depth - body in side horse with elbow at ribs and fingers pointing directly forward, vertically
3)
width - in-line with body
ii)
body alignments:
1)
hand:
A)
rotated to be vertical
B)
fingers pointed directly forward
2)
wrist kept straight (not bent up / down and / or side-to-side)
3)
shoulders - relaxed
4)
upper body / hips - side Horse rotation
5)
legs / feet - side Horse rotation
iii)
Point of Contact - tip of fingers of hand
iv)
stance - side Horse
b) proper formation - weapon (hand):
i)
hand - kept flat (not cupped)
ii)
thumb:
1)
pressed tightly against rest of hand (Compact Unit)
2)
bent at top knuckle
3)
not tucked forward onto palm
iii)
fingers:
1)
extended and relatively flat (muscle tension bend allowable on impact)
2)
slightly spread
c) execution:
i)
Method of Execution - Thrusting
ii)
execute directly to target (prevent arching line of travel)
iii)
improper execution
1)
incorrect speeds / methods:
A)
executed too slow (transforms into push with fingers)
B)
executed too fast (stance rotation unable to keep up with strike)
C)
executed too tense (unable to achieve proper 'snap' of strike) (strike looks 'pushed' out)
D)
strike not tensed at Point of Contact (improper timing / never tensed)
2)
incorrect alignments / angles:
A)
incorrect elbow bend:
I)
over bent (strike not horizontal)
II)
too-extended (strike not backed by ribs)
Form Specific
a) Common execution errors:
i)
over extend the elbow, not allowing ribs to back strike
ii)
over bend the elbow, so strike is not executed horizontally
Comments
a) Common formation errors:
i)
allowing the thumb to be separated from the fingers
Example of a proper vertical four-finger poke (right)
Example of proper vertical four-finger poke formation
Example of improper vertical four-finger poke formation
thumb not tucked, thumb over tucked, fingers spread
Examples of improper vertical four-finger poke execution
improper height - high / low, depth - too deep,
improper width - narrow / wide, wrist bent to side, over rotated
