Meaning of 芯を通す and 芯の通る


In [this
manga](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AF%E3%83%89%E3%82%A6)
about boxing I found the following unrelated sentences:

> 1) もっと探れ… 伏黒【ふくろ】さんの拳。小さくても攻撃を未然に防ぐため… **芯を通して** くる。
>
> 2) **芯の通った** パンチを打ってこなくなって… 後退を優先してる。

In the first the protagonist is thinking about how to anticipate his
opponent's punches. In the second he is saying that after he stopped blowing
芯の通ったパンチ his opponent preferred to retreat. What is the exact meaning of 芯を通す
and 芯の通る? I think they have something to do with determination and strength,
but I am not sure. My attempts:

> 1) I need to understand Fukuro's punches better. They are not powerful, but
> to anticipate them I need _to focus/be determined_.
>
> 2) After I stopped blowing _strong_ punches, he preferred to retreat.

[Here you can see](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XkRzV.jpg) the two pages where
the sentences are taken from. Thank you for your help!




(Context: Fukuro (black hair) is a highly defensive boxer who focuses on
dodging and feinting rather than trying to knock the opponent out. The
protagonist (Riku) is inexperienced and doesn't know how to deal with this
type of boxer. Riku wants to induce Fukuro to a vicious exchange of punches,
which he is good at, but Fukuro is becoming even more defensive after gaining
enough scores to win by decision.)

Both instances of 芯が通る describe the same thing; **Fukuro's** not-so-aggressive
but clever punches, and his consistently defensive fighting style. Do you
remember [～てくる/～てこない refers to something moving toward the
speaker?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/676/5010) We can tell "I need
to focus" and "I stopped blowing punches" are incorrect just by seeing those
くる/こない.

芯が通る in this context means something like "to be meaningful/reasonable and
consistent", "to have one's own style/belief", etc.

> 小さくても攻撃を未然に防ぐため…  
>  Although Fukuro's punches are light, they are for preventing my
> (counter-)attacks.
>
> 芯を通し **てくる** 。  
>  He is (or his punches are) consistent and reasonable. / He is following his
> own style.
>
> * * *
>
> 芯の通ったパンチを打っ **てこなく** なって…  
>  Fukuro has stopped throwing those (consistently defensive) punches (to
> me)...




(Context: Fukuro (black hair) is a highly defensive boxer who focuses on
dodging and feinting rather than trying to knock the opponent out. The
protagonist (Riku) is inexperienced and doesn't know how to deal with this
type of boxer. Riku wants to induce Fukuro to a vicious exchange of punches,
which he is good at, but Fukuro is becoming even more defensive after gaining
enough scores to win by decision.)

Both instances of 芯が通る describe the same thing; **Fukuro's** not-so-aggressive
but clever punches, and his consistently defensive fighting style. Do you
remember [～てくる/～てこない refers to something moving toward the
speaker?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/676/5010) We can tell "I need
to focus" and "I stopped blowing punches" are incorrect just by seeing those
くる/こない.

芯が通る in this context means something like "to be meaningful/reasonable and
consistent", "to have one's own style/belief", etc.

> 小さくても攻撃を未然に防ぐため…  
>  Although Fukuro's punches are light, they are for preventing my
> (counter-)attacks.
>
> 芯を通し **てくる** 。  
>  He is (or his punches are) consistent and reasonable. / He is following his
> own style.
>
> * * *
>
> 芯の通ったパンチを打っ **てこなく** なって…  
>  Fukuro has stopped throwing those (consistently defensive) punches (to
> me)...

