Hikite and the claim of added power
The common claim is that retracting the hand increases punching power. The problem is not that this is impossible in every context - it’s that it is often stated as a universal truth without evidence.
If a claim is mechanical, it should be testable. If it’s training intention, it should be stated as intention, not physics.
In practice, power comes from coordinated movement of the body, not from the isolated action of one limb. The retraction of the hand may contribute to timing or structure, but it does not function as a reliable source of increased force in itself.
The belief persists because explanation is often taken from tradition rather than observation. Once repeated enough, it becomes accepted without being examined.
Explanation should match what the body actually does, not what we wish it did.
When explanation replaces testing, training drifts. Not because the movement is useless, but because the reason for doing it becomes unclear.