The debate over which is more important in combat, the speed of the foot or fist or the power of the muscle moving it, is never-ending. Online, one frequently sees comments like, “He might be lightning fast, but his strikes won’t do any damage. You need power, not just speed.”

Those writers would have us conclude that a speeding mass has no power, and as anyone who knows science will tell you, that’s not quite right. For example, consider what Ed Parker wrote on Page 92 of The Zen of Kenpo: “Speeding mass contributes to overwhelming power.” 

So which is more important for winning in combat, speed or power? We’ll discover the answer together using the opinions of some famous fighters and just a little bit of physics. Let's find out if speed matters over power..

SPEED MATTERS BECAUSE  Mike Tyson Said So 

“Iron” Mike Tyson, former heavyweight boxing champion of the world, said the following on the subject: 

“I was never a big heavyweight — when I was in my prime, I never weighed over 217, 219 — but me and my trainer Cus D’Amato, we always put a great deal of emphasis on our speed and combinations. He always told me, ‘Speed kills, speed is what kills.’” 

For those who aren’t old enough to have watched Tyson in his prime, know that some of his fights went only 30 to 40 seconds before ending in a knockout. Talk about speed! (I remember paying $60 to watch one of his bouts on pay- per-view in the mid-’90s, and — wouldn’t you know it? — it wound up being one of those 30-second knockouts.) 

SPEED MATTERS BECAUSE Bruce Lee Said So 

The founder of jeet kune do had this to say on Page 47 of Tao of Jeet Kune Do: Expanded Edition: “A powerful athlete is not a strong athlete, but one who can exert his strength quickly. Since power equals force times speed, if the athlete learns to make faster movements, he increases his power, even though the contractile pulling strength of his muscles remains unchanged. 

“Thus, a smaller man who can swing faster may hit as hard or as far as the heavier man who swings slowly.” 

Like a lot of you, I grew up watching Lee’s movies, and I don’t know anyone who wasn’t astonished by the speed and power he displayed. 

SPEED MATTERS BECAUSE Bill Wallace Said So 

For its January 2013 issue, Black Belt asked some of the most respected mar- tial arts masters in the world for their best training and fighting advice. The answer that Bill “Superfoot” Wallace provided was among the best I’ve seen, and it stuck in my brain. 

Floyd Burk, author of the piece, wrote: “Don’t think you’ll be able to use strength alone to defeat any opponent, Superfoot says. As evidence, he cites baseball players: ‘They don’t use brute force to hit the ball for distance; they work at developing quickness. You should do the same. Don’t be strong; be quick. Do your technique so fast your opponent can’t see it. If he can’t see it, he can’t react to it. If he can’t react to it, he can’t evade, block or control it. If he can’t do any of that, you win.’” 

SPEED MATTERS BECAUSE Sports Say So 

Thus far, we’ve looked at various fighters and their opinions, but what do athletes in other sports have to say on the issue? Funny that Superfoot mentioned baseball. Ron Fairly is a former pro baseball player and broadcaster, and what he once said backs up what Wallace stated in the Black Belt article. 

“If I had to name a No. 1 asset you could have for any sport, I’d say speed,” Fairly said. “In baseball, all the guy has to do is make contact.” 

Read that again. He said, “any sport.” He also said “make contact.” If you don’t think that applies to striking, ask Mike Tyson. 

By now, you’re starting to see how speed leads to power in virtu- ally every athletic endeavor. It isn’t always the biggest golfer who hits the ball 300 yards. Baseball pitchers who throw 95-mile-an-hour fastballs aren’t necessarily the muscle- bound guys. 

SPEED MATTERS BECAUSE Science Says So 

Until now, we’ve looked at statements made by individuals inside and outside the fight sports. But what does physics teach us about the subject? 

First, let’s examine the definition provided by Wikipedia: “Physics is the natural science that studies matter and its motion and behavior through space and time and that studies the related entities of energy and force. Physics is one of the most fundamental scientific disciplines, and its main goal is to understand how the universe behaves.” 

Physics can give us insight into many issues related to the martial arts, including this one. During my 40-plus years as a full-time martial arts instructor, I’ve had several physics majors as students. One of them is active in my Boulder, Colorado, school. His name is Dr. Piwonka-Corle. 

“In physics, we learn that energy = 1⁄2 x mass x velocity2. That last term is speed squared,” he said. “That means that for two people with the same arm size, if one of them punches twice as fast, that punch will deliver four times the energy. If they can punch four times faster, that is 16 times the energy — a real knockout blow in one strike.” 

It looks like science backs up what great fighters have been saying for years. 

SPEED MATTERS BECAUSE Sun Tzu Said So 

If you don’t trust science, maybe you’ll trust history. Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist and philosopher who lived during the Eastern Zhou period (770-255 B.C.). His most famous work is The Art of War, a masterpiece of military strategy that has influenced philosophers in the East and the West, as well as countless military leaders. 

“What is of greatest importance in war is extraordinary speed,” Sun Tzu wrote. “Quickness is the essence of war.” 

SPEED MATTERS BECAUSE of the Freeze Factor 

A guy who has fast hands can freeze his opponent in time and space for a split second. The key involves playing mind games with the other person. Punch him a few times here, land a few blows there and do it all with blinding speed — and he won’t know what hit him. 

He’ll be confused, which frequently manifests as the inability to do anything for a moment. He’ll start backing away from you while keeping his guard up. That will hinder him even more at a time when he desperately needs to see what’s in front of him and what’s coming at him. 

SPEED MATTERS BECAUSE Fast Fighters Land More Punches 

The obvious benefit of being faster than the other guy is that you have a better chance of landing more strikes. You still need to be accurate, but by being faster and getting more shots off, you should land more, which increases the likelihood of victory. 

If you play your moves right, possibly freezing your opponent as mentioned above, you’ll be in a win-win situation. Your opponent will throw fewer techniques because you’re landing speedy counterattacks on his head and body. With that happening, he’ll be filled with doubt, and doubt kills. Soon after doubt sets in, fear takes over — and that will make him slower still. In combat, fear is even deadlier than doubt. 

In the end, the winner is the fighter who’s quick off the draw and able to strike faster than his opponent can react. It’s that simple. 

Final Thoughts 

Clearly, my answer to the speed-vs.- power question is speed. When you boost your speed, you enjoy all the aforementioned benefits, which are more than enough to dismantle any opponent. Speed beats power any day of the week, provided that speed is coupled with good technique. Speed can enable most martial artists to finish an opponent with just two strikes, and maybe even one if you hit him right. It also makes you hard to catch with a counter. And as I stated at the outset and supported with outside opinions, speed is power. 

Please don’t interpret this article as an argument that power is use- less. Far from it. Power can make you rock solid. Power can enhance your endurance by letting you get the job done with fewer repetitions. Power can beat speed if speed isn’t properly developed and if you aren’t accurate. Just never forget that the two are interrelated. You can never have enough speed or power. 

If you have the time to develop both and if your body allows it, by all means do so. No fighter is more capable than one who possesses a variety of attributes. However, if you can bolster only one, the better choice — in the opinion of many, myself included — is speed. 

Jim Brassard is a 10th-degree black belt with more than 40 years in the arts. He was the recipient of a Sports Award for the Martial Arts, given by President Barack Obama. His website is ShaolinAmericanKempo.com.