by N. Mashiro
Unfortunately, this attack is a little more difficult to perform than the others and requires speed and good timing. (The other guy isn't going to just stand there and wait for you to get into position.) I have included it here mainly to show you another possible application of the palm-heel blow. It is every bit as useful as a fist punch.
1-11: Block normally, deflecting the incoming punch to the side, then slide forward and deliver a right rising elbow strike under the chin. The rising elbow strike is almost as useful as the palm-heel strike because it is extremely powerful, easy for a novice to use, and offers little possibility of injury to the user. Receiving an elbow strike under the chin feels like you've been hit with a club, and can easily result in a bitten tongue, broken teeth, broken or dislocated jaw, unconsciousness, or instant death due to spinal injuries. The disadvantage is that you have to get right in there to deliver it. Most people reserve the elbow blow for those times when circumstances have left you too close to the enemy to effectively use another technique. Don't deliberately take the time to step in close just to use your elbow. Also, don't neglect to use it when the range is appropriate.
1-12: Defend as usual, then slide in and deliver an elbow strike to the solar plexus (knocking the wind out of him, possibly killing him if you are very strong). Elbow strikes don't have to be traveling up to be effective. This one drives straight in under the rib cage, with a slight rising motion during impact. Performed correctly, the tip of the elbow penetrates deeply under the breastbone. To the receiver this feels like having the end of a broomstick rammed into his gut.
1-13: Step back and block as usual, then deliver a right shovel kick to the opponent's testicles. A shovel kick is the easiest karate kick to perform, and consists of pointing your toe toward the floor and then smacking the flat top of your foot up under the enemy's crotch. The "V" of his legs will automatically serve to guide your foot to the target, so all you have to do is punt. If your distance is off you will still hit him with the toe of your shoe, the top of your ankle or your shin. All are damaging.
1-14: It sometimes happens that your initial step back does not even begin to match the attacker's step forward. In this case you wind up nose-to-nose with him after your block. To get control of this situation, bring your right knee up smartly into his groin.
I should mention, however, that the old knee-to-the-groin trick taught by countless fathers to countless daughters does not work very well. Countless fathers also teach countless sons how to avoid getting hit there! The attack has to be fast and has to come as a complete surprise or it will not work.
An amusing variation you should learn goes like this. Suppose that you try to knee him with your right knee, but he does the natural thing and pulls his left thigh up across his groin to protect it. This will effectively nullify your attack unless you are a karate master and can put enough force into the blow to break his thighbone. (It can be done.) Your response should be to instantly put your right foot back down on the ground and snap your left knee into his groin. Try it gently with a practice partner and you will find that the thigh block can frequently be circumvented by switching feet this way. Be sure to guard your own groin at the same time.
Figure 3: The left knife-hand block is common in the movies ... one of the few movie techniques which really works. The followthrough, where you grab the attacker's arm to keep him off balanceand then stamp on his knee to break it-are not so frequently seen. Movie directors don't like this kick because it ends the fight too quickly and takes one of the villains out of the story for weeks. Serious fighters love it.
1-15: Perform the basic defense (step back and block) as before. Then shift your weight back on your right (rear) foot and deliver a left side-thrust kick to the attacker's leading knee. The side-thrust kick to the knee is easy to perform. Just think of leaning a stick of kindling against a wall and then breaking it by stamping your foot against the middle of the stick. Everyone has done something like this at one time or another. The only difference is that instead of a stick of wood you are stamping on the enemy's leg at the knee. The results are about the same. (See Figure 3.)
The knee is a preposterous joint in which two long, strong bones are held together by several sets of small ligaments. Heavy pressure against the front or side of the knee when it is straight will easily rip these ligaments out by the roots, breaking the knee. Take care, though. This is not an injury which heals well. The person you do this to will be crippled permanently, so save it for the guy who really de- seves it.
1-16: This technique presumes that the attacker steps forward into his punch with his right foot, putting his right knee within easy reach of your left foot. (Stepping forward with the right foot is fairly common but does not always happen, especially in practice where your partner may be "attacking" with stiff, unnatural motions.) As the punch comes in step back, block, and shift your weight to the right foot as before. Hook your left foot around the outside of his right knee so that the arch of your foot curls around to the back of the knee joint. In this position you can pull his knee forward, bending it, and then you can put your weight on your left foot and drive his bent knee powerfully into the floor. Depending on how hard you drive his knee into the ground you may simply humiliate him or you may shatter his kneecap, inflicting a very serious and long-lasting injury. (See Figure 4.)
If all has gone well, your opponent should now be kneeling on one injured knee directly in front of you. Let me point out two things about this position. First, notice how easy it is to use a hammer-fist attack to his face, skull, or neck. You may also be able to use a knee to rearrange his face depending on his exact landing position. Second, notice how easily he can attack your groin or grab your legs from his position below and in front of you. Better keep that in mind.
Figure 4: Stomping on the back of the opponent's knee is very effective because it is painful, unexpected, sudden, and it completely destroys the man's stance and mobility. It puts his head in reach of your knee, too.
This technique is not always appropriate (his foot may be in the wrong position) but when circumstances are right it can be irresistible. The takedown is fast, painful, and very surprising. Best of all, when properly done the opponent can't run very well afterwards. That's all you need for a clean getaway.
1-17: Now and then I teach my students techniques intended for display to relatives. For some reason relatives want to believe that you aren't really learning anything useful in your self-defense class! (They feel threatened, I guess.) The following technique falls into this class. Use it when your brother wants to see some "self-defense." Don't us it in a fight unless you feel very confident of your ability.
Meet the incoming punch with the same basic defense as before, but angle the block to deflect the opponent's fist upward. Duck down low, slide under his arm to the outside and throw him by hooking your bent right arm under his right leg while striking upward under his chin with your left fist. As his head goes back your right arm lifts his leg and he topples over backwards. (For sake of demonstration, push gently up under your brother's chin with the palm of your hand. Don't clout him unless that's what you really want to do!)
ATTACK #2
So what happens if the attacker leads off with his left fist, like a boxer would? This isn't such an unlikely possibility, and after the 50 percent of all attacks which start with ride-side haymakers, left jabs come next in frequency. I train my students to be right-side specialists because they usually don't have the time (or the ability) to shift from right- to left-side defenses in mid-punch. Therefore I train them to parry the left hand and wait for the inevitable right-side attack.
Figure 5: With the palm block you can deflect a left-hand punch and still be ready for the following right. This technique lets superficially trained self-defense students concentrate on defending against right-hand attacks only.
BASIC DEFENSE #2
Step back with the right foot, and use a left palm-block to deflect the incoming punch. A palm-block is a solid, snapp
y slap. The idea is to slap the attacker's incoming left jab to your right so it misses your head, but not so much that you can't recover in time to meet his right hand if it is coming in next. (See Figure 5.)
COUNTERATTACKS FOR SITUATION #2
2-1: The best idea for a self-defense student is usually to block but don't counter. Just wait for the right hand strike and deal with it instead.
2-2: If you would rather strike back, not wait for a rightside attack, use the left palm-block as before and then slide in as you deliver a left knife-hand strike to the left side of his neck. Alternately, use a left hammer fist against the left side of his neck or temple.
Note that this is intended to be a coil-recoil motion. As you block your body twists to your right, then recoils suddenly to the left during the counterattack. This can be a very fast and powerful attack. Don't use it unless it feels very natural to you.
2-3: The palm-block used here is essentially a slap which hits the attacker's wrist and drives it out to your right. If your right hand slaps the back of his elbow to the left at the same instant you will dislocate or break his arm.
ATTACK #3
Right-hand punch (or slap) to the face. This is the same as attack #1, but the defensive response is different.
BASIC DEFENSE #3
Some students find that stepping back with the right foot feels awkward and unnatural for them. They would rather defend by stepping back with the left foot instead. Others would prefer to block with their right hands, apparently because they feel that the right hand is stronger and more coordinated. Since I try to use a student's natural inclinations to advantage, this section presents a few left-foot, right-hand defenses for these people.
There is an advantage to stepping back with the left foot in that you can then use a right hammer-fist blow as a block, a very powerful technique. Take a deep step back with your left foot, using the right hammer fist to meet the attack. A hammer fist applied to the soft inner side of an opponent's wrist can bruise nerves or actually break his arm.
COUNTERATTACKS FOR SITUATION #3
3-1: After connecting with the hammer block, raise your right fist slightly and deliver a hammer blow down on top of the opponent's right collarbone (breaking it). This is a sure way to end the fight, but there is a slight possibility of causing a fatal internal hemorrhage.
3-2: After connecting with the block, strike the opponent on the right side of his neck with a right knife-hand strike or a hammer fist. This blow will probably just make him dizzy, but again there is the possibility of a more serious injury in rare cases.
3-3: After delivering the block, duck down, slide in toward the opponent and strike him in the ribs with your right elbow (breaking the floating ribs and/or knocking the wind out of him). In this attack you are assumed to be at close range, as if he practically ran you over when you stepped back. Your right shoulder should be only inches from his chest. Bring your right arm down across your abdomen and point the elbow at the opponent's lower ribs or solar plexus. Now drive the sharp point of your elbow deeply into his body. You can hit harder if you use your left hand to push on your right fist as you strike.
3-4: After completing the block shift the weight to your left (rear) foot and deliver a right side-thrust kick to the opponent's knee, thigh, groin, or abdomen. This technique assumes that there is sufficient distance between you and your opponent to allow you to kick. The knee is by far the best target. Aim higher only to impress your friends during demonstrations. (See Figure 6.)
Figure 6: The hammer block is a violent hammerlike blow to the inside of the attacker's forearm which can stun nerves or even break bones. If you are fast you can also grab the opponent's (broken) arm and pull on it while you crush his bladder with your foot.
Figure 7: The "X" up-block is difficult to perform effectively but self-defense students like it because of the dramatic counterattacks it makes possible.
The next few fist-fighting techniques are not as simple to perform as the previous ones. They are presented for enrichment (for fun), and for use by those advanced students who have the inclination to master them. Although some of these tricks are flashy, they are also very risky. Use them when you choreograph the high school play, not when things get serious.
ATTACK #4
Right-hand punch (or slap) to face. This is the same attack as in the previous situations. It is the defensive response that is different.
BASIC DEFENSE #4
Step back with the right foot using an "X" up-block to parry the attack. The "X" up-block is formed by making fists, with the hands palm down and the right wrist crossed over the left one. This forms the "X" which is used to catch the opponent's incoming punch and deflect it upward. When performed properly, the "X" block can actually trap his arm, giving you a split-second chance to grab his wrist and work mischief with it. (See Figure 7.)
Remember, these techniques are presented for your entertainment, not for practical use. Don't try them in combat unless you are very sure of your ability to use the "X" block effectively. It is not easy.
4-1: Step back and use the "X" block to trap his arm momentarily. Use your right hand to grasp his wrist, then pull it sharply down and back toward your right hip. Press against the back of his elbow with your left forearm to control him. This produces pain in the arm but no particular damage to the opponent's body.
The basic idea here is to get his arm straightened with the back of the elbow on top. Rest the bony ridge of your left wrist against a spot about an inch above his elbow (your practice partner will tell you when you have the right spot). This brings pressure against the radial nerve (the funny bone nerve) and produces severe pain with very little effort on your part.
Figure 8: One counterattack from the "X" block is to grab the attacker's arm and jerk him down past your right hip as you lift your knee.
4-2: Do exactly as described in the previous technique, but deliver a left hammer blow to the back of his elbow to painfully dislocate the joint.
4-3: Grasp his wrist as before, then pull down and back really suddenly so he bends over at the waist. Finish with a left hammer blow to his kidney. The spot is about six inches up from the belt and two to three inches to either side of the spine. This is an extremely painful blow which can cause serious internal bleeding in some cases.
4-4: Grasp his wrist and yank it down past your right hip as described before. As the opponent starts to fall forward off balance, shift your weight to your left foot and bring your right knee up smartly into his chest. Your continuing pull on his arm will greatly magnify the force of the impact. A collapse of the cardiopulmonary system is a possibility here, due in part to a crushed rib cage. This is a very powerful attack even for a novice. (See Figure 8.)
Figure 9: The classic wrist-release technique consists of twisting your hand up and out against the opponent's thumb.
Envision a situation where someone is trying to limit your movements by holding your wrists. This could be any friendly or unfriendly situation, like having a few friends trying to hold you down to tickle you, or having a mugger trying to drag you into a dark alley. The ability to quickly and surely escape when your wrists or arms have been grasped is basic to any self-defense student's training.
The lack of such training can be very embarrassing to a martial artist. I recall a karate black belt who was grabbed by some friends and thrown into the ocean as a joke. He remarked later that he could have killed them easily at any moment, but he couldn't make them let go without injuring them! Since it was just a playful joke he had to let himself be dunked. A self-defense student might not always be able to kill with his bare hands, but he'd better be able to perform an effective wrist release!
The important thing, remember, is to get loose. If the situation is serious and you can incidentally maim, mutilate, and massacre the other guy as you escape so much the better. But be satisfied if the technique results in your freedom. Don't press your luck beyond that point without a very good reason.
ATTACK #5<
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Your right wrist has been grasped by the opponent's left hand. Usually this puts the palm of his hand against the back of your wrist with his fingers curling under your arm and his thumb on top. He then tries to hold you against your will or to drag you off in some direction where you don't want to go.
BASIC DEFENSE #5
To get free, twist your wrist in his grip until the narrow upper edge of the wrist is against his thumb. This is the weak part of his grip. Use a circular motion to pull your hand toward the center of your body, then up to shoulder level, and then out and down to your right. Make a complete, snappy circle and your wrist will pry itself free between his thumb and fingers. (See Figure 9.)
The key to success is to use your forearm as a pry bar, putting irresistible pressure against the tip of his thumb. There are very few men with hands strong enough to resist this simple release when performed by a person of average strength. Even these men can be overcome by some additional steps.
COUNTERATTACKS FOR SITUATION #5
If a simple escape isn't dramatic enough for you try one of these techniques instead.
5-1: Twist your hand counterclockwise in his grip until your palm is vertical (thumb down). From this position you can curl your fingers up over the top of his wrist. Grasp his wrist tightly. At this point your "imprisoned" hand is on top holding the attacker's wrist, while the attacker's hand is on the bottom still gripping your wrist. Clamp his fingers against your arm with your left palm so he cannot let go even if he wants to.
Now comes the fun part. Use the strength of your shoulders to twist his arm violently clockwise. This will spin him around with his back toward you and his arm twisted up in a knot over his left shoulder. Finish by yanking the arm straight down toward the floor (dislocating the shoulder) or by delivering a knee kick to the base of his spine (breaking the coccyx). (See Figure 10.)