[split] Phalanx warfare: use of the spear

[Paul Bardunias]

but if you hold it back, you dont have enough of "spear" to let it slide.. for that you would need to hold it in the front,same as Thrand is doing.

yes, but throw to be effective, it has to have quite a different trajectory for maximum speed.. while you are thrusting on downward path, not upwards. from your picture, it even looks like the only muscle that does the work is Triceps, which is again not that effective, and in no way more powerful than using high underarm and more of a "benchpress" move with all muscles in upper front body together.  and btw, you can have slow forward "punches" like this, but also quite dynamic ones and very fast. its all about the technique.

Overarm is only faster for the release trajectory, not past it, then it slows down quite dramatically.. you would have to do a throwing move with the spear to keep the speed with it.. if you keep holding it, your own body will slow it down.

You misunderstand.  I am not sliding the spear forward like Thrand.  I am telling you that the mass of the spearshaft is what causes the damage, not your hand holding it.  If your wrist were at risk, you could let the spear slide BACK through your hand as it impacts.  Essentially letting it go, and the strike will still be strong. You really need to hit something.  Find a broom.

You misunderstand as well what is happening in that picture.  In the image I am about 90% of the way through a strike.  The strike trajectory is flat, not down.  at full strike my arm will be straight in line with the spear, perpendicular to the ground.  Prior to that image my arm is way back and up, hence the "J" description.  The strike uses all of the major muscle groups of my back and chest and incorporates the torqueing of my whole upper body.  I am NOT thrusting downwards at all, and note that I am not hitting the head of the man behind me (closer than he would actually stand).  I have attached an image set of the whole J-strike.  No part of my strike is being slowed down by my body prior to contact, it just keeps accelerating.