more the arch itself, consisting as it does of a bow-shapedcurve, may be made stronger and stronger against any attack bylowering the central and strongest part, consisting of the humanbody, so as to straighten out the curve, and drive the upper end(the fist) further forward. The aspect of a face driven forwardagainst the end of this curve would be a good deal alteredwhen it retreated from the ill-judged impact. In a really goodlead-off, properly timed, and happily executed, the force of theblow is the accumulated product of many different agencies, all. Figure XII.—Double lead-off with the right THE ART OF BOXING 159 directed with the most telling effect against the unluckyrecipient. The primary impulse comes, of course, from theright foot, pressing the ground. It is transmitted with accumu-lating force along the calf and thigh of the right leg, augmentedby the natural weight of the whole body thrown forward, andcarried on by the arm, which, extended in a rigid line from thebig muscles of the back and shoulder-blade to the knucklesresembles a long bar of bone. Bring this formidable bar intocontact with a fixed mass of inert material, such as a huge sackstanding on its end, or a big box, or wall of thin wood, and youwill soon see what a sharp and damaging impression is to use this hit to perfection extreme skill and judgmentare required. The most usual mistake is made by deliveringthe blow when the arm is not yet straight, and when it loses itschief virtue, as a weak point is then interposed between theground
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